I occasionally hear coaches or posters here say something along the lines that “HS runners shouldn’t run too hard to save something for college.” A variation is “sophomores (or freshmen) shouldn’t run too hard to save something for when they are seniors.” Which of these is the reason?
A - It isn’t fun if they approach their plateau or peak speeds at a younger age when their racing career will continue. It is psychologically healthy to have a steady progression.
B - Running too much too early will decrease what their top racing speed will be later in life.