Published with the Permission of Track and Cross Country Journal

Running related books are being published with ever-increasing frequency, on almost every conceivable topic related to the sport. In his book 101 Developmental Concepts & Workouts for Cross Country Runners, Dr. Jason Karp carefully translates the science of running into discrete concepts and workouts that can be immediately transferred to practice.

Decades of research in the area of exercise science are succinctly summarized in Part 1 with a description of 30 developmental cross country running concepts (e.g., Concept #22: The recovery intervals of an interval workout are just as important as the work periods) with approximately one page dedicated to each concept. Athletes often wonder why they are being trained the way they are. Dr. Karp’s physiological concepts could serve as a topic of discussion in team meetings to help runners understand the “Why’s?” of training—perhaps with an introduction of a new concept each day.

Likewise, these developmental concepts afford coaches at every level the opportunity to easily base training plans on scientific evidence. Part 2 of the book describes potential cross country running workouts that cover a variety of training topics including (but not limited to) lactate threshold, VO2Max, hills, fartlek, strategy and tactics, games, and supplemental training. Each workout includes objectives, descriptions, variations and coaching points to clarify expectations and provide rationale for each activity. In summary, 101 Developmental Concepts & Workouts for Cross Country Runners is not a typical running book. Dr. Karp combines the science of running with the art of coaching in a way that only a true scientist and championship coach could do.

Whether you are new to running or an experienced coach, 101 Developmental Concepts & Workouts for Cross Country Runners has something to offer you. This is a concise and easy-to-read manual for readers at any level. However, it is just a guide; it is therefore limited