Is running the mile and two mile every meet at least twice a week for a 6 weeks too much? I'm thinking it is. Unforunately, my coaches are in this to win meets, not develop me as a runner.
Is running the mile and two mile every meet at least twice a week for a 6 weeks too much? I'm thinking it is. Unforunately, my coaches are in this to win meets, not develop me as a runner.
Yes it is too much. By the end of the 6 weeks you'll be feeling sick to death of both races.
Doesn't mean you can't do it. You almost certainly can. And you'll probably peak around the third or fourth week and then see your times taper off or drop unless you have a hell of a base. You can probably do it without any injury or long term damage. If you're in high-school (as I assume you are) you can really bounce back from almost anything.
That still doesn't mean you should do it. You need to decide if you're willing to do it. If not, go talk to your coaches. Be calm, reasonable and rational. Don't complain or whine. Just tell them that you don't want to do all that. Tell them you want something more reasonable -- like one race per meet or something like that. If they're at all grown-ups and you approach them calmly and rationally they shouldn't have a problem with it.
If they insist they're morons and have no business coaching kids. But they are there so basically you have a choice. You may
1. do it and deal with the fact that you can't put everything into one race and that your late season races will likely be poor. OR
2. you could simply tell them that you are simply not willing to do that many races. In that case they will either back off and give you a break or kick you off the team. I really think this is a drastic scenario and there is no need for it. But sometimes they hre emotional five-year-olds to coach.
You never know and I certainly can't tell you what they'll do from an internet description.
If it should actually escalate into the worst-case scenario, I can tell you from personal experience that years later, if you're still running, you will realize how meaningless high-school track was to your development as a runner. Trust me: they need you a hell of a lot more than you need them. You can always run on your own (or with a local club). They can't conjure runners out of the thin air. Doesn't mean they won't kick you off the team though.
Still, from your perspective that probably sounds empty. I don't blame you if you think so.
In short, you'll be fine if you do it all but you don't need to and it won't help you. Your call.
There was a good guide to racing through track season that Skip Stoley put out; this is what I recall:
800m/1500m runner: 9 races; 2-3 races below race distance/2-3 races above race distance/3-4 @ race distance.
Snoop: Is your team any good? Are you helping them win? Is it satisfying to you to be a star for your team?
If you can answer yes to all of these, you should actually consider yourself lucky. You are one of the fortunate ones. Running on a team (a true team, not just a bunch of guys who do the same sport) is an experience that few runners ever get. You have the rest of your life to run for yourself.