I feel like my coach doesn't make sense

You gave almost no information about your coach's training plan. How are we supposed to know if it makes sense or not when you don't describe it?

Gee guess what. You are on a team. how did you get good enough to have D1 schools interested in you?

What are your speed workouts? I'm guessing you are going to call 800m repeats on grass speed workouts.

If you like to run on your own join a club team or hire a private coach who you can select based on your individual needs.

I think there's a silver lining here. Most D1 coaches will look more favorably on you if you've not yet run high mileage, and still posted times that merit their attention. It suggests that your actual ceiling could be much higher.

So, I'd suggest sticking with the program, and making sure you discuss your present training when meeting with potential college coaches. Don't trash your current coach, but make sure they know you're only running (insert whatever your weekly mileage is here, probably pretty low).

I've been in this situation. Start extending your workouts.

Do the speed work at 80% (hold back) and then mix in some tempos, hill work, and longer repeats after you finish the speed work with your coach. Just call it your "cool down".

Also consider skipping a few of your coach's workouts. Tell him your knee is swollen. Then go do your own work away from the team. Don't trust that your less talented teammates will keep your secret.

You only have a few months left. Get the work in. Increase your mileage. Stay focused. Find a good D1 school with a coach that can help you.

Lots of good advice so far.

There are no bad workouts, only guys who can be talked into racing them. This shouldn't be a problem if you don't race your buddy.

You have to practice running fast (not hard) as well as slow in order to be good.

Follow your school coach's program (to the letter) since they really do know what it is all about. Second guessing your coach is a poor attitude - will you do the same to me?

As long as you are running 100 miles per week, and doing workouts - like 20x400 (at 1500m pace) and 10x1000m (at 5k pace) and a 5k tempo run in under 15 minutes - on a regular basis, you will be fine. Trust me, since I know even more than the HS coach. Make sure ALL of your races are all-out, including dual meets, and that each meet is faster than the previous one. Also make sure that you qualify for either Footlocker or NXN (not both, that is being greedy), then the real coaches (like me) will be even more interested.

real college coach wrote:

Follow your school coach's program (to the letter) since they really do know what it is all about. Second guessing your coach is a poor attitude - will you do the same to me?

As long as you are running 100 miles per week, and doing workouts - like 20x400 (at 1500m pace) and 10x1000m (at 5k pace) and a 5k tempo run in under 15 minutes - on a regular basis, you will be fine. Trust me, since I know even more than the HS coach. Make sure ALL of your races are all-out, including dual meets, and that each meet is faster than the previous one. Also make sure that you qualify for either Footlocker or NXN (not both, that is being greedy), then the real coaches (like me) will be even more interested.

Haha 5k tempo under 15 minutes made me laugh. I know you're not being serious, but that would mean that the OP was capable of winning both NXN and Footlocker

Real College Coach I know what you are saying, but as the previous poster said a 5k Tempo in under 15 Minutes their are not even many pro's who do that. That would be insane.

It's your career. If you genuinely believe that your coach's workouts are not doing you any good - don't do them! No coach has the right to demand, in effect, that you damage your future prospects simply in order to follow his instructions to the letter. However, you should be certain that you are moving away from your coach for the right reasons not, for example, because his workouts are hard or that he refuses to massage your ego. But if your reasons are genuine tell him that you will race for the team but prepare in your own way. Mind you, this heaps pressure on you to produce the goods in races!

Finally, have you asked the coach to explain his training philosophy? What's the plan behind his training? Why is he asking you to do this particular workout? If he can't answer those types of question do as Lydiard suggests - and find another coach!!

First of all, Real coach is a troll

Second of all, those people that think you should blindly follow your coach simply because he is your coach are incorrect. I dealt with 3 sessions of speed a week (I'm assuming you are doing hard intervals in the 400m-800m range) no doubt you will peak in September and many of your less strong teammates will get injured.

Skip some workouts with "injuries and illness", do others at aerobic efforts (until October when it can be beneficial to push the shorter intervals a little harder) and always always include tempos (such as 20 minutes at a solid effort, or 3x10 minutes) and fully aerobic intervals such as 6x1k at 10k pace with 200m jog. You will be amazed at how fast you run when it counts.

You might be able to work speed portion into structured fartleks. This would be especially good workout if speed portion were run on slight incline. Start at easy run mile pace and then bring down mile pace slowly. Running 3 workouts like this or what you are doing now, will require perfect recovery. Rest, hydrate and massage legs. Run very easy on recovery days. Talk with your coach, he gets his speed , you get your endurance.

"ExperiencedWithSpeed" has it right and

"mark b"

"Real College Coach" doesn't have a clue

Athletes always question their coach. Especially high school and college runners. It's the old "careful what you wish for...you just might get it"

In other words, your coach is the best man considered for the job by the AD. Many people might have passed on it because of pay, ridiculous hours, whining little brats (hm?) and little respect. But, they still do it because they love it.

You want him out?

Guess what?

what makes you think you won't dislike the next one, or the next one?

I ran, and I coached. Want to guess which one was a lot easier?

If you are so good, then prove it, and quit blaming the coach.