Good 5k/mile time for an 8th grade competitive runner.

You shouldn't be running anywhere near race pace on distance runs.

you're sitting awfully pretty if those are in fact your real times.

A couple of things -

Slow down on your longer runs. You shouldn't be able to run your 5k pace for 6-8 miles anyway...but take those runs easier. Build a base with longer runs, ohne your speed with specific workouts, and save it for the races.

That said, you're running a lot for a soon-to-be eighth grader. Monitor your body for any signs of injury and take it down a notch at the first warning signs...you've got a LONG time to build lifetime mileage. Of course, if you can handle it, more power to you.

Good luck and have a good year.

you have speed, dont worry about improvements til you hit high school, your coach will take care of you there, just stay in shape.

quote]itsdavidlol wrote:

Hi, I'm new to the boards here.

I am currently in 8th grade when school starts, and am a competitive cross country runner.

I've been wondering how my times match up ( I looked through the threads on this board and could not find any times that were run by people around my age)

My 5k time is about 19:28 or so, and my mile is around 5:10.

-David[/quote]

Well, Abraham Feleke ran 12:54 at 16 years, so you're gonna need to step it up...

14 flat no less. anything else is unnacceptable.

Your mile is more like an 18:20 or better 5K so your 5K will come down. That's a very good mile for eighth grade. Stick with it and don't get hurt or burnt out and you'll be golden in the next 10 years.

Yeah, your mile is significantly faster than your 5K...I was 4:56 in the mile but around 18:30 in the 5K...don't worry - enjoy the sport...do some miles...never mind the 8th graders who run 4:40 miles...they're probably over mature for their age...just worry about yourself....

Go make some friends at, www.dyestat.com.

Thanks for the advice everyone XD

Though I got some negative replies >_>

I wont be running 14 flat any time soon =/ I'm sorry if thats unacceptable.

A few more questions XD

Generally, what would be a better workout?

3 miles at high intensity or 8 miles at low/medium intensity?

And I heard of a few methods of training that involve running in racing flats? I'm interested to the views on that, because they have almost no cushioning at all.

Thanks-

You need to be doing longer distances at easy to mid pace during the off season...

If you're thinking long term career, you shouldn't race longer than 400 meters. You can move up later.

Take what ever you run this with a big grain of salt. It's really hard to say what is good 5k/mile times because the maturity level is very different among boys your age.

There are handful of 8th graders who've run in the 4:20's and there are also many national and world class runners who didn't break 5 in the mile until their sophomore year.

Speaking from experience, I ran 4:46 (pretty impressive) in 8th but only improved to 4:26 (relatively dissapointing) by my senior year despite being very serious about my training in high school.

It's great that you sound serious about your running and you're seeking advice, but also understand that there are many ingrediants to your future potential which may or may not show themselves dispite how hard you work.

Keep your running fun, seek out other good runners your age for friends, and yeah, slow down most of your runs.

hey, i'm currently 17 yrs old, when i was your age i ran 17:51 5K with only 18mls/week, my average training week was something like this:

-1x tracksession 400mtrs or 200mtrs

-2x easy runs above 8min/mile pace (3mls - 5mls)

-1x "long" run (around 7:45/mile pace) of 8.5mls

What I should do if I were you is to slow down your endurance runs a lot (by a min/mile or more), and take at least one day of full rest (=no running), because I think your spending all of your energy to your training, and you have no energy left to go fast in the races, and it's not good for your body either to train that hard at your age, because your body is still growing.

At this moment i'm not training as hard as you do now:

-2x easy runs 8-9miles (@ 7:45/mile pace)

-1x long runs 10-12miles (@ 7:10/mile pace)

-2x speedtraining (both aerobic)

= 35-40 miles a week

After 8 months of nearly no training, i started 7 weeks ago with this training, and I ran a 5K PB last weekend in 17:06, you don't have to train hard to be fast.

Good luck,

Jurgen.

(sorry for my bad english)

and don't listen to those brainless morons who are saying you need to run 14 or 16 flat 5K at your age !!

Listen to this guy. The only time an 8th grader should run 5 miles is at the very end of the season- once.

This 8th grader may be fast now, but there is burnout and injury in the future.

yea I woudl lower your mielage and wait another year to get to where you are at, Yopu should prob be running around 30 miles a week with ur a complete day off each week and an easyd ay each week. Although for older kids I think it is unneccesary to take days off at your age you should. Especially at your age you shoudl nto be running hard for any distance run most runs should be around 7:30 or so something easy. High School is where college coaches will notcie you not middle school so have fun in 8th grade.

You a boy or girl?

Thanks for the advice again.

I'm a boy.

And would swimming increase your times for running? Or just burn calories. I'm interested if anyone knows about what the conversion is

ex. (x) minutes of swimming = (x) minutes of running?

Thanks-

i am a swimmer and a runner swimming helps you with your running a lot. I just ran a 4:50 mile what is the world record for an 8th grade boy