An Effective Cross-Country Running Tactic is to Keep Running Hard Past the Peak of a Hill

Hills can be pivotal features in cross-country races. After all, it's those nasty changes in elevation that differentiate cross-country from track.

Here's a hill-running tactic that can have a devastating effect on opponents. Instruct your runners not to focus on the top of the hill when running up—have them focus on a point 20 meters past the top.

Over the Top
Most runners use the hill-top as their focus while they climb, thinking, “If I can only get to the top, I can rest.”  Once they reach that point, they naturally ease up to catch their breath.

So if an athlete they are running near (i.e. your runner) keeps going past the top of the hill, it can both surprise and unnerve the opponent. By the time they gather themselves, your runner can have a significant lead — and a definite psychological advantage.

Your runners can wait until later in the race—for example on a flat section or a downhill—to recover from their hill climbing effort.

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