XC workout Tuesday 8/19 at 6 PM at the Cornell Botanic Gardens

Group Runs & Workouts
1

The temperature will be lovely for change! So for this week’s workout, we’re going to focus on hills. The bowl of the Arboretum has five roads or trails leading up the hill, so after our 10-minute warmup run, we’ll run hard up each hill (focusing on good form: keeping the back straight, the stride short, the cadence high, and the arms not crossing the midline), continue hard on the flat at the top for at least 10 strides, and then turn and jog back down next to the path (to avoid slower runners). Then, you’ll immediately move on to the next path and repeat for one pass through all the hills. All these trails are paved, so wear road shoes.

Arboretum-Hills
Arboretum-Hills1920×1275 281 KB

With Hill #1 and Hill #5, it’s important to run all the way to the traffic signs, a Yield for #1 and a Stop for #5. The goal is to train your brain to lengthen your stride and pick up speed on the flat again after cresting a hill. For the runners with more mileage, once you’ve worked your way through all five hills, if you’re feeling good, start working back for a few more until you’re tired or have completed two sets.

Meet on Tuesday night at 6 PM at the parking area in the bowl of the F. R. Newman Arboretum in the Cornell Botanic Gardens (Google Maps pin) and be ready to start the warmup at 6:15 PM among the sculptures. Invite your friends and new students!

Everyone is welcome, though you must sign the FLRC Training Programs waiver once for 2025—many regulars still need to do this—and, if you come regularly, be an FLRC member. You don’t have to run the PGXC series—the workouts are great social running on their own—but we’ll try to recruit you. Probably repeatedly.

Any questions? See you Tuesday night!

Resources