Mileage Growth Curve For a Kid

Looks good but probably all of them should be pushed back 10 mpw

All you need to do now is fill in the blanks with the words sick or injured.

If you are coaching a machine, then yeah. That's probably a good progression. Real life happens and you need to adapt the training to the person. Putting together such simplistic 10 year mileage plans is a waste of time and in the end only serves to highlight deviations from the plan which can be demoralizing to a young runner.

Instead, at the end of each academic year plan to evaluate what training has actually occured, how the athlete is faring mentally-emotionally-physically, and then put the next year's plan together. If the athlete isn't ready to increase mileage, there's no sense in doing so simply because several years earlier you said you would. Similarly, there will be years where you can safely increase more than 10 mpw.

My edits are below.

Trying To Help Some Kid Out wrote:

Progression

7th Grade: 10-15 miles per week

8th Grade: 15-20 miles per week

9th Grade: 20-28 miles per week

10th Grade: 28-36 miles per week

11th Grade: 36-45 miles per week

12th Grade: 45-55 miles per week

Fr - College: whatever the coach recommends

So - College: " "

Jr - College: " "

Sr - College: " "

7th grade? Too late. Have to start them miles at seven years old.

Another Option wrote:

If you are coaching a machine, then yeah. That's probably a good progression. Real life happens and you need to adapt the training to the person. Putting together such simplistic 10 year mileage plans is a waste of time and in the end only serves to highlight deviations from the plan which can be demoralizing to a young runner.

Instead, at the end of each academic year plan to evaluate what training has actually occured, how the athlete is faring mentally-emotionally-physically, and then put the next year's plan together. If the athlete isn't ready to increase mileage, there's no sense in doing so simply because several years earlier you said you would. Similarly, there will be years where you can safely increase more than 10 mpw.

Of course what you say above is true. However, you need a rough outline of what a good range to target of the long term and I believe the guy's outline is a pretty good goal. Of course you may find the kid has low durability and in that case you need to adjust downward. Or you may find the kid has incredible durablility and absolutely loves running and can't get enough which was the case with Solinsky and he exceeded all of these targets. Most people will fall somewhere in the middle and this can be a good long range plan but of course you need to reacess every year and have an intermediate goal for that year.

[quote]baltocityrules wrote:

My edits are below.

[quote]Trying To Help Some Kid Out wrote:

Progression

7th Grade: 10-15 miles per week

8th Grade: 15-20 miles per week

9th Grade: 20-28 miles per week

10th Grade: 28-36 miles per week

11th Grade: 36-45 miles per week

12th Grade: 45-55 miles per week

Assuming the kid is not one of the super talented 1% you plan is woefully inadequate if the kid ever plans to run at the D1 level in college. If he has average talent (by definition most people) the best he can hope for off this is to run 10:00 for 2 miles in which case 95% of D1 college coaches won't even let them walk on to the team.

The OP's plan was a reasonable guideline, but as someone else mentioned you simply monitor this as you go. For some in might be perfect, others too much and then there are those that could run more. Other things will happen over time that will cause modifications, but on a whole, I would think this is an appropriate guideline. The plan that has a Senior in high school peaking at 45-55 is just not adequate. Though trying not to be sexist, it might be alright for the girls team.

You're going to need to run intervals and stuff too. Doing a bunch of jogging isn't going to make you a good runner. And 45-55 is adequate for a lot of (probably most) high school seniors running the 800 - 2 mile in the spring and 5k in the fall. If you aren't running < 4:20/9:20 off that you probably won't be an All-American anyway.

Just run baby! Don't overthink it, overplan it, or overanalyze it.