So I just signed up for a cross-country race (5k distance). I have never done one before, and I was wondering how it will be different from a road 5k. My running is very nearly 100% road and treadmill, so I am a little apprehensive.
FWIW, I am told that this particular course is not technical - grass and packed dirt with only one hill. So maybe I am worrying over nothing...
PRs:
5k - 22:53 (May 2015)
10k - 50:00 (unofficial; part of 20k race, March 2015); 50:33 (official; July 2016)
HM - 1:48:40 (Apr. 2015)
Hip Redux
Don't judge pace by what you are used to on roads, go by effort.
Super B****
This. My main objective in such cases is not run as fast as possible, but don't land on your face.
Okay, it's run as fast as possible without falling on your face. Same difference.
chasing the impossible
because i never shut up ... i blog
Are we there, yet?
Running on a surface you aren't used to may fatigue you more quickly. Cross country courses will engage a lot more of the small muscles used to stabilize your foot plant and stride.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Definitely go by effort. I find running on grass is more difficult than packed trails, mainly because it is not an even surface and the grass can hide some of that. If you can, maybe try to do a few runs on grass just to get used to it.
Do you live in an area where they have interesting definitions of hills? I ask because a few years ago, I did a cc 5k that supported programs at my work. It was held at a park known for being hilly, to the point that it used to have Baltimore county's only ski hill. Strollers were allowed. I was recruiting people to run it and told a co-worker "it can't be that hilly if they are allowing strollers". Oops. After a half mile on the road, it was up and down hill. Constantly. But not really big hills, for the most part they were less than 100 meters. It was also late April, so there was a lot of dew. Nothing like trying to run as fast as possible and worrying that you are going to fall in front of your co-workers, students and families.
Request a refund.
race obsessed
KillJoyFuckStick
Balls out. Or clam out. Whichever applies.
You people have issues
Consciously pick your feet up higher on the grass. If it's wet and/or muddy, wear spikes or screw shoes. Throw some 'bows in the woods
Mmmmm...beer
+1 for effort and not pace. Also what Jay said, the grass can make traction difficult, especially if it's wet, and will increase your effort.
My first 5k was a cross country race, didn't know it when I signed up, just signed up for the next 5k I could find. Had a blast and went back the next two years to run it again.
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
For those competitive minded, I feel the CC format really lends itself to a race.
Time be damned, it is the competition that matters.
But if you are not being competitive - then all by feel.
This. My main objective in such cases is not run as fast as possible, but don't land on your face. Okay, it's run as fast as possible without falling on your face. Same difference.
For sure!
Thanks folks. I will not worry about my finish time at all. It's an unfamiliar race surface + probably not good weather conditions (it's in two weeks, so hot or rainy are both possibilities; I'm not expecting a nice cool morning!). I will focus on careful cadence and trying to beat the people in front of me without overdoing it! This is actually a grand prix race against other running clubs, so it would certainly be a good race to try to outrun the competition instead of going for an individual time goal.
I have been doing balance exercises once a week this year (leg swings every which way, circles with one knee while standing on the other leg, etc.) - hopefully those will have helped a bit. I'll try to get in a few extra sessions of those before the race! And try to find some grass to run on between now and then.
Half Crazy, that's a funny story! We don't have too many hills around here so it shouldn't be that bad.
I have been doing balance exercises once a week this year (leg swings every which way, circles with one knee while standing on the other leg, etc.)...
Have fun! As others have said, run by feel since you won't have any prior experience with that surface.
Then do a hilly xc race.
T minus one week - I went on a "preview run" of the course with some other ladies from my running club, and the course is gorgeous!! Lots of nice vistas of rolling hills, butterflies flying around, etc. I was not expecting that somehow. It turns out that maybe 2/3 of the course is "cinder" (I would have called it crushed gravel, same thing?) and the rest grass. And most of the grass is pretty short and sparse with a lot of empty spots with just packed dirt, though the first ~quarter mile is on long grass. Two notable uphills, one not too bad about 0.5 miles in, one pretty evil at about the halfway point.
Anyway, now I'm more excited about this! I'll report back next week on how it goes!