How to train for XC season this fall?

I think you'd get a better answer from your coach then from around here. some coaches have a handout they give to their team for their summer workouts. If your coach doesn't have one I bet you can find someone else who has one....wait..... googling.....

here is one from Training Peaks. Google "This Cross Country Training Program is designed for high school runners to use during the summer". Its a word/pdf so I hope you can view it.

Runners world has something interesting too. http://www.runnersworld.com/high-school-training/u...

here is one more.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=...

I'm sure you can look around and find some others. Try googling "summer workout training plan for high school cross country runners"

what probably happened to you is that 5k training is really popular as a "fad" right now and you probably ended up getting stuck with those.

While I have your attention, can I recommend a trip to the library. I know its summer but knowledge is a terrible thing to waste. Look for books on training. Jeff Galloway is a former Olympian and runs national workshops, and is an author. Some of his books are for beginners. But the info on nutrition cuts across all levels of athletes. There is a lot of mis-information about nutrition. especially around the locker rooms. For instance, you shouldn't buy protein shakes, and you shouldn't carb load. but around the locker room people are still talking about carb loading (by the way, for a athlete, the only time carb loading should be done is for a half marathon or over. Protein shakes are expensive and full of chemicals, you're better off with a glass of milk.).

Another author you might look for is Joel Friel. His training programs might be too complicated for you but if you can figure them out they are really personalized.

And if you want to try something different, get Chi-running by Danny Dreyer.

See if your high school has a summer running program. Run. A 5k or two