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md006 wrote:

However, I wanted to reach 40 miles, but got bored from only easy miles. Due to lack of motivation, I haven't run for the past week.

This is your problem right here.

It’s a problem that probably 95% of high school runners suffer.

You need to change your mind set and find meaning in those easy miles that make you bored. Otherwise, no act of abstract will power will get you through the next 18 weeks, ready to start your summer.

Consider these things when you don’t want to get out the door:

1. You are fortunate to be healthy and be able to run

2 you will feel better mentally and physically after you finish.

3. Be proud of doing something that few are willing to do and nobody thinks you can do.

4. Find ways to find joy in your running. Look for interesting things while you’re out. Enjoy a sunrise or a sunset.

5. Build a habitat. You do this by committing to doing something every day. For instance, prior to my junior year of HS, I committed to running ever day for the whole summer. Sometimes this meant that I’d just put on my flats and do strides in front of my house. I ended up running 35-40 mpw that summer with another 70-100 of cycling, and my 5k PR went from mid 19 to 17:09. If you set a low bar, it’s easy to stick to your habit. If you say, “I’ve got to go 7 miles today”, you’re more likely not to do it. If you say, I just need to put on my shoes and go run,” you’re more likely to do it. You might start out only intending to run around the block, but end up with a great run instead.

Until you are mentally ready to run every day (or 6 days a week, or whatever) no schedule will be worth anything more than the paper it’s written on.

Thanks for the great feedback! How do you suggest I structure my mileage and my training week? Should I add any harder efforts or just do only easy runs?

md006 wrote:

Thanks for the great feedback! How do you suggest I structure my mileage and my training week? Should I add any harder efforts or just do only easy runs?

#5 above is the best advice you can get. It helps to find some company.

Mostly, just go as you feel. Run hard if you feel like it. Run easy; run easy with a hard last mile. Try different things. Not all of them will work; that's how you learn.

Second what CoachB said.

I’m not saying you have to run everyday, and you might be able to break 19 or 18 without really caring that much. But running is about more than times.

So what to do for the next 18 weeks straight.

Join your schools track team if you have one.

If not, there are plenty of other options out there.

I’d actually be pretty cautious of running for 18 weeks straight, then going right into your Xc season, that sounds like an injury waiting to happen for a new runner.

So what should you do if you can’t run track.

Start lifting if you haven’t already. It’s worth the time and will help you out. Talk to your coach and maybe a strength coach or one of the football coaches to ask what is appropriate for a freshman to get some power and stability in your legs.

Run a moderate amount. You don’t need to go crazy, I’d say if you can run between 25-40 miles a week before the season that would be perfect. Include a weekly long run and strides 2-3 times a week.

Make sure to take the miles easy. Once you get up to the mileage you feel you can sustain until Xc season starts here’s what you want to do...

Once a week, probably on Wednesday or Thursday. Make one of your runs uptempo. Don’t kill yourself on the pace, it should still be comfortable, but faster than your easy runs. “Comfortably hard” is how you might describe it, a pace that you could run for a half marathon roughly.

Take time to warm up into it, and try to spend at least 20 minutes at this pace once a week.

That’s all you’ll need and good luck