Trying to Walk-On D-1

Are you Michael VanVoorhis? Don't have to answer that, but if you are, just wanted to say that your log on r2w back in the day was an inspiration to many of us. God speed sir.

You can do it man!

Be consistent and work your ass off. Here's my college progression:

Frosh - 16:23 5k and 4:40

Soph - 16:07 5k and 4:35

JR. - 15:40 5k and 4:28

Sr. - 15:18 5k and 4:20

I didn't read the thread and I won't. The ONLY reason to participate in NCAA sports is if you're getting paid to. There is nothing else that they offer. Don't consider it. It is a big mistake!

To walk on to a Division 1 track and field, I asked another athlete when and where the first day of practice was, and then I just showed up. The team got 3rd place in NCAA XC that year.

Of course I was probably tied for the slowest person on the team!

One time I missed a practice though because I wasn't feeling well, and the coach said if I ever missed practice again, I was off the team. At minimum I had to report to practice ill and coach would either tell me to do an easy jog, or go back home if I was really sick. I never missed practice again!

Fantastic experience even though all I ever did was practice with the team for 2 years and then run the team home meets as unattached. There were a couple runners on the team that went on to run in the Olympics so that was pretty neat watching how dedicated they were and how hard they worked (as I got lapped).

By the way... I was way MUCH slower than you as well. So if you want to try to hit those times, and you enjoy the training/running lifestyle, I say go for it. If you end up breaking 4:30 but don't make the team, that's not so bad either.

Best of luck to you.

I transferred D 1 schools, decided not to run, and then changed my mind half way through the year. I still had to try out my junior year despite the college experience. I trained with a group of about 5-6 guys who all wanted to be on that team. In the end, of the guys who didn't make it, one is corporate lawyer in New York City and another works for an Investment Bank making $300K a year in London. Point is, sometimes it's better to do your own thing and run on your own time and dime.

If your school has a club team you still have a long way to go before thinking about the NCAA. Club teams compete in NIRCA. The North East region has lots of sub 4:30 milers from Binghamton and a contingent of low 26 8k cross dudes. If you're from the Boston area (based on your BU reference) than the is no lack of training groups for someone at your level.

Why do you want to walk on?

Ehso wrote:

Honestly, it's a long shot, bud. Keep in mind that even if you make the team, you will probably be the slowest man by a fair amount, get dropped early and often in workouts, and never travel to meets. If your school has a competitive running club, I'd give that a shot.

Why would a coach accept such a person as a walk on? The coach already has a whole team of people who are getting dropped and aren't traveling to meets. Adding another one would be a waste of time and a distraction from guys on scholarships that were made promises out of high school. For any mildly competitive team, you'll almost certainly have to be as good as or better than the #7/6 guy on the team.

Thanks for the positive feedback from this guy and everyone else!! I'll definitely be taking this into account during my training in November