Chaska's cross country program has a solid foundation, with both the boys' and girls' teams achieving notable results.

  • The team's history includes conference championships, strong individual performances, and consistent participation in various meets.

  • Recent seasons have shown the team's commitment to improvement and a focus on building a strong foundation for future success. 

BRIEF HISTORY

The program has been in existence since the 1950’s and progressed from a boys only sport until 1976 when the girls were added as an interscholastic activity.  Since that time, numbers have increased dramatically and, as well, individual and team success have made many strides.  The girls team captured the Suburban West Conference Championship in 1977 and both the girls and boys teams won the Suburban West Conference in 1987.   Girls teams have qualified for the State Meet in 1982, 1983, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2014, with boys teams qualifying in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

TERMINOLOGY

LSD – Long Steady Distance

Intervals – A number of repetitions or bouts of running, usually short, in a set or in multiple sets, with the volume of repetitions high and the intensity low enough to successfully complete the total workout.

Repetitions – A number of repetitions, usually long in duration, at intensities needing complete recovery between repetitions.

Resistance – Hills

Aerobic Threshold - With air

Anaerobic Threshold – Without air

Anaerobic Endurance – Race Energy


SCORING

Unlike most sports, the low score wins in cross country with the first five runners for each team counting as a team score.  Each runner is given his/her finish place and those are added together to determine the score.

Developing the annual or season plan for cross country is not a simple process.  Sequencing workouts, fitting in races and scheduling easy days in a proper way will make or break your season.  Training the human body is a progressive endeavor.  One type of workout will lead to one type of adaptation.  Training is specific with exacting results due to the type of stimulus presented.  The human body is far more complicated than any machine.  Therefore, cross country training is more complex than rocket science!

In training endurance athletes there are ten major principles to follow.  If the athlete “buys into” these principles on a consistent basis, good things will generally happen.  These principles are:


1. Adaptation A fitness level responds to a workload.  A hard workout early in the season becomes easier later in the season.

2. Progression Proper sequencing of workouts is the key to success.

3. Readiness Athletes must be ready for work everyday.

4. Individual Response Every athlete is different.  Slight changes may be necessary to meet individual needs.

5. Overload The work done must be harder then the previous work done.

6. Specificity The workouts are specific to needs in the endurance domain.

7. Variation There are many different workouts to accomplish the same effect.

8. Restoration Some workloads are easier than others.  This causes a compensation to occur.

9. Reversibility The improving progression of a fitness level can reverse itself quite quickly.  Quitting hard work will cause improvement to quit.

10. Longevity Not only do endurance athletes improve intra-season, but also inter-season.  Improvement is chronic if sequenced properly.


Training Parameters


The Long Run:  LSD (gossip running pace).


VO2 Max Run:  Between 400 and 3200 meters at a very specific pace with equal recovery.


Tempo Run:  Anywhere between race distance and 8 to 10 miles.  Always adjusted for specific age and experience of each athlete.


Interval and Repetition Run:  Speed training.


Strength Run:  Hills are our friends.


Recovery Run:  Rest and restoration.