Is it possible for a sedentary teenager to run a sub 5:30 minute mile after 2 months of training if they have average talent?

BSDetector wrote:

Please Stop wrote:

Pretty much EVERYONE can run a 5:30 mile after 2 months regardless of talent. I have never had a runner NOT run faster than 5:30 their first season. EVER. I mean ALL kids run that fast, even as freshman. EVERY SINGLE ONE.

Hey don't doubt this guy... even his Shot putter ran a 530 mile. EVER SINGLE SHOT PUTTER!!

They do. And David, you should feel like CARP knowing that you can only manage a 12 min mile. Not only do you lack talent, you are a stress fracture magnet. The 12 MRIs show numerous cracks. You should really contact JS and let his wizardry go to work on you.

omg can david just gtfo of this site!

I don't think more than one or two of ten teenagers would be able to do it, but it is possible, sure

IIRC, Jim Ryun ran his first mile in 5:30-ish, and he wasn't even sedentary. So no, an average sedentary teenager couldn't even run a 5:30 1500m off 2 months of training, let alone a full mile.

PB&J FTW wrote:

IIRC, Jim Ryun ran his first mile in 5:30-ish, and he wasn't even sedentary. So no, an average sedentary teenager couldn't even run a 5:30 1500m off 2 months of training, let alone a full mile.

Unless of course your "sedentary" means "only" playing soccer, basketball with no distance ground.

Viking21 wrote:

Every single runner? You are a much better coach than I could ever hope to be! I have kept runners with negligible talent on my team due to their positive attitude. One of them broke 7:00 in the mile and was as happy as an Olympic gold medal winner.

Then why the hell did my coach expect a sub 5:30 minute mile during tryouts?

david45 wrote:

Viking21 wrote:

Every single runner? You are a much better coach than I could ever hope to be! I have kept runners with negligible talent on my team due to their positive attitude. One of them broke 7:00 in the mile and was as happy as an Olympic gold medal winner.

Then why the hell did my coach expect a sub 5:30 minute mile during tryouts?

Maybe he expected that you're somewhat active?

Oops, didn't know it was David. (I should've known better!)

George213 wrote:

david45 wrote:

Then why the hell did my coach expect a sub 5:30 minute mile during tryouts?

Maybe he expected that you're somewhat active?

Is doing PE considered active?

Nutsack McGee wrote:

I would not be surprised if NOT A SINGLE ONE of those kids that self-selected themselves to be a runner was sedentary before going out for your team.

Kids try out for a cross country/track team because they are not explosive enough or not coordinated enough to play other sports.

david45 wrote:

Then why the hell did my coach expect a sub 5:30 minute mile during tryouts?

Coaches expect kids to try to make the team during tryouts.

They want the kids who will be the best for the team because they have talent and/or tried to prepare for tryouts. If I was a coach, I wouldn't want a kid who had been sedentary on my team. On the other hand, if they somehow miraculously ran fast and seemed like they could contribute to the team, I would take them. I'd just set a cut-off goal and let that be the deciding factor. If a kid can't make it, they can't make it. If they barely make it, they're on the team even though they probably won't contribute much. If I wanted to have a better team, I'd make the goal more difficult. I would want to have a better team.

Except that 5:30 is not reasonable in almost any case

david45 wrote:

Nutsack McGee wrote:

Coaches expect kids to try to make the team during tryouts.

They want the kids who will be the best for the team because they have talent and/or tried to prepare for tryouts. If I was a coach, I wouldn't want a kid who had been sedentary on my team. On the other hand, if they somehow miraculously ran fast and seemed like they could contribute to the team, I would take them. I'd just set a cut-off goal and let that be the deciding factor. If a kid can't make it, they can't make it. If they barely make it, they're on the team even though they probably won't contribute much. If I wanted to have a better team, I'd make the goal more difficult. I would want to have a better team.

Except that 5:30 is not reasonable in almost any case

It's reasonable for 99.9% of the people going out for the track team, who have a history of running. It's not the coach's responsibility to know the history of every single runner trying out for his or her team. Plus, you were "18."

I wouldn't make 530 the standard for a hs'er that had never run before. Maybe for a huge team, the standard could be 6 minutes if it was really getting too big. Your coach possibly had limited resources or time so couldn't take just anyone. You have two choices, instead of whining about the standard, try to run some pr's or pick an activity that you are better at. I'm sure there are some club runs in your area with no standards that would love to have you, but you'll probably have to wait until after the pandemic ends. Or you might find you're better at swimming or enjoy hiking more than shooting for times on the track. I know plenty of fit people who hike all the time, never pushing the pace, and never caring how long it takes, yet they look good and are in great health.

I'm not fit enough to get on an olympic development program, yet way too fast to be running with local hobby joggers. Instead of whining about the odp's standards, I accept that I'm not at that level and focus on a more obtainable goal - running faster this fall than I did last fall or spring. You should try having fun in your activity over stressing over what you can't do right now. No one is judging you because you can't run 530. You can run, just not a 530 mile, get it?

Except that HS XC is super fun and results in memories people will never forget

Is it? I ran my last HS XC race 17 years ago and while I was good in my state, I never considered it "super fun" and I can't recall any specific, awe-inspiring memories from those practices/races to this day.

Casual Impartial Observer wrote:

david45 wrote:

Except that HS XC is super fun and results in memories people will never forget

Is it? I ran my last HS XC race 17 years ago and while I was good in my state, I never considered it "super fun" and I can't recall any specific, awe-inspiring memories from those practices/races to this day.

Pasta parties? Bus rides? Messing around with friends?

david45 wrote:

Pasta parties? Bus rides? Messing around with friends?

david45 wrote:

How do I suck?

Is this really why you were asking for advice about how to suck?

You make memories in your life no matter what you do. Your fantasies about the HS XC team are odd, to say the least.

Nutsack McGee wrote:

david45 wrote:

Pasta parties? Bus rides? Messing around with friends?

david45 wrote:

How do I suck?

Is this really why you were asking for advice about how to suck?

You make memories in your life no matter what you do. Your fantasies about the HS XC team are odd, to say the least.

It just makes me sad when I see posts on social media about how much fun people are faving in HS XC