Im a senior in HS, I can run 18min 5K, do I have a shot at joining a D2 or D3 team? I ran 18:34 5k at our XC conference meet. I am the 9th man on a very good team, one of tops in state. I want to run competitively in college. I currently run 40-50mpw. I was hoping to increase it to higher mileage this winter and the summer before college in hopes of joining a D2/D3 team. What schools could work for a guy like me?
Thanks.
There are plenty of D2/D3 teams that can do great things with an 18min 5k runner over a period of a few years. It wouldn't be unusual for a team like Adams State in Alamosa, Colorado to turn you in to a low 15min runner in less than two years.
What is your height/weight? What are your 200m and 400m/800m times? With an intelligently structured increase in mileage and basic efforts throughout this winter and next summer, by next fall you could be a completely different runner.
Yes, there are plenty of D2 and D3 teams that will take you. Even some D1 teams will. It's good that you have fairly low mileage. If you were running 18min off 90 mpw, then it would be unlikely that you would get anywhere in college.
Lou M wrote:
Im a senior in HS, I can run 18min 5K, do I have a shot at joining a D2 or D3 team? I ran 18:34 5k at our XC conference meet. I am the 9th man on a very good team, one of tops in state. I want to run competitively in college. I currently run 40-50mpw. I was hoping to increase it to higher mileage this winter and the summer before college in hopes of joining a D2/D3 team. What schools could work for a guy like me?
Thanks.
What schools?:
D3 - All of them. Well, there MIGHT be one or two out there who don't have a use for you, and on that I'll just plead ignorance, but there are some REALLY slow guys who run on DIII teams. You'll need to improve to at LEAST 16:00 (5,000 on the track) while in college to help the TRACK team much, but for CC, they would benefit from a guy even slower than that, and it appears with some hard work you might progress to that or even faster...don't know until you try.
D2 - Most of them. You should start looking/calling ASAP.
I know Adams State is a bit more picky when they recruit runners out of high school. One of my friends ran 15:12 for three miles as a senior in HS and didn't get a scholarship offer to Adams State until her ran 26:1x at Eastern Illinois his freshman year. He transferred to ASC last year and is running with the XC team this year. He ran 26:04 in Las Vegas, NM (Approx. 5600 ft).
I think you would be able to participate at the majority of D-3 schools. Heck, I think I could crack the top 5 at Millikin and I'm slower than you are over 5K.
At a good DII school like ASC, right now you will be getting beat by the women by about 2 minutes. If you go to a successful program be prepared to get run into the ground for the first 2 years at least. You have to fully commit yourself to make any kind of a dent at the national level. If all you want to do is join a team and run some races...you have a whole bunch of DII and III schools to choose from.
do you have a shot at joining a D2 or D3 team? Yes. But you will have to run faster to be competitive
I'd say yes, you can get on a D3 team.
BUT, you'll have to improve a bit for it to be any fun for you. It won't be any fun having to do the miles and making the commitment if you get left home for away meets and finish in the 100's at other meets.
Assuming you aren't running a ton of miles already, college-style training will drop a minute from your 5K quickly, so you'll soon be a 17 minute 5K runner. That won't make you all that great D3, but you'll be good enough not to get dropped on runs, etc.
The coaches will take you, so choose your college for academics and give it a shot. Worst thing that happens is you don't like it and you are still an 18 minute 5K runner. That isn't so bad.
You have a shot to run for pretty much any D2 or D3, but they aren't going to be contacting you first. Take the time to figure out schools you're interested in going to, apply, and contact their coach. Tell them your times in all events you have run, not just a 5k- unless that is the only event you have raced.
You more than likely will not be receiving scholarship money from them until you improve, but that does not mean you can't be on the team and train. The harder you train for them, and the more effort they see as the season goes, the more money you will potentially receive.
I have been running D2 for the past year and a half. Both in my last team, and the one I transferred to now, there is every level of runner from a 32min 8k guy down to a 25min 8k guy. The only difference in the way the coach looks at them is in terms of scholarship, everything else is the same.
correction: down to a 24:20 8k guy.
QM wrote:
There are plenty of D2/D3 teams that can do great things with an 18min 5k runner over a period of a few years. It wouldn't be unusual for a team like Adams State in Alamosa, Colorado to turn you in to a low 15min runner in less than two years.
I am not sure what the current requirements are but when Dr. Vigil was running the show (and it has been a while since I knew people on the team) you had to be able to run under 55min for 10miles to keep a spot on the roster.
I would suggest D3. Scholarships arent involved and they have more room for "projects." You could also absolutely run for some NAIA schools and there are several that have decent programs where you will have fun, improve, and build some memories.
Yes, to travel with a team and be competitive obviously his options are very limited. But that is not what this kid is looking for. Even the best D2 and D3 teams will allow anyone to be on the team and train with everyone. There have been 18minute 5k guys train with the Adams State team, and those runners did not stay in the 18min range for long I can promise you that.
Pick a school and area youd like to be at, call the coach, let them know your fitness and that youd like to train with the team, im sure you will be warmly welcomed.
As others have said you can certainly join a D3 team. Many D3 teams have a "travel" team and a "B" team, but generally both teams compete the same amount. You are good enough that you would still enjoy yourself.
I ran 17:22 in XC my senior year doing 40mpw. I bumped up to 60-70 miles per week first year of college and ran 16:05 on the track.
just check results at schools you're interested and see if your time will be the worst on the team. at most D3 schools it won't be. also, run more.
walk on at adams state.
QM wrote:
Yes, to travel with a team and be competitive obviously his options are very limited. But that is not what this kid is looking for. Even the best D2 and D3 teams will allow anyone to be on the team and train with everyone. There have been 18minute 5k guys train with the Adams State team, and those runners did not stay in the 18min range for long I can promise you that.
Pick a school and area youd like to be at, call the coach, let them know your fitness and that youd like to train with the team, im sure you will be warmly welcomed.
This isn't true. Plenty of top D3 schools have roster limits and won't take an 18 minute guy. I don't think we take people slower than about 17 minutes on my team.
Where are you from? I know plenty of small, D1 schools in the northeast that will take anyone willing to work hard and add positive energy to a team.
Friendo wrote:
[quote]QM wrote:
Plenty of top D3 schools have roster limits and won't take an 18 minute guy. I don't think we take people slower than about 17 minutes on my team.
I know for a fact that the University of Oregon took a 2:06 male 800m runner in hs (don't know his 5k xc time) as a walk on in the mid 90's. From that I'm pretty sure most teams will allow almost anyone to train with them. He never competed, but he trained with the team.
Most schools will but plenty won't. Especially schools with larger teams - if the team already has 50 guys on it, the coach might not want to deal with an extra body.