Hello,
For the past two meets I have been running four events. My 4x800m and my 800m are fine, but it seems like my 1500m and 3000m are suffering. After the open 800 I just don’t have the legs for the 3000m. My coach wants me to push myself, but I’m not running near the times I should. Should I strategize better? Also, I have been battling more mentally in all these events and have had some pretty bad 1500m and 3000m races.
IMHO running 4 events like that should be a "workout meet" where you are running at 90-95% and practicing tactics, smooth pacing, etc.
I'd suggest - late season, pick 1 event to focus on for peaking, plus run a relay for the team.
This was me every meet in high school, plus most practices as well. My coach was the football coach and didn't know what he was doing.
Looking back on it now, I have no problem running this many races in the early season meets, but as the season goes on you need to decide what your best event is, the one you have a shot to make it to state in, and focus on that.
yeah that reads like way overkill. i could see it for a practice meet or indoor or something. training in the guise or racing. training with teeth. but for real i'd say maybe 2 of those at a time could possibly be done with any quality. that and 4 miles' worth of weekly racing would add up on your legs.
the normal approach here would be, if the coach isn't sure which event you are, they move you around rather than put you everywhere. i have seen coaches make unusual demands of talented distance runners but usually it's more like the season is easy then at the local championship level it's help me out and run an extra race. or the odd relay request. so it's not season long load. this reads like indecision or a coach getting greedy.
any 2-3 of those races is plenty. if you feel physically and mentally exhausted i would say something, and in those terms. if your time/placement trend line is going backwards, ditto. i wouldn't say, "i wish my time in the 2 mile was faster" as he's likely to respond that the team needs those points and you're being selfish.