Ben's Hilly XC Strength Builder

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

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*Below you’ll find our take on “This HILLY XC Session Left Me EXHAUSHED!” from Ben Is Running. It’s definitely worth watching in full — we’ve pulled out the key details so you can do this workout starting today. Don’t miss the original video for the complete context.

Key Points

• Pick a grassy, hilly course to spare your legs while still demanding hard work on climbs and drops.
• Pair 1‑km efforts at your 10‑K pace with 400‑m repeats at your 3‑K pace, blending both aerobic capacity and leg speed.
• On rough ground, chase the feeling rather than the watch; settle your heart rate at around 170 bpm.
• Begin with 3 km of relaxed running on pavement (Nova Blast shoes), then switch to spikes or trail shoes when you hit the hills.

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

Use the Pacing app to dial in paces that match where you’re at right now.

Closing Note Try this hill-heavy XC session soon—scale the distances and paces to your own level, and log it in the Pacing app. You’ll come away stronger, quicker, and primed for whatever cross‑country race is next on your calendar. Have fun out there!

References

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