Why do so many high schoolers go "hard" on every run?

sounds like they need someone with experience running to tell them that instead of venting on a running board.

Clearly the coaching

the kobe of being bad wrote:

sounds like they need someone with experience running to tell them that instead of venting on a running board.

I'm venting on LetsRun because I have already tried telling them! They think I'm nuts!

They are too stuck on the thought, "I need to run faster every day in order to be faster."

Go hard or go home. The only reason to go easy is if you can't recover. If you can't recover from hard runs then you don't have the talent to make it to the top level.

Training goes in 3 day cycles like this: HARD, HARD, EASY, repeat ad infinitum. Make it or break it.

65 - 75 mpw in high school? Wow, never have I done anything faster than 65 mpw in my entire life and I feel like my mid 28 minutes 10,000m and sub 65 have are subject to be broken soon. Much respect for you and I hope it works for you.

Onerunner wrote:

the kobe of being bad wrote:

sounds like they need someone with experience running to tell them that instead of venting on a running board.

I'm venting on LetsRun because I have already tried telling them! They think I'm nuts!

They are too stuck on the thought, "I need to run faster every day in order to be faster."

This comes from just about every other sport you have participated in up to this point. "Hustling", "giving it all you have", "fighting through pain" . . . all of these behaviors are expected and demanded of you in other sports. It is hard to adapt to the more scientific approach that quality running requires when "taking it easy" has never been rewarded before and might get you benched in other sports.

It's not really harmful for athletes only running 25 miles per week. They will improve. But when you are looking for the next breakthrough, the approach you are following is more sensible.

Onerunner wrote:

It's really stupid. My high school XC team, where my 5K time is at least a minute ahead of our #2 runner, runs faster on their easy days than me. I run 65-75 mpw and all my mileage runs are around 7:10-7:30 pace. The rest of my team runs 6:45-7:00 on every run but only run 25 mpw. They are breathing heavily and straining on even a 5 mile run, whereas I can run a 9 miler pretty comfortably at a 7:15 pace.

Why can they get it into their heads that most of their running should be easy (especially since it's summer) and the pace does not matter very much? Does anyone else deal with this?

Well, I dont think everyday should be easy, and I think that it is important to get in some solid long runs at least once a week, even in summer, but not every day should be a strain.

I used to go hard in high school quite often, so I would usually just pin it down against my stomach with the waistband of my shorts.

Have you heard of running on pure hate? HSers these days have a lot more hate than adults. Try taking it easy on pure hate. Can't be done.

Onerunner wrote:

It's really stupid. My high school XC team, where my 5K time is at least a minute ahead of our #2 runner, runs faster on their easy days than me. I run 65-75 mpw and all my mileage runs are around 7:10-7:30 pace. The rest of my team runs 6:45-7:00 on every run but only run 25 mpw. They are breathing heavily and straining on even a 5 mile run, whereas I can run a 9 miler pretty comfortably at a 7:15 pace.

Why can they get it into their heads that most of their running should be easy (especially since it's summer) and the pace does not matter very much? Does anyone else deal with this?

You are a serious runner, they are hobby runners. You can't tell hobby runners how to train, it just goes in one ear and out the other. They are addicted to working too hard. Most runners are, get used to it.

Well yeah, this summer I have been doing a tempo + a long run every week. Sometimes an interval or hill session too. But I'm never straining, I just try to relax.

been around ya' know wrote:

Onerunner wrote:

I'm venting on LetsRun because I have already tried telling them! They think I'm nuts!

They are too stuck on the thought, "I need to run faster every day in order to be faster."

This comes from just about every other sport you have participated in up to this point. "Hustling", "giving it all you have", "fighting through pain" . . . all of these behaviors are expected and demanded of you in other sports. It is hard to adapt to the more scientific approach that quality running requires when "taking it easy" has never been rewarded before and might get you benched in other sports.

It's not really harmful for athletes only running 25 miles per week. They will improve. But when you are looking for the next breakthrough, the approach you are following is more sensible.

That makes a lot of sense! Ever since I read Wejo's article (link at bottom) I have just tried to relax, and get out there and run lots of miles consistently. It seems like my team usually improves a little bit but I also don't see how they could ever make huge leaps with such a small aerobic base.

The best teams in the nation will find that balance between competing every day and training. My team has make it to Nike nationals and we have learned every year, to be good, you need to learn how to take it easy. The easy days are just as important as the hard ones. Immaturity is the problem with the male high school runner, it's a lot of time unavoidable, but you need to get past being competitive every second of the day. Tell them what I have told you here. It's coming from a 4:17 miler. I understand your frustration man.

If they're doing 1/3 of the mileage as you then it kind of makes sense that they're going to want to push a bit harder on their easy days. If you can convince them to increase their mileage I'm sure the pace of their easy runs will ease a bit.

OP is obviously insecure. He doesn't trust his own training approach and compensates by trying to belittle his team mates.

He won't get anywhere in life.

OP is an anxious douche wrote:

OP is obviously insecure. He doesn't trust his own training approach and compensates by trying to belittle his team mates.

He won't get anywhere in life.

And you're an over achiever right?