Hi, I'm new to LRC and need some help with training this summer. My 5K PR isn't great (20:37) and I need to run under 19:00 to run in college. (I'm an incoming freshman, and hope to walk on to my D1 school).
I've only ran in high school for two years, and my beginning PR was 27:00, so I know I am capable of sub 19:00.
I'm an 18 year old female.
Also- I'm 5'2.5 and I weigh 110 pounds, if that affects my speed. I know i could afford to lose the weight!
Summer of Malmo. Google it or search it here.
I'd worry about finishing your track season first. Then worry about summer.
I would ramp up your miles really slowly. Do it slowly or you'll get hurt. But I'd make your long runs 10+ miles... that's kinda just how it goes for D1 men. Not sure what your long run usually is, but running at least 11 or 12 will start to give you an endurance base. The other thing I would throw in is some cross training- like swimming and biking. Maybe on a recovery day after a speed work out, run 5 or 6 easy miles but follow it with 45 minutes of swimming later that day. But don't over do anything or you'll just be exhausted and injured. I would cross train twice a week, do a long run once on either saturday or sunday. And then stick to speed workouts only once or twice a week. You don't need much speed in the summer because the XC season is long and focuses more on endurance anyways. Just do everything carefully to avoid injury.
Do some light strength training, increase mileage, work on your weaknesses in your base training then focus on your strength as states approaches, do not take every day hard so use your easy days religiously.