HS coach tells us "Run 80 min total if doubling, 60 if only running singles." You agree?

Hey buddy, if you're having that much trouble getting through some easy days without your body breaking apart and whining incessantly about it, this sport probably isn't for you. Take a hike.

justquit wrote:

Hey buddy, if you're having that much trouble getting through some easy days without your body breaking apart and whining incessantly about it, this sport probably isn't for you. Take a hike.

So, is the sport just for genetically-gifted, skinny, dimuinitive types?

Fed-Up With H.S. Coaches wrote:

Snoops wrote:

...which isn't the case here, considering the multiple options given. You also based your opinion on one single day of coaching.

BS...what if a kid with a history of chronic injuries can't do those types of workouts period? Many H.S. coaches, general speaking, are oblivious & insensitive to kids who can't do a lot of these "structured" type workouts due to a chronic injury history, and not having the good genetics that a lot of other kids have. A lot of them have adapted the "my way or the highway" philosophy 😞. You sound like some of the coaches I've had to deal with over the years. Lol.

Wow! You can infer ALL of that? For all we know the coach gave that generic advice to the group and then said, "...except you Johhny because of your injuries..." and OP didn't include that part because it didn't apply to him.

Look coaches get max $3500 for an entire year of coaching. Their other job is their salary. Sorry to break it to you but coaching is secondary for ALL hs coaches

So have 4 different groups and each group has a subgroup. Even then differentiated needs are there. I do not have time to write 35 training plans each week when my other job that pays me needs my time not to mention my family

Doubling is actually better, because you can level up the intensity of each run quite a bit. As a rule, the higher the volume of intensity you can handle, the better you will be.

I signed up for high school Xc as a sophomore. I listened to my coach. I believed in what he said. We had a long standing tradition of success. I was worked in slowly. My initial runs shorter than seasoned runners. After a few weeks I increased my volume. Some of our workouts were distance based. Some time based. Sometimes slower kids would turn back on out/back runs after a defined number of kids were on the return path.

Our coach was very competitive and demanding. I learned I could do more than I ever imagined by being in this environment. We had a few injuries and probably everyone felt nicked up at times,me included. But, we were not overly babied. The general idea was that this team was competitive running and that was our purpose

I also played other competitive varsity sports in high school (hockey and baseball). The philosophy and experience in those were similar to my Xc experience. Work hard, compete, try to win. Nothing wrong with that. The byproducts of all these experiences, not the purpose was that I met great friends and I got more fit.

Too many out there who second guess the coaches and their approach. Too many out there who want running to be social in purpose.

I see too many soft runners in high school programs whose purpose is not to challenge themselves but rather their purpose is friendship and pasta parties.

SJW's shouldn't be coaches. Difficult workouts ween out the weak. High school programs exist to win, not to coddle people's feelings. As a high school coach, if you can't run the varsity workouts, we don't need you on the varsity team. Even if you can, top seven(XC) or three (track) compete. That's all there is. I'm happy to refer non hackers to the JV coach for developmental workouts. When they can hack they can run varsity. Talk all the ish you want, but my JV team is filled with youngsters that look up to and can't wait to run with the variety. We've created an elite culture that makes students want to run outside themselves, tap into that inner beast, and work hard to get better.

This just in, not everybody is an athlete, and even fewer are competitive athletes.

In all your rambling and clear blind rage towards high school coaches you completely miss the point.

High school coaches can get a range of athletes with a range of talents and DEDICATION.

There are numerous kids out there who have no talent but would be willing to walk/run 60 minutes. That's fine, that's how a kid can build a base beyond what he or she thinks is possible. The issue is when you have kids who are simply lazy. They show up when they want and are wildly out of shape.

Then when the kids who are dedicated get dings or need to take an easy day. Those kids jump in and wreak havoc. Additionally, when I do have kids bike I have to sit there while they bike per restrictions of the school. So yes, I do have to babysit. So I prefer to save that resource for when it is really needed.

At times i'll have 45 kids without a coach because 5 kids who "need" to bike. That being said, when those kids pop up I'll have them bike for the first 15 minutes, then walk run for the rest of practice that way I can be around for more of the athletes.

What I'm hearing from you is that you had no idea how to individualize programs for yourself. Can't run for 60 minutes? why don't you run for 20 then walk for 40? Can't do that? run for 10 and walk for 50 minutes. Don't like that? Join the walking club. Are there coaches who run athletes into the ground? Absolutely. Are there kids who are just simply lazy? YES.

Before you throw all coaches HS into a neat little package and blame them, why don't you appreciate how hard it might be to come up with a road loop for 45-50 kids of various levels, then tell me about "one size fits all"

I see way too many"experts" when it comes to coaching. Yet, the enormous majority of those experts haven't coached anyone, more less a team of runners. Also, there is a difference in age,maturity, purpose between a high school athlete and a hobby jogger.

Just like too many people complain about teachers, these people have not taught a group of kids and had to face all,of the challenges that show up at the door (parental laziness, single parent, instability at home, language,etc). These expert coaches assume everyone is motivated to run, hard working, honest. These things show up in varying degrees and a coach has too do the best they can to both shape these things and adapt.

As far as I am concerned, talk is cheap. For all you kmow-it-alls why don't you actually earn the position of coach rather than complain about others from the cheap seats.

The vast majority of coaches want what is best for their athletes and try to make it happen.

Is that in reference to my post or did you just use mine to hit reply?