cross countryy

lostinthemusic
Sun, 26 Aug 2007 00:54:34 +0000

I ran cross country and long distance in indoor and outdoor track (so basically all year round) during my 9th and 10th grade years. I was never the best runner on my team, but I still got a lot out of it and met some great people. A few posters have already mentioned hydration and diet, which are big.

I no longer run with my school team, but I still have a job in a specialty running supply store which does a biomechanical analysis of each new customer to determine what type of running shoes will work best for their individual gait cycle and/or any problems they may have (injuries, etc.) Having seen what happens when people come into my store injured, I can’t stress enough to get the right shoes!!! If you run in shoes that aren’t right for your gait cycle (such as if you overpronate severely and run in neutral shoes), you can get some very serious problems… everything from shin splints to knee issues to plantar fascitis can be triggered by running in bad shoes. Beware!

Also, don’t forget to have fun and not take a race too seriously if it goes badly… there are always plenty more. : ) Good luck.