MS Coach wrote:
I’ve got a really talented kid. He’s a 7th grader. Has only done two real races (others were low key meets he won handily). In his second race he ran 2 miles in 10:32. He ran 5:07/5/25.
State is a month away. He should qualify for the HS.
What’s a reasonable 5k goal?
In the short term, he might run 17:20 for 5k on a flat course in a month.
Long term, it depends. How physically mature is this kid? I have seen 7th graders who look like they are 9 years old, and others who shave. Makes a huge difference at that age.
I wouldn't get too excited about this kid until he starts to do it in college. I have seen so many middle school studs either flame out to nothing or just get caught up to by a lot of other kids once high school starts.
All you know now is that there is potential. He will have to run 40 MPW in the summer before he's a freshman and then up that to 55 the next summer and 65-70 before junior year and then 70+ before his senior year to see full potential. Injuries, girls, drugs, other sports, laziness, apathy, they all could get in the way.