For context, I'm a senior boy who started running this spring and was able to run 5:08 off 20-25 mpw and minimal workouts. I thought if I got serious over the summer, I could go sub 17 in XC.
Over the summer, I was @ 55-60 mpw for 2 weeks, but my coach said to only do 40 mpw max. I listened and added some workouts instead. My summer workouts were 5 by 1k with 1:45 ish rest, 3 by mile with 2:15 rest, and some 400's @ 2 mile ish pace( or @mile pace if i feel like i need it) and some random 200's after some workouts. My paces were 3:30 per k, 5:35 for mile, and 70-80 for 400s. I also sometimes would pickup the second mile of a 4-7 mile run to 5:45 pace.
I also, two days ago, did a 5 by 1k workout @ 3:20 (first 3 were 3:15, but coach said to slow it down a lot) with 5 minnutes rest(I know this is crazy, but coach would start rest when last person finished the rep so). I also ran last week a bit less than 3k race in 9:52
But, in my first 5k XC race, I ran a rolled 19:07. I know I went out to fast(5:20 ish first mile), and felt fine aerobically(i.e I was breathing fine and HR wasn't crazy), but I couldn't keep legs moving. The course wasn't that hilly, but the terrain was sand/gravel for a chunk of it and we started on roads so we had to use trainers. Why did I run this awful time? I think not doing enough tempos was the issues(I tried to do some 2 mile tempos, but would start like @ 5:45 and fade to low 6's for second mile). Is this the main issuse? How can I pace my tempo's and increase them to 3-5 miles? Will this fix my time?