I'm a high school junior who is really looking to improve through the rest of this track season and next year as I really wanna run in college and just get faster. I'm not very good right now: 5K: high 21's, 1600: 6:06, 800:2:55 I want to at least run a 5:30 mile by the end of the season- 7 meets left- my coach is not great at planning workouts so we do mainly 400's @ mile pace and 200's @ 800 pace. I'm not really able to do different workouts during practice but I could probably run doubles 2 or 3 times a week if needed. I think I'm hitting maybe 30 mpw. Should I go further? What else can I do outside of practice to get faster? How fast do you realistically think I can improve my times by in both XC and track?
At your age most of your improvement will come from increasing your aerobic capacity so either more miles more cross-training or a combination of both. with training and increased traing the biggest improvements come early on. Good luck.
I'm a high school junior who is really looking to improve through the rest of this track season and next year as I really wanna run in college and just get faster. I'm not very good right now: 5K: high 21's, 1600: 6:06, 800:2:55 I want to at least run a 5:30 mile by the end of the season- 7 meets left- my coach is not great at planning workouts so we do mainly 400's @ mile pace and 200's @ 800 pace. I'm not really able to do different workouts during practice but I could probably run doubles 2 or 3 times a week if needed. I think I'm hitting maybe 30 mpw. Should I go further? What else can I do outside of practice to get faster? How fast do you realistically think I can improve my times by in both XC and track?
Did you just hit 30mpw recently? While not a perfect plan, if your coach has a HS girl running 30MPW and throwing in mile pace and 800 pace intervals, that is a recipe for significant improvement. Yes it can be improved. Intervals at VO2 pace like 800s at 2 mile ish pace, hill repeats, some threshold repeats 800-1200m at 10k ish pace. But 30mpw and what you are doing is quite adequate for sub 20/6/2:40.
I like what you are doing except just rotate in the vo2/threshold/hill work each week. You can't do everything every week. But 2 or 3 hard days of: the stuff you are doing + vo2/threshold/hill work on a rotating basis should get you under 5:30. I don't know that you need more miles for those goals. (What you are doing now will get you under 5:30!)
Honestly if one only has 7 meets left, I can't say what you are dong now is bad. You are getting 30mpw, getting overspeed, at speed, aerobic, anaerobic. You could do worse. With that little time, I agree with hill sprints or maybe a threshold session here and there. Racing will make you faster too. When you get that meet with decent weather, no 30mph winds on back stretch and legs feel good...send it. Ive got splits on runners for years, make a pact with yourself that you will pass people on lap 3 of the mile. Don't worry about lap 4. Just don't lose 10-20 sec on lap 3 like most garden variety HS runners do. All great races die on lap 3.
Even splits, don't mess up lap 3, pass everyone you can.
I hate posts like this. Do what your coach dictates. Your attitude is similar to somebody in the workplace saying they know more than their boss so they do differnt things than what the boss tells them to do. IF a college coach gets wind that you don't follow direction, nobody will wnat you.
At your age most of your improvement will come from increasing your aerobic capacity so either more miles more cross-training or a combination of both. with training and increased traing the biggest improvements come early on. Good luck.
BTW, I would agree that if the OP is tempted to do "doubles', maybe X train instead.
3. If I were to rotate something in, it would be threshold reps. Since you are racing once or twice per week, I don't think you need quite as much race pace specific stuff.
3. If I were to rotate something in, it would be threshold reps. Since you are racing once or twice per week, I don't think you need quite as much race pace specific stuff.
I wouldn't add more quality workouts without knowing more facts. They could already be doing the workouts she listed four times per week.
I hate posts like this. Do what your coach dictates. Your attitude is similar to somebody in the workplace saying they know more than their boss so they do differnt things than what the boss tells them to do. IF a college coach gets wind that you don't follow direction, nobody will wnat you.
Totally disagree, being a track coach requires nothing. Can literally be the gym teacher.
3. If I were to rotate something in, it would be threshold reps. Since you are racing once or twice per week, I don't think you need quite as much race pace specific stuff.
I would agree. If we pick one it would be threshold repeats, not super hard on the body and can help the mental side too.
I cannot figure out how to reply with my username haha but thanks for the advice everyone! I can definitely throw in some hills and intervals which I agree will help me improve. Several people suggested cross training which I’ve heard before but what does that entail? Thanks to most for having faith in me! I really hope to break 6 this weekend. Sorry to let some of you down but there are no nearby bridges to jump off(I did find her story interesting tho so thanks for the little rabbit hole :)
Despite the OP finding it funny, this should be deleted. This is presumably a real HS girl asking for advice. Be responsible.
OP, cross-training could be doing the elliptical for 45 minutes (or the length of a normal run), cycling on a Peloton, or something like that. Nothing too crazy, but a cardio workout that provides similar fitness benefits to running without the risk of injury.
Also, I love the advice of not falling victim to lap 3 of the mile. It is so common. Great advice.
I'm a high school junior who is really looking to improve through the rest of this track season and next year as I really wanna run in college and just get faster. I'm not very good right now: 5K: high 21's, 1600: 6:06, 800:2:55 I want to at least run a 5:30 mile by the end of the season- 7 meets left- my coach is not great at planning workouts so we do mainly 400's @ mile pace and 200's @ 800 pace. I'm not really able to do different workouts during practice but I could probably run doubles 2 or 3 times a week if needed. I think I'm hitting maybe 30 mpw. Should I go further? What else can I do outside of practice to get faster? How fast do you realistically think I can improve my times by in both XC and track?
Dropping from 6:06 to 5:30 by the end of the season is probably not realistic, unless you are underperforming or racing poorly. Dropping to 5:50, maybe 5:45 is probably more realistic. However, I'll be happy to say I'm wrong if you end up dropping down to 5:30!
You probably don't have a lot of free time to cross train, but the elliptical or poor running are 2 really good options. I wouldn't increase your mileage now. Instead of helpig it could leave you injured. The summer is the time to gradually add to your weekly mileage.
Are your 400s @ mile pace based on your current mile pace, or your GOAL mile pace? Same with the 200s - are those based on your current 800 pace or your GOAL 800 pace? It's possible you need to talk to your coach about your goal mile and 800 times, and ensure those workouts are based on those goal times. Maybe those intervals need to be faster to match your goals?