Started running young (summer before 7th grade) and was always building mileage in middle and high school. Started at 20 mpw as a 7th grader (coach kept records, still has them, cool guy) to 30-40-50-60-70 the next five years. Attended running camp twice a year every year starting freshman year, where I got cliniced on running training, nutrition, form, etc. Jack Daniels was the keynote speaker at every camp, and sat down with us in small groups later in the week and went over video of our running form frame by frame, showing us where we could make changes. By the 2nd camp of my junior year of HS, he had almost no comments. Ran in a clunky trail shoe that was 2 sizes too big, bought at Dicks Sporting Goods until senior year, when I started going to a running store, where I was fitted for a neutral shoe (moderate arches, but I strike neutrally). Ran 4 years on the back end of a mid-tier D1 school, where I had ups and downs. Graduated a year and a half ago, still running, but real training is on-again off-again now that I'm working, going to school, and doing research. HS and college kids pay attention; you've got more time now than you can possibly realize.
Only ever hurt twice; once junior year of HS when I stepped in a pothole on a training run which was also icy, and tweaked my IT band. Took two weeks off, spent two weeks on the elliptical, two weeks alternating days of elliptical and running, then back to normal running. Never had an IT issue since.
Other time was when I broke my toe junior year of college playing soccer on the beach.
Starting summer before freshman year of college, started going minimal, with a neutral shoe at 10ish ounces. Went back and forth between that and some heavier stuff, then mixed 10s with 9s, then 10s with marathon flats, then flats with 9s. I don't really use the super light flats for anything but workouts any more, but my heaviest training shoes are under 9 ounces.