Can you be in too good of shape too early?

You\'re just in great shape. That\'s a good thing, but it comes with great responsiblity. Take care of yourself (remain injury free, go EASY !! on your recovery days, eat properly, get enough sleep, etc.).. Talk to your Coach and work out a racing schedule. Don\'t over-race!! If you do, you\'ll be toast for your peak and most important race. For example, if the meet you\'re running is weak and a 4:50 would win it (I am assuming you\'re in high school), then just win. Don\'t be the hero that almost laps the entire field and then have nothing for serious competiton. If you\'re in a tough league and 4:20\'s win it every meet, you may have to dodge some meets or not be afraid to get beat. Dodging competition isn\'t always a pussy move ...

THEN.

thanks man, I am dropping my easy days down to 7-8 minutes dependign on the workout the day before. I decied I will take ice baths after hard workouts like today. I have a meet this saturday(1600) than another race saturday. Throughout the season I have easy competition dual meets which I use as workouts.

I have two meets I want to do r3eally well at prior to the end of the year meets(one being Penn). But besides those two, I have Divisions, State Quals, States and NON. SO it doesnt look like ill be overracing. But I will have 6 more dual meets that I will probably only have to go 4:40 at the fastest to win and 9:50-10:00. thanks tho

bum[p

Don't do too many workouts as well. If you are using a race as a workout then that's one of your workouts for the week. Don't let the race replace an easy day. Keep the mileage up too until you want to peak and then drop it down for the big races. Good luck to you.

crazystreaker,

Do you realize how few people on this board have coached a 4:21 miler? Go to your coach with your concerns. You're not a senior, right? If something goes wrong this year, reevaluate with your coach and make a new plan.

Yes, my junior year in college I PR'd in the 800 in April,

1:49.8....I usually top out in early June....i was so stoke that by Late June I would crush Johnny Gray's record because the 1:49 felt like cake.....the rest of the season I ran 1:52's

The problem wont be that you are in too good of shape early but that you will continue to push yourself and leave your race in practice. It is far more easier to maintain your fit level then it is to push the pace in practice and then go into big races with dead legs, it happened to me for HS footlocker and it sucked!

As one who does work with runners of your caliber I can offer you this advice.

COLLABORATE WITH YOUR COACH.

He/She should have a seasonal plan for you. You are not going to get the answers that you need on this message board. All the best.

thanks for the advice guys and I know I should defintiely be going to my coaches for this but I am the first guy they have coached to sub 4:40 I think. However, I talked to my coach today and he said based off my pretty easy 4:24 and my workout, that i should be in 4:15-4:17 1600 shape right now. He said that I should take it a little easier even though I was feeling really good and didnt look to strain too much. I took today really easy and tomorrow is easy. Saturday I will see what I can split in the 1600 on a DMR and than I will take my workouts easier for a few weeks. Than at the end of April for Phase III start pushing again befor tapering.

THEN

Just make sure you don't go to into the well every workout. Don't try to outdo yourself every time you race, workout, or go on an easy run. Since you ARE in really good shape right now, you might want to keep seeing improvements, but they might not come for a while. Just be patient. Just keep training smart and stay healthy. Keep your easy runs easy and your hard days only medium to hard. If you're worried about burnout I wouldn't be killing yourself in practice very often.

Congratulations. Knowing you're faster than you've ever been before is one of the best feelings. I hope I can experience it again. Keep it up!