My coach kinda sucks? Help.

Quit the team and race on your own. for training: one long run a week, one quicker (not all out) run between 20 and 50 minutes, one workout (say, three by mile at 10k pace with equal jogs in between, or 300s up a hill with plenty of rest). Easy days the rest of the week, day off if you want. strides 2 or 3 times a week. keep mileage consistent between 40 and 65.

Xcnsj wrote:

She says she wants the boys to get down to 22 minutes in the 5k and the girls down to 27.

Q: are you supposed to be running these 5Ks forward or backward?

Add morning and weekend runs. It should be easy to hit 40-60 mpw (I don't know what experience level you are at). Do a long run once per week of 1 hour 20 minutes or more. Take a rest day.

part 2....

You say you run 3-4 miles every day with the team at a hard effort. Change your effort to this:

Mon - make it a tempo run

Tues - make it an easy run (also run 4-5 miles in the morning)

Wed - make it a ladder workout of continuous running.... run 1 minute hard, run 1 minute easy, run 2 minutes hard, run 2 minutes easy.... go all the way to 4 minutes hard and 4 minutes easy and then work your way back down until your 3-4 miles is finished.

Thu - make it an easy run (also run 4-5 miles in the morning)

Fri - continuous running alternating hard and easy 800s

Sat - long run

Sun - rest day

Intentionally run a little faster than she wants one day and an little slower than she wants the next. You are going to need to run in the morning and on weekends on your own.

Yeah, not sure on this one. I've always had really excellent coaches. Maybe go to your local running shoe store (they sometimes have pretty decent former runners) and see if they wouldn't mind coming and doing a clinic to promote the store. Tell the coach that you were able to get someone from the store to come and talk about training - can't see that she would oppose. She may pick up on something.

Also, bring in current copies of Runner's World and try the "I noticed that we're doing things this way, but this article in Runner's World suggests this" approach. Hard to argue with RW if you're someone who doesn't know anything about running.

As far as racing - just run faster than 22 min. The coach isn't going to tell you to run slower.

She times you for 3 mile runs right?

She wants you to run 22 min because it's faster than you are now.

To be honest if I had a bunch of 22 to 27 minute kids I probably just run 3 to 4 miles a day as well until the got some basic fitness in.

I went to high school I the southeast. same story. same type of coach. I ran on my own and still competed. The school should let you do that considering that they probably couldn't care less about XC.

If you are running 3-4 miles 5 days a week (you said 15-20mpw) you should be getting faster.Your coach is not stupid. Read this:http://www.coacheseducation.com/xc/jack_farrell_july_00.php

[quote]it's not the mileage wrote:

If you are running 3-4 miles 5 days a week (you said 15-20mpw) you should be getting faster.

Your coach is not stupid. Read this:

http://www.coacheseducation.com/xc/jack_farrell_july_00.php

Good lord no. If this coach had success with the occasional athlete using that training then he got lucky. Do not follow this approach.

The Donger wrote:

She times you for 3 mile runs right?

She wants you to run 22 min because it's faster than you are now.

To be honest if I had a bunch of 22 to 27 minute kids I probably just run 3 to 4 miles a day as well until the got some basic fitness in.

--This--

If you aren't faster than the 22/27, the distance is fine. Maybe she is waiting for someone on the team to be any good.

Just to clarify, I do not run a 22 minute 5k and I averaged 35 mpw inn the summer. Last year I ran 19:09 for the 5k. So this training is definitely not enough considering I want to break 18 by the end of the year. We actually have quite a few runners under 18 on the team as well.(Some kid ran a 16:17 for 3 miles the other day at practice, he is a bit of an exception though) Anyways him, and a lot of other runners besides me are being under trained as well.

Just follow what 'a dog ' said

the woman is a moron

Get your regular runs in, start one or two faster (but not too fast) aerobic runs a week, and, once a week, do 10k pace intervals like 6x1k with 1 min 200m jog recovery-good for the soul and stamina, vVO2max etc, and doesn't tax the system much

Oh yeah learn how to sprint properly

I dealt w/ the same thing my freshman year.

1st- Talk to her about it. Try to make a compromise and share some wisdom.

2nd- Add in doubles, if you have to.

3rd- Run all of the runs w/ your team as easy runs and get in your qualities in the morning before school.

4th- Make sure you stay consistent as this will be very hard.

listen to tdodd...you must figure out a way to open a very friendly and civil dialogue with your coach. You really can help to educate her if you do it right. make suggestions - tell her about things you have read and perhaps direct her to some sources. Do everything you can to keep communicating with her and helping her without challenging her coaching authority.