The track team is full, what should i do?!?

In the Boston area, it's not expensive at all.

If you want to do track meets and run with a club in Boston, GBTC (http://www.gbtc.org) is probably your best choice. They're all about track. Every year they send a team to USATF regionals and nationals. They host a track meet (or more than one, I can't remember) during the year.

For meets, there are a ton. To find them, check out the schedule here.

http://www.usatfne.org/track/index.html

During December and January, there are weekly all-comer's meets at the BU indoor track. These are a great way to start tuning yourself up for bigger meets. You show up, pay ten bucks and sign up for whatever race you want. You seed yourself. They have mile, 3000, 800, 400, 200. There are always at least a few fast guys (i.e. 4:20 or better mile, 8:30 or better 3000m) to race but the heats range in ability from that down to someone who races a mile at 6:30 pace).

If you decide you want to focus on the roads and run Boston (or other races, there are a ton) then your choice of clubs really widens. There are a bunch of road-running clubs in the area. GBTC is still an excellent choice, but there's also a few other big ones.

- BAA (http://www.baa.org)

- L-Street (http://www.lstreet.org)

- SRR (http://www.srr.org).

There are plenty of others, especially in the surrounding suburbs (Greater Lowell, CMS, NSS, Whirlaway) but in terms of sheer numbers in the Greater Boston area, those are probably the biggies. BAA probalby has the fastest guys of any of those 4 though, if you're looking for training partners

cpk0 wrote:

So i just found out the track team at my college, that i wanted to try out for, is full. Im at a _college_ in _boston_

Hey, tell us which one. I don't want to go there hoping to walk on to the team and then get shot down like you did.

He most likely did not get shot down. He probably never even contacted the coach and then thought he could just show up and be on the team. That really bothers me that people think that just because they did track or cross country in high school that they automatically get to be on a college team if they want to. You don't see that in any other sport that I am aware of, just track and cross country. Not very coach wants 40 or 50 people on his team. The bottom line is find out ahead of time what that coach expects for you to be a walk-on on the team. Many schools do let anyone on, but more often than not they have some type of limit so find out before you get to that school.

see if you can train with them. that woud give you some structure to the training. you would also be aware of open meets that they might be going to so you could enter as well. when a person graduates/drops out the coach would be familiar with you and you may be able to slide onto the team.

Definitely check out the open indoor meets this winter at BU. There are plenty of opportunities to run fast at those meets if you want to race. If you're looking to make your college team in the fututre I would just train your ass off while you're on your own. There are plenty of road races to jump into to check your fitness all year round.

As for clubs, Average_Joe is right about GBTC. They are probably your best bet if you're interested in track.

I get the feeling that you are a female because there are not many mens teams that allow anyone on. Womens teams on the other hand..........

fmr runner wrote:

I get the feeling that you are a female because there are not many mens teams that allow anyone on. Womens teams on the other hand..........

I walked on at a D1 program the year after they had finished in the top 15 at NCAA cross. High school PR: 9:33 for 3000.

Maximus wrote:

He most likely did not get shot down. He probably never even contacted the coach and then thought he could just show up and be on the team. That really bothers me that people think that just because they did track or cross country in high school that they automatically get to be on a college team if they want to. You don't see that in any other sport that I am aware of, just track and cross country. Not very coach wants 40 or 50 people on his team. The bottom line is find out ahead of time what that coach expects for you to be a walk-on on the team. Many schools do let anyone on, but more often than not they have some type of limit so find out before you get to that school.

actually i know quite a few quys on the team, and they all say it is very strange that there won't be any tryouts this year because the frosh class is so big. And also I didnt expect to just walk on, if you re-read my post you'll see that i said i wanted to _tryout_ for the team. Members of the team encouraged me try out from knowing my times in high school, and my HS coach had contacted the coach here, so this was not a spur of the moment delusion of grander that you seem to think it was.

I have no problem getting even better this year and trying to get on the team next year though. And as for training with the team, if they are already maxed out, even if im not part of the team and he doesnt have to worry about me in the least, i would hate to put any added stress on the coach.

...and the school is?

Why should you say? So that some other poor bastard doesn't get the old bait and switch. Dollars to donuts, I know the school. But I might be wrong, so why don't you say.

Perhaps if one of the runners on the team somehow "disappeared" a spot could open up for you.

Come talk to me.

wow i thought i made it pretty clear in the original post which school it was...I (sarcastically) was "making it subtle" because i think its funny no one here ever puts specifics in their messages.

9:33 isn't "anyone"

boston college!

fmr runner wrote:

9:33 isn't "anyone"

thats a 3k, not a 2 mile.

f*** the team.....train hard and run road races and marathons.

Jason