For me, my team training would start a couple weeks into the fall, I ended up being a 4x4 capable 8/15 guy so I only trained with the XC team once we were in season and doing the type of work more applicable to me, the joke was that I was an “aerobically challenged” middle distance guy, absolutely couldn’t hang for the 10 milers at 5:10-5:20 pace or the 16 mile progression runs they did in the summer but did fine with the sub 2:20 sub 4:50 800 and mile repeats in the fall.
The timeline where I was required to show up for stuff was late summer to early summer, holiday break and spring break was more lenient.
With partying:
Party once a week or less during the summer, that was fine for me and a lot of my teammates. We’d get a sunset long run in, get some food and go hang out whether it was just with us as teammates or at whatever frat or sorority function.
Most coaches are not cool with partying, lots of schools/coaches will suspend you if you fail a weed test or get in any kind of legal trouble that involves ‘partying’ (drug use, underage drinking, property damage, etc)
I will also say that my coach was against partying, but was also a see nothing say nothing kind of guy. He explained how partying especially in season can eff up your priorities and your recovery which lead to bad performances, and that he will punish you for not performing up to par, but as long as he’s not hearing about any partying and we are passing our very rare drug tests he won’t be punishing anyone.
Really think through how much you want to participate in that though. I had one teammate who I genuinely believe could’ve been the next Nick Symmonds, about 1:52 4:14 9:25 in highschool from a state no one gives a crap about and from a crappy highschool that rarely has kids getting under a 4:50 mile. Dude was crossed on weed and alc every night, constantly chewing those mint nicotine pouches, and would show up hungover or high to practice at least once a week. His last year with the team he had ran I believe 1:58, 4:03(1500m) and something in the 9:00 range for indoor 3k. That’s not get kicked off the team territory on that team, but it’s definitely bottom 3 athletes on the team, and he was recruited looking like he’d be our best miler by the time hed adapted to the program and higher work load. If you’re okay turning into this guy that’s great, party hardy. He was well liked on the team, great guy, just didn’t prioritize his running in college.
When coach was telling me about him, he said something along the lines of “Copper, I have a good training partner for you, I think I just picked up our next sub 4 miler”, and our coach was usually pretty realistic about his expectations.
Now to free time:
you’re about to become god’s strongest sleeper. You’ll want to sleep in your free time and you’ll be damn thankful every time you get to touch your bed.
Youll be able to see friends and go to events.. but, if school and track aren’t your two driving factors 9 months out of the year, you are going to fail at one or the other and that’s a promise. I started prioritizing a girlfriend and overprioritizing running for a fall semester and ripped a 1.8 GPA, so I got to dawn the black Nike singlet and shorts for track season and had a pissed off coach for months, even if you run well at practice or a race he’s pissed at you cause it’s not for the team, you’re wasting the team budget, and it’s your fault. It’s justifiable anger too.
Bottom line, you should spend most of your time working on your academics and athletics, that is what you are signing up for being a student athlete. You’ll have time to do outside activities, but just understand that you will often need to sacrifice those.
This all took a long a$$ time to write so I hope it helps.