I started my junior XC season a few weeks ago, going in with PR's of 10:37 and 16:58. So far I've run 10:34, 17:14, and 10:49 (2mi, 5k, 2mi). Over the summer I was doing around 45-55mpw with one tempo a week and one speed workout a week (only for last month of summer training for speed work). Right now I'm still sitting at around 50mpw with my schedule usually being:
M-Longer intervals (mile/1200 repeats, things of that sort) morning, 4mi run afternoon
T-4mi run (w/ hills) morning, 4 mi run afternoon
W-Shorter Intervals (5x800: 2x1200, 2x800) morning, 4mi run afternoon
Th-4mi pace run @ 6 flat morning, 2 mi shakeout afternoon
F-4mi shakeout morning, afternoon off
S-Race day 5-6mi day
Su-7-8 mi easy, 7:00-7:15 avg pace, afternoon off
Most of my mileage runs are at around 6:45-7:00 avg
Recently I've done some workouts such as 3xmile with my splits being (5:20, 5:13, 5:14), 2x1200, 2x800 @ 3:48, 3:46, 2:22, 2:23, and 5x800 on a wet soccer field @ 2:29 avg.
With all that being said I don't feel I'm performing as I should in my races. I feel fine going into them but once I start racing I struggle to get into a grove. Is this typical for pre-season meet performace or is there something I'm doing wrong? I feel I'm eating and sleeping right before/after my meets along with stretching, but I still just feel like I'm stuck in a rut running the same times as what I had last year.