Running BIG miles in high school a good idea?

I have really mixed emotions about this subject! I train my daughter. She ran 17:30 5k at 14 on a 25 miles. Now, she is 15 and seems to be about the same at 35 miles. She just lost a race to a couple of runners who do 80 or 90 miles per week. She lost by about 25 seconds and it was a 10k. I don't think it would be worth risking injury or burnout for a few races! She is consistently in the national level with her times and we will try and resist the temptation of more glory by adding more miles to soon.

Doped Up Tribesman wrote:

If you run more than 100 miles, the vast majority will be slower than your 5k race pace. Of course you get used to that.

try running mostly fast and you'll see what I mean. Eventually it won't seem fast, because it's no longer faster than how you usually run. You adapt to running fast, instead of being 70 percent adapted to running slow.

a high-schooler has more to gain by improving race-pace efficiency than by chasing aerobic fitness to the diminished-returns level of 100 miles.

If you run 40mpw the vast majority will be slower than 5k pace, so what's your point? You have no idea what you're talking about. Do some research, then some trials with both approaches then come back to this thread. Or just look at the results from the 90's compared to the results from the 70's and present and take a guess which method was predominant in each of those eras.

some dad wrote:

I have really mixed emotions about this subject! I train my daughter. She ran 17:30 5k at 14 on a 25 miles. Now, she is 15 and seems to be about the same at 35 miles. She just lost a race to a couple of runners who do 80 or 90 miles per week. She lost by about 25 seconds and it was a 10k. I don't think it would be worth risking injury or burnout for a few races! She is consistently in the national level with her times and we will try and resist the temptation of more glory by adding more miles to soon.

Absolutely. Better to raise the average load by 5-10 miles/year, as appropriate. It seems to me that one has to watch girls a little more closely as they grow, and back off during growth spurts and other body changes.

She should be working on speed. Does she do any racing at 800m or less? A good kick contributes to a positive self-image.

Saying "you have no idea what you're talking about" and "do some research" is just a nasty way of admitting you're full of shit. Take that shit to youtube where it belongs.

Obviously 40mpw can be much faster miles, on average, than 100 mpw, and the miles done at race pace or faster are a much higher percentage of the total for 40 than for 100.

Your body adapts to all your workouts, not just some of them. Do both squats and bench press for a year or two, and you'll eventually find your progress at each becomes slower than if you were only doing one or the other. The body has limited resources to build and repair tissue. Adding too much slow running builds tissue that's good for running slow but not so good for running fast. The diminishing aerobic gains of higher mileage aren't enough to offset that for a younger runner.

I already know which methods were used in the 70's and 90's. Blood doping and the more-effective EPO. Or are you trying to claim there's a reason for 90's results besides EPO?

are you trying to claim there's a reason for 90's results besides EPO?

Africans + epo.

also, I think that many would argue that benching and squatting should result in better results than doing one or the other, so that is a bad example. (release of hgh and the like)

canova would say the first thing you need to do is build your aerobic house.

Everybody is different. I came from a program where I ran 100+ miles for a few weeks at a time, and I had an excellent college career. I know kids who came from my high school who sucked in college too. Find your limits and stay around there. I happened to be very durable so I could handle the miles better. Take a risk like Cam Levins if you want to be good (like actual good). Don't listen to the guys telling you about the longevity of your career and whatnot, do you want to be good now or when you're 30? I'd choose running high miles and being faster now. It's all up to you though of course. Just find what you can handle and handle it well.

EZ10Miler wrote:

Don't do 100 mpw in HS.. even if this is what would make you a better runner surely you have other things to do other than just run or spend time recovering from a run, preparing to run, driving to run, showering from running.

In short, don't graduate from HS with only memories attached to running.

Best advice ever on Letsrun.

I really hated speedwork so I never did any on my own. I just tried to run as many miles as I could at a decent pace. Even the first summer with no coaching before my freshman year, I probably was doing in the 50 mpw range but I didn't keep any logs yet. I had some bigger weeks here and there but was usually around 55-65 thru high school. When the season started and we did more speedwork and races, I was closer to 45 mpw. I did try to bump it up to 75 before my senior year but did a couple really long runs and got an overuse injury that put me out for a couple weeks. I could have handled the 75 if I did it a little smarter but I just liked to run. Probably why I am still racing all the time in my late 40s and most of the others have long since quit.

One busy week before my soph year I played 2 baseball games (pony league) attended a basketball camp, and ran 90+ miles. I would sneak off the campus in the afternoon and run 8-10 miles between basketball games in the morning and evening. I also remember being injured some that year and not having a great season except for a couple races.

DO IT. Only in this country do they tell you that round number of 100 is evil. 100 is nothing if the pace is correct.

Japanese laugh at you.

kpack wrote:

are you trying to claim there's a reason for 90's results besides EPO?

Africans + epo.

also, I think that many would argue that benching and squatting should result in better results than doing one or the other, so that is a bad example. (release of hgh and the like)

canova would say the first thing you need to do is build your aerobic house.

That's why I said after a couple years, about the bench and squats. Your body eventually reaches a limit as far as how much tissue it can generate and maintain.

Yes, you should build your aerobic house. But that doesn't mean it has to be a skyscraper.

There were very good non-Africans in the 90's. Cacho for one.

I ran 100 way back in H.S. Now I coach , one on one top state individual contenders. Say you got a Junior who runs a 1:50 for the 800. Good speed, power, coordination. He will drop a 51 400 easily. He is good height and runs 45 a week all this SPEED STUFF. I tell his H.S. coach that I got another guy across state who is only a 2:00 800 guy. No real power, speed etc. BUT he is blazing 80 mpw,mostly all long, different tempo speeds. Long run about 1hr 22 min. high end pace. Coach says no prob.my guy will kill him. I say look, this guy will bring our speedster thru mile in CC at 4:43. 2 mile at 9:41. This guy's plan is the last 1000m..that is where his race begins. I know I coach him. This coach yells speed speed! CC comes other guy kills speed man by 200yds. Sooner or later speed guy calls me..what do I do? I do agree with all on here 100..man you got to protect yourself. That can do you in. 70's 80's are huge. I like to set guys up to go on to school ya know. I don't believe for minute these Footlocker guys who say I run 50. Yea right. I find they all lie about 25 to 35% at least. If ya do it right 70's can get you there..but ya know you are up against 90 mile guys..no doubt. Rather go 70 and learn and save yourself..geez its H.S. Some guys ya can't slow them down..they sneak miles in.