This HILLY XC Session Left Me EXHAUSHED! - Ben Is Running

*This is a quick summary of “This HILLY XC Session Left Me EXHAUSHED!” from Ben Is Running. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

• Use a grassy, hilly loop to reduce impact while still getting strong uphill/downhill work.
• Combine longer 1‑km repeats at a 10‑K effort with faster 400‑m repeats at a 3‑K effort to mix endurance and speed.
• Focus on effort rather than exact pace on uneven terrain; keep heart rate in the 170 bpm range.
• Warm‑up with 3 km easy on the road (Nova Blast shoes) before switching to spikes or trail shoes for the hill work.

Workout Example

Warm‑up: 3 km easy on road (Nova Blast shoes) – ~8 min/km

Main Set:
  • 4 × 1 km repeats on a hilly loop – aim for ~10 K effort (≈3:42‑3:40 per km on this terrain)
  • 10 × 400 m repeats – slightly faster, focus on higher turnover (≈1:22 per 400 m) – 3 K effort

Cool‑down: 2 km easy jog on road

Total: ~16 km with ~331 m elevation gain

Adjust the paces to match your own fitness level in the Pacing app.

Closing Note Give this hill‑heavy XC session a try today—tweak the distances or paces to suit you, and track it in the Pacing app. You’ll feel stronger, faster, and ready for any upcoming cross‑country race. Happy running!

References

• This HILLY XC Session Left Me EXHAUSHED! - YouTube (YouTube Video)

Workout - Ben's Hilly XC Strength Builder

• 15min @ 6'30''/km
• 4 lots of:
  • 1.0km @ 4'30''/km
  • 2min 30s rest
• 10 lots of:
  • 400m @ 4'00''/km
  • 1min 30s rest
• 10min @ 7'00''/km

Ready to start training?

If you already having the Pacing app, click try to import this workout:

Try in App Now

workout/bens-hilly-xc-strength-builder-c8d22c75

Don’t have the app? Copy the reference above,
to import the workout after you install it.