80 mpw in HS for a girl is way too high. Her times do not reflect that of someone training this hard this young. Your instincts are correct. This is totally inappropriate. BTW, this looks to be fake as no way a random HS girl can sustain this level of training without getting hurt.
Never underestimate how idiotic some HS coaches are.
At my HS we had 2 race pace days, 2 days of jog the curve sprint the straights, and 1 “power run” day that was 4-6 miles 20-30 seconds per mile slower than 3200-5k race pace for most. We were expected to race 3 times at dual meets as well. And no, we never had a coherent and healthy varsity roster by regionals.
i buy a friend might worry their friend is sick, injured, overtrained, insane weight loss, or somesuch. i buy they might have a rough idea on miles. i don't buy they'd be on here complaining in the abstract about her mileage number, the pace on her easy miles, or giving hyperspecific training plans and asking for critique. i dated someone on our girl's XC when i was in HS and unless we trained together, eg, 5k sim, i had no clue what they did and wasn't asking. and she made state and went power4 d1.
and someone concerned their friend trains too hard would not simultaneously be crying she runs her off book miles too slow, which would soften the blow somewhat. or is the guy who chirped back saying you should do high volume at high intensity?
Ok you are always on here under vee eye tee or the imperative voice making whiny rants and doubting the legitimacy of why every poster says. Not everything is some scam trying to trick you. Believe it or not (you don’t), my friend began complaining about overtraining symptoms, so I asked about her training, she told me all these details, I told her it was way too much, she can’t believe it and thinks it’s normal, so I’m trying to get other opinions to be sure if it is actually abnormal.
I’m basically just trying to prove to her that her training is bad and needs to be fixed, especially because shes having bad overtraining health issues. Just telling her myself and she doesnt believe me. I asked for training details and shes telling me her workouts so i can post on here to get insight.
She’d do full out 200s and 300s after tempos but not much else below 5k this xc season I guess.
But track last year shed have workouts like a couple 800s at mile pace with 400 jog recovery after under 2 miles tempo. 500s at 30s/mi faster than mile pace with 400 jog recovery. After xc she immediately started doing 600s at mile pace. All of this would kill me
It’s not bad training. The truth is, proper training isn’t easy and is dangerously close to causing injury at all times. It’s punishing.
Those that can endure without injury become champions.
For professionals perhaps. This is absolutely the worst prescription for HS athletes, especially girls.
If you want an example of "just right", read this old interview from Jordan Hasay's HS coach. He got her to the trials and set her up for collegiate success.
She’s doing four days a week of intensity plus two days of hills sprints. That is certainly too much intensity designed very poorly. At most she should be doing two days a week of intensity, one moderate day, and one hill sprint session. Then the rest should be volume of 8-9 per minute easy miles.
She’s doing four days a week of intensity plus two days of hills sprints. That is certainly too much intensity designed very poorly. At most she should be doing two days a week of intensity, one moderate day, and one hill sprint session. Then the rest should be volume of 8-9 per minute easy miles.
Sat: Easy (4-6 miles) or off (stress fracture prevention day)
Total = 50-60 miles per week
This is essentially exactly what I was trying to say in my prior post here, which received multiple downvotes. Because she is ALREADY doing a long run, then I would have her follow your schedule here and do it progression style, which would be the third “hard” workout of the week.
I’m basically just trying to prove to her that her training is bad and needs to be fixed, especially because shes having bad overtraining health issues. Just telling her myself and she doesnt believe me. I asked for training details and shes telling me her workouts so i can post on here to get insight.
She’d do full out 200s and 300s after tempos but not much else below 5k this xc season I guess.
But track last year shed have workouts like a couple 800s at mile pace with 400 jog recovery after under 2 miles tempo. 500s at 30s/mi faster than mile pace with 400 jog recovery. After xc she immediately started doing 600s at mile pace. All of this would kill me
The training you've listed is not unusual for high performing high school athletes, female or male.
The issue you raise here—overtraining—is likely less of a "training" issue and more of a fueling issue. Does she fuel for the work she is doing? Or is she under-fueling and risking REDS?
Some of the other posters have pointed out there may be more optimum training specificities—i.e., more anaerobic and less threshold—but that's a different issue on how well the training is working for your friend.
I would also add that each athlete is different, and maybe this works for your friend, or maybe your friend would benefit from more cross training or less volume with more different intensities sprinkled throughout. Who knows? Hopefully she has a coach who can advise her.
Still, going back to "overtraining" health issues, that is more likely an under fueling issue than a training volume issue.
I will note that it can be hard for a high schooler to fuel sufficiently for some higher loads because of time availability and access good fueling options, so that may dictate what is a good volume or training load for your friend to have.
Good luck to your friend. Those are not bad times. The volume is not ridiculous. (I'd be more worried at 90+ per week, having now known some elite high schoolers getting up to 80 safely . . . notably, with great fueling!) Still, for busy high schoolers balancing homework, home life, friends, extracurriculars, and other time commitments on top of running, getting the time in for both RUNNING and for proper FUELING, with adequate means for both, can be a real challenge.
I’m basically just trying to prove to her that her training is bad and needs to be fixed, especially because shes having bad overtraining health issues. Just telling her myself and she doesnt believe me. I asked for training details and shes telling me her workouts so i can post on here to get insight.
She’d do full out 200s and 300s after tempos but not much else below 5k this xc season I guess.
But track last year shed have workouts like a couple 800s at mile pace with 400 jog recovery after under 2 miles tempo. 500s at 30s/mi faster than mile pace with 400 jog recovery. After xc she immediately started doing 600s at mile pace. All of this would kill me
So, OP, this "friend" of yours runs high school XC and track, but you had to ask her for training details?
You are saying that you have clear ideas about good training, but you don't run on the team yourself? She's a friend from another school, whose health and training concern you? And you speak at ease about the details of her program: "But track last year shed have workouts like a couple 800s at mile pace with 400 jog recovery after under 2 miles tempo. 500s at 30s/mi faster than mile pace with 400 jog recovery. After xc she immediately started doing 600s at mile pace."
Clearly the set-up of this post is basically half fiction.
Truly insane stuff for a High School runner, in particular for a girl. If they do really want to do extra work on the weekends, consider doing cross training (bike or elliptical) one day on the weekend for an hour or hour & half and take a full day off (most pros do this now).
Also how do you run 8 miles at 6:30 pace and only run 10:40 in the 3200m?
My friend’s training seems like a lot for high school. Ive been trying to tell her that, but she thinks it’s completely normal, so I wanted to get more insight on here. I dont want her to overtrain, and I also want to learn more about appropriate high school training too.
She averaged 60-80 miles per week in cross season. She has PBs of 2:16 800, 4:55 1600, and 10:40 3200. She runs 7 days a week. Typical breakdown from this past season:
The easy running is very easy at 9:00-11:00 pace. This seems unproductive because it’s too slow? I have similar times and run 7:30s over 6+ miles which is truly easy at a 140-145 average heart rate.
And also is this not too much mileage and intensity to promote improvement in college? Or am I just unfamiliar with a certain training style?
You can usually tell when someone is lying because they give TOO many details.
My friend’s training seems like a lot for high school. Ive been trying to tell her that, but she thinks it’s completely normal, so I wanted to get more insight on here. I dont want her to overtrain, and I also want to learn more about appropriate high school training too.
She averaged 60-80 miles per week in cross season. She has PBs of 2:16 800, 4:55 1600, and 10:40 3200. She runs 7 days a week. Typical breakdown from this past season:
The easy running is very easy at 9:00-11:00 pace. This seems unproductive because it’s too slow? I have similar times and run 7:30s over 6+ miles which is truly easy at a 140-145 average heart rate.
And also is this not too much mileage and intensity to promote improvement in college? Or am I just unfamiliar with a certain training style?
That 10:40 is a good time if she is still in high school! 60 mpw is not too much unless she never has easy weeks. I think it would be a good idea to mix in some hard interval training, especially on the weeks she does not race.
So can you guys seriously not fathom the fact that I ASKED my friend for the fill details so I could provide info here
HAHAHA just stop.
You got from your friend that she ran her 2-mile reps at "5:54" (not "5:55", not "just under 6:00") and that her 800m PR is 2:16?
As someone else said, it's the details that make the lie obvious. I was the nerdiest student of the sport imaginable, and there is no way I ever gathered a training dossier with to-the-second workouts from a "typical" week of a "friend" who I am not even on a team with.
You seem more likely to be a parent or coach following some kid's program, and wanting to validate on the message board your opinion that it is "too much" or "not smart."
That's OK.
No need to come where pretending to be a child, a "concerned friend."
If I were a parent or coach WHY would I not just say that😭😭 I don’t know why that would even be a reason to lie and pretend you’re a kid???
Friend said those exact paces, I swear. She is prescribed stuff at those odd number paces. We’re not on a hs team together but we talk every single day and may end up on the same college team together
