What is the most you've ever improved in one year?

I dropped 12 seconds in the mile (4:29-4:17) in 10 months between hs senior year and Freshman collegiate indoor season. All due to growing 3 inches, greater caloric intake and training with a group that qualified for the national XC championships the fall between. I went from 9:57 3200 to 9:20 in 5 months that same year from hs to college XC. I just thought the mile time was more impressive because I went from a nobody racing every day at the back of the pack in college cross country practice and not getting to participate in meets to one of our top 3 milers on the team my freshman year. I had goals, I stayed healthy and I kept working toward improvement. I had a coach that understood how to get the most out of me over the long haul. I did run what I thought was a lot in high school at the time, more than most that I competed against but nowhere close to what I did that freshman year in college. I kept improving throughout college and had another personal push prior to my senior year that helped me have another tremendous drop in times. I wish I had continued for another 4 years as the 4 minute mile wasn't too far away. However, bills had to be paid and nobody was going to do that but myself.

18 (10 mpw)

5:30

11:50

19:00

19 (50-70 mpw)

4:46

10:09

17:10

20 (50-75 mpw)

4:38

9:53

16:15

I improved a lot in my Sophomore year. Went from:

2:05 - 4:29 (1500) - 9:37 (3k) to:

1:58 - 4:04 - 8:52.

Was running about 2-3 times a week in my Freshman year. Went to 4-5 times for my Sophomore year. Actually was hurt from October through February, but I guess 3 months of running 4-5 times a week was enough to make big progress.

Real Madrid Cas wrote:

Cubism cubed wrote:

I went from 22:3X to 17:38 in about 3 months, but in 3 years since then I have only improved by a minute

Winner so far

I suppose technically that's a winner, but that can happen either for brand new runners or someone who is just way out of shape and actually trains for 3 months.

I've done something similar to that as an adult. I know a high school girl who went from 28:18 to 22:06 in three weeks when coming back from injury. I wouldn't count that in the context of this question.

It seems a more valuable answer is how much someone's PR improved from one year to the next...a PR that was had while actually training.

18:00 to 16:50 5k sophomore year of HS.

But I think my improvement this year was better. 15:30 to 14:52.

26 * 18:28 Nov 28 CIF State Cross Country

9 * 5:02.38a V F Jun 5 California State Meet

4:23.75 16:30.23 Freshman

Emil Landy wrote:

39:59 -> 34:22 for 10km.

1:29:59 -> 1:17:50 for the Half-Marathon.

Your story looks sort of similar.

I went from 39:55 in April to 34:21 in December, and from 1:30:23 in May to 1:20:53 in September.

The year before I had never run a 10k, but my half pr was 1:45ish.

Flagpole wrote:

Actually my daughter had a big improvement from freshman year to sophomore year. 6:16 in the 1600 as a freshman. 5:23 when she was a sophomore.

What kind of mileage? I'm asking b/c my son seems to improve only @ the beginning of the season due to higher mileage(during off season or during break) and having to drop it once the season starts b/c the coach believes in really low mileage.

soph - 2:05, 4:52, 10:49 all at different meets

junior - 1:56, 4:16, 9:36 all at same meet

3:49 to 3:08 marathon in 6 months (210 lbs to 180).

This was in 2011.

Now trying to break 3:00

Curious parent wrote:

Flagpole wrote:

Actually my daughter had a big improvement from freshman year to sophomore year. 6:16 in the 1600 as a freshman. 5:23 when she was a sophomore.

What kind of mileage? I'm asking b/c my son seems to improve only @ the beginning of the season due to higher mileage(during off season or during break) and having to drop it once the season starts b/c the coach believes in really low mileage.

She is up to 60 MPW now, and that includes three days a week where she runs twice a day. I guess as a sophomore she was at about 45 MPW. As a freshman also about 45 MPW.

Sorry to hear about your son's coach. I don't know what qualifies as "low mileage", but if your son progressively does worse in season due to lower mileage, then that's an issue.

I'm not normally one for going behind the coach's back, but your son could always throw in a long run on the weekend and then perhaps a couple of second runs during the week. Would probably not want the other team members to know this.