to Malmo, Gary and all others who care to express your opinions

My son was really slow his first two years of high school (frequently coming in last in meets), but by the last two years was a reasonably competitive xc kid @17:50s for 5k.

But that's not the point. The point is, it's 15 years later and he's still running - strictly from a health perspective. But it was through cross country that he learned the principles and habits of running and staying fit.

His whole life is improved due to having the opportunity to participate in the sport.

I get what you're saying, but I don't get why you had to pick the one thing in my post you hated, and call me out on that. The gist of my post was not that my coach noticed that I improved and gave me an award, but that he saw something in me, and had faith that I would one day become even better. He knew he would motivate me and he did. Did I need an "award" to get me to keep running hard? No. But I took it like a man and included it in my post just to piss you off.

Also, I apologize if I did, but I didn't mean to sound self-entitled in my original post. Regardless of what I sounded like, it was self-entitling of you to talk about how you work hard, and wait for the rewards when you are the best. Good luck with your running.

I couldn't run 23 minutes as a freshman. I was barely five feet tall, pudgy, with no aerobic base.

How would I get summer workouts or even know about them when I was entering a new school?

Matured physically, got better, captained the team my senior year, lifelong participant in the sport. Thanks coach.

For my first ever cross country 5k, I had just started running and was quite slow; I ended up running 24-something. I squeaked under 20 by the end of the season and got down into the low-mid 16s a couple years later. My times still aren't by any means elite, but I wouldn't be a runner with at all if my coach was a dick like your coach.

i had a friend on my hs xc team who, freshmen year, weighed about 230 lbs, and was about 5'10. he had never played anything but baseball in his life and had even given up that. he was very quiet and had a hard time meeting people. after a miserable freshmen year, he decided to join the XC team because he liked the comraderie and thought it would be a good way to make some friends. he was welcomed cheerfully to the team. in his first race he ran 32 minutes for a 5k. by the end of the season he brought it down to 26 minutes. he stayed with it and worked hard despite non-XC kids (soccer kids) making fun of him for being a runner. in his last race of senior year, he ran 17:59 for a 5k, and scored for the JV state champion team. he was also a captain, even though he wasnt the fastest. when he ran that race, he weighed 165 pounds. 3 years out of high school and he is still running, and still weighs about 165-170 lbs. he is now a confident leader and a great role model, and none of it would have happened if our high school xc coach had not let him on the team for being too slow and out of shape.

So how'd the TT go?!?!

Dana Hills, CA has a 20:00 min cut off. Seems to work out alright for them.

I ran 23:35 in my first season of cross country, and that was with training over the summer. I got down to 18:51 as a senior. Ran for a very generous D3 coach and got down to 17:25, then 17:11 as a graduate student (while coaching).

I was never any good as a runner but I did become a successful college coach and I've helped more talented athletes get as far as the mid 14s.

The right thing is to cut people based on commitment. Summer running and willingness to communicate honestly with the coach are the two most important factors. If you cut on ability, you never know who you might be pushing out of the sport. And you never know if that no-talent, hard working kid is going to contribute to your team in other ways. A team needs more than just fast runners.

For the record, my Freshman year I ran my first 5K in 26:52. I had run Fun-Runs before this in faster times, but due to interest in other sports I lost interest in running, lacked aerobic capacity and was very out of shape going into my Freshman year.

However, I worked hard and wanted to be good. I was passionate about running and knew I used to be a solid runner, so I had potential.

I finished my Freshman XC Season running 20:34. My sophomore year I came back and finished the season with an 18:59. I also posted a 4:59 in the mile with an injury. I'm now going into my Junior Year as a Top 10 runner on my school's team with my sights set on running under 17:30 and hopefully making Varsity.

Had Coach made a cut-off at 23 minutes I wouldn't have made the team and I probably wouldn't have gotten back into running. So you're tellin' me, that anybody who can't run sub-23 right off the bat should be cut? I wouldn't be where I am today if that was the answer.

Lastly, if a coach is planning on doing cuts like that, he should make sure everybody is well aware before the season starts. Make the Time Trial the Second Week and give new runners the chance to get into shape, because I know I knew nothing about our school's Cross Country team because I recieved none of the emails. Any info. I got was from a friend who was already in high school and on the team. It would be unfair for a Freshman interested in running but who has no clue when practices begin or that there will be a time trial, to get cut. They need to be informed so they at least have the opportunity to build a base.

Tessie Hutchinson wrote:

trololol wrote:

ment Gerry

The coach should have a 10 mile time trial the first day. Everyone who can't set a PR for the first mile and the first 5k and then keep hammering for the full 10 miles is cut!

Isn't this what Adams State does (without the PRs early in the run)?

A 10-mile time trial at altitude separates men from boys. If you want to walk on, you know you have that run waiting you.

4 kids did not make it and the kid that has mental problems is going today, i hope to god he makes it