Game version
Form spotters: one runs easily past while the partner shares one thing they liked, like tall posture or quick feet. Swap.
Learn a light landing with your foot under your body, not out in front.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Jog 40 yards trying to make no noise.
Core: Posture and arms. Beat your own smoothest stride.
The steps
Coaching point
Light and quiet.
Safety: Warm up first. Stop if a muscle feels tight or something hurts. Pain in one spot that gets worse each run, or a limp: stop and see a doctor.
Make it fun
Game version
Form spotters: one runs easily past while the partner shares one thing they liked, like tall posture or quick feet. Swap.
Challenge
Pick a focus: Less (posture), Core (posture and arms), More (posture, arms and quick feet). Beat your own smoothest stride.
Story
You are a gazelle running tall and light.
My best
Beat your own smoothest stride. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
Free for families and teams
Sign up and the free cross country week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.
14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free
Does your child's coach know about this?
An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.