LB Poly XC Warm-Up & Cool Down Routine

GEAR CHECK: Before you leave home (pack the night before the race)!
-Shoes, both racers & trainers
-Warm-ups & Uniform
-Light & healthy snacks
-Lots of water (minimum of 2 liters)
-Extra Poly T-shirt & Extra clothes if it is cool (or a blanket, cap & gloves if it is very cool)

PRE-WARM-UP (Just before starting warm-up, about 1 hour before your race)
Stay warm. recheck gear, bathroom, drink water, pin race number on singlet, focus on race!.

PRE-RACE WARM-UP ROUTINE: Start w/ your teammates 50 minutes before race!
-5 minute jog (w/ warm-ups)
-10 minute Mini-drills (10-15 yards of half speed drills) (10 minutes max.)
-Marching high knees
-Semi-high knees (thighs not quite to horizontal)
-Semi-fast feet
-Almost butt kicks (calves slightly past horizontal but not all the way to your butt)
-Skips (not for height of length but good form)
-Backwards running
-Side steps
-Cross-overs (kareoke)
-10 minutes Stretch (10 minutes maximum! Keep it concise & don’t let stretching take away from warm-up run)
YOU MUST START THE NEXT PART (11 MIN. RUN) 26 MINUTES BEFORE SCHEDULED RACE!
-11 minutes run (shed some clothes if it is warm) 4 minutes EZ, 3 minute @ race pace, 4 minutes EZ
-5 minutes for final change of gear (uniform, racing flats, water, bathroom, etc.)
-10 minutes before start, proceed to starting/area & do 4-6 strides (building to race pace)

RACE!!! RACE!!! RACE!!!

IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR RACE...MEET W/ YOUR COACH & ALL YOUR TEAMMATES FOR POST RACE DISCUSSION!

POST-RACE COOL-DOWN: Start as soon as possible w/ your teammates:
-Change out of racing flats into trainers & get a big drink of water
-15 minutes jog (or more) as prescribed by your coach
-Refuel...a light & healthy post race snack must be consumed w/in 30 minutes.
-Evaluate your race effort (look at all the +’s &-’s). What went well & what could be improved & how could that improvement be implemented?

THROUGHOUT THE RACE DAY:
-Drink lots of water
-Support & encourage all your teammates throughout the entire race day!!!

USING YOUR MIND: Your brain is a very powerful tool if used correctly. Think about your race often. Have a race plan in mind. Segment your race into sections. What are you going to attempt to do in each section? Review your team goals & individual goals for the event. Visualize it & go for it!!!

REMEMBER:  Don't let your body tell your mind what to do...make your mind tell you body what to do!!!