D1 dreams..

You don't need to post this repeatedly.

I think the chances are realistically slim.

You may have potential but haven't had a good opportunity to show it yet. Repeated injuries could be due to you overtraining. Or poor coaching. Or just poor genetics. But so far, you haven't run anything that proves to coaches you are worth taking a chance on. You may have to rely on your academics and walk on.

May I ask what your summer training was like (mileage, weights program) ? Those are great times I aspire to reach here pretty soon!

Look up UVA on milesplit. If your times are around the runners they have right now you can walk on no problem and probably be more aggressive with emailing the coach- they are busy and emails get lost in the bunch! If your times are close you may even consider calling. You have to make an effort they won't come to you!

I'm sorry, it was deleted.

Thanks- I actually have. In the past they've taken some girls around my times.

I'm not quite sure what you are asking. Certainly you have as good a chance as anyone to walk on at anything but the top 10 or so schools if you show up in 18:27 5k XC shape.

Can you improve and get some scholarship money? Those are really two different questions. From what you have written you can almost certainly improve but getting scholarship money is really out of your control. My guess is many coaches don't want to risk money on injury prone freshmen but that they are willing to scrape money together to support third or fourth year athletes for what they did in their earlier years. But my thoughts depend on exactly what else is going on in the program, not you.

With those thoughts in mind, I think you should set up a long term plan based around the idea of doing about 50% of the training you think 18:27 runners do from now until you get to school next fall. So instead of 50 mpw, do 25 mpw. Instead of 6 x 800 at 3200 pace, do 3 x 800. The point is that 10 continuous months of training at 50% will do just as much for you as 5 months of 100% training that has you on the edge of getting injured when you arrive at school.

The last thing you want is to arrive at school on the edge of getting injured, much better to arrive in 19:30 shape and respond well to your new situation than to arrive at 18:20 and slump. Moving away from home, starting a new level of school and training with better runners are all stressful so you need lots of excess work capacity to make your first year of college a success and set you apart from the other runners.

You're talking about major D1s?

You're a walk-on for the majority of solid D1s -- particularly if you're talking about places like Virginia. That means you're an academic-athletic mismatch. Your academics put you among schools that traditionally have solid distance runners (or schools that distance runners gravitate toward). Your times are scholarship times for smaller D1s.

Don't worry about the scholarships. Most distance girls just get books. It is fun to have a signing party and claim scholarship status, but it isn't really that big of a deal. Secure a spot on the team and work toward a scholarship in year one. You'll have the same experience as long as you work hard.

girl sports....yawn

high school senior girl wrote:

I'm sorry, it was deleted.

Ah, stupid moderation.

Given your history, I suggest that you look for the best academic fit for you that also has a decent XC/track program, and walk on. Probably you could do with the pressure (often self-imposed) that comes with taking D1 athletic money.

I suggest this not because I don't think you can hack it, but because I think it gives you a better chance of success. Ideally, you can find a program where you will be welcome but otherwise ignored as a freshman, so you can get and stay healthy and get faster.

I go to UVA. Basically what I have seen so far is that some borderline girls are allowed to join the team initially but if they don't perform well they quit/are cut and go to the club team (which is still good) and others start out on the club team and move up if they run fast times in their first or second year. I would come here if you want to come here for academics and the running will work itself out if you work hard enough and run fast either on the varsity or club teams. But if you don't really want to come here I wouldn't take the risk just to have a chance to run D1.

I ran 11:44 in high school for two miles, similar XC times to you. I had no interest in running in college though so I was quite happy to join the club team here and just run for enjoyment while focusing on academics.

D1 running works out for a few but not the majority. 17-18 year olds all want to sign a D1 scholarship so they can wear their D1 shirt at their HS the last 5 months of school. The reality, they signed for peanuts. They run their freshmen year (usually 2 meets unattached if they are lucky) and start to realize running is a full time job and they are getting peanuts in return. They then realize they could get a part time job and make more than what their scholarship is worth and it is a lot easier work. On a female D1 roster, you will see 12 fresh / 10 Soph / 4 Jr. and maybe 2 Sr. - that is the reality of D1 running for most - not all. But, hey, enjoy your t'shirt and peanuts and your parents can brag that you signed with a D1 school - then in 18 mnths your running career will be over and you will be in a sority working a p/t job and well into your Soph year academically. ...... Do I sound bitter? I see it all the time, good runners who run 1,2 years only at a D1 school - I do wish you the best of luck - TRULY - I just know this is the reality of 80% of D1 female distance runners.

If this happens to 80% of the runners - how do they fill the D1 rosters? They will just sign 10 more freshmen next year and maybe a few will stick around - numbers game -

I'd just like to clarify I don't care if I get a scholarship or not, I just would love to get a spot on the team. I'm just worried I won't have time for them to notice me since I've been hurt. I'm training again and will hopefully compete at the end of indoor track and do outdoor track. I am heading up to UVA Speed clinic for a 3D gait analysis in a few weeks to hopefully help with the constant injuries...not sure if they are a result of the eating disorder or not. Thanks for everyone's advice!

Good luck. You sound like a great young lady and I wish you the best - the coach would be crazy not to take you if UVA is the school you want to go to and you only just want a spot on the team -

high school senior girl wrote:

I'd just like to clarify I don't care if I get a scholarship or not, I just would love to get a spot on the team. I'm just worried I won't have time for them to notice me since I've been hurt. I'm training again and will hopefully compete at the end of indoor track and do outdoor track. I am heading up to UVA Speed clinic for a 3D gait analysis in a few weeks to hopefully help with the constant injuries...not sure if they are a result of the eating disorder or not. Thanks for everyone's advice!

If you're hoping to walk on, probably the coaches will be more interested in how fit you are when you show up on campus. So focus on slowly ramping up your training so you stay healthy, have a decent track season and a good summer of training.

I'd say you still have a shot. Try to *avoid* injury and you should be able to walk on or atleast be considered

What in the world..

this sounds sappy- but don't give up on your dreams. sometimes you surprise yourself.