I have a teammate who is a senior that is foolishly running 80 miles a week he hasn’t broken 10 minutes in the two mile, we are trying to place in the top 7 at the state championships, last season he hardly broke 17 minutes in the 5k. WHAT SHOULD I DO???
Who cares? as long as he has built up to it and isn't jumping from 40 to 80 it's okay. High mileage isn't a bad thing..
Honestly, you should stop pretending to be the team's coach. What other runners do is not of your concern. Chances are his training is actually appropriate for the summer and he will come out of it a stronger runner.
you should encourage him, and thank him for putting in the work to improve himself (and the team).
If he does it correctly chances are he won't be a ten minute two miler much longer.
Remove your head from your *&%)$(^*_ and start worrying that he is going to catch you.
A sub 17 for 5k in XC and hasn't broken 10??... He probably just hasn't had a good 2mi/3200m while in shape.
If he builds up to 80 summer of Malmo style, he'll be sittin' pretty come xc season. Tell him to split up his base with some lower mileage easy weeks, if he cares to listen to you. If he has a couple years of running in him, a couple months at 80 per week should do him some good.
I don't know many HS kids that actually do this kind of mileage. Especially solo. My guess it's 60ish but he's counting 7 min mile pace.
Let him be. If it's part of a long term plan he's fine.
Informed runner wrote:
If he does it correctly chances are he won't be a ten minute two miler much longer.
I agree. I almost broke 10 min in HS on 35-40 mpw. You know what? I never got any faster. Looking back now I wish I had put in more miles because who knows maybe I would have gotten much faster. It sounds like this kid has the right approach.