Hello, I am going to be a high school senior this year and plan to run in college (still deciding where) whats it like in a day for a college athlete? Between academics, athletics, maybe a job, how do you balance it all? Any tips about beng a college-bound athlete? thanks for responses in advance
I wouldn't know
Take this with a grain of salt since this is DIII and I went to a school with trimesters so the class schedule may vary wildly. This is a sample term though
MWF
8:00a wake up, short easy run, shower
8:45a breakfast at the campus cafe, perhaps study/read if I need to cram before class
9:50a-11a class
11:30a lunch
12:30p-1:40p class
afternoon: work on school stuff if necessary, probably in library
4:00p get ready for practice
4:45p-7:00ish practice, length depends on if it is a workout day or not and if there is lifting/extra stuff involved, usually end up hanging around and dragging ass before actually showering
7p-dining hall close (~8:30p) dinner...continue dragging ass as long as there are other willing participants to drag ass with
evening: maybe get more work done, more likely just hang out/relax, in bed by 11 usually
The only difference Tues/Thurs was that I usually only had one class (morning or afternoon) and did most of my school work during the non-class portion of the day (before or after lunch).
4:17miler wrote:
Hello, I am going to be a high school senior this year and plan to run in college (still deciding where) whats it like in a day for a college athlete? Between academics, athletics, maybe a job, how do you balance it all? Any tips about beng a college-bound athlete? thanks for responses in advance
Wake up at about 6 A.M. meet up and start your run with the team around 6:30. Finish run around 7:30 or 8. Shower. Go to class from around 9-1 or 2 sneak in a lunch. Meet again for practice at 3 or 3:30. Finish practice around 5 or so, go home shower and eat dinner. After dinner work on homework. Go to bed and repeat.
If you want to be successful in your running, you will not be able to have a job unless that job is on campus and your superiors are willing to work around both your practice and competition schedule.
Freshman year
10 AM: Wake up
10:30 - 2 PM: Class, lunch, a little bit of study
3-5 PM: XC practice
5 PM - 2 AM: Study a little, but mostly hang with friends
70 mpw avg, 16:00 5k pr, 26:30 8k (XC)
Study avg: 10 hrs/week
Senior year
8 AM: Morning run
9 AM - noon: Class and study
12-1 PM: Study (and eat a little)
1-3 PM: Class
3-5 PM: XC practice
5-8 PM: Lab
8 PM - midnight: Study
90 mpw avg, 14:40 5k pr, 24:30 8k (XC)
Study avg: 40 hrs/week
Every team structures their week differently, but here is what we do for XC.
Note: everyone that does 800m and up does some aerobic work in the AM, it just depends whether or not your mileage is high enough to run or cross train
Mon:
AM: 30 min cross train or 30 min easy run
PM: 30-40 min easy and strength training
Tues:
AM: Same as Mon
PM: If important race on Saturday, smaller tune up workout, basically take a normal workout and cut down volume a bit. If a normal workout would be 8x1000 we might do 5-6x1000 at a similar pace, these also may end with 2-3 mile pace 400's with full recovery.
If non important race or no race Saturday, we usually do a more distance oriented workout, so maybe a 4-5 mile tempo and then 800's or some sort of downward ladder (e.g. 1000, 800, 600, 400) Another might be a 10k, 12k or even 14k breakdown.
Wed:
AM: same
PM: 60-70 minutes easy, sometimes Wednesday and Tuesday get switched if we have a non important race or no race on Saturday.
Thurs:
AM: same
PM: 60-70 minutes easy
Fri:
AM: optional if any race on Saturday, if you choose to it's still the same 30 min easy run or cross train.
PM: if race Saturday, then very easy 30-40 minutes preferably on soft surface and strides.
If no race then more of a VO2 max workout. Some examples might be 8x1000, 5xmile, 10x800. All of these start at race pace and you are supposed to cut down from there each rep, these are very hard. Our coach keeps it simple with workouts, so we usually do a lot of the same things each year.
Sat: Race
2.5-3mile warmup, race, cooldown for however much mileage you need.
Or
AM: If no race and no Friday workout, then the workout is now.
PM: double if you need the mileage, if not then just rest.
If no race then everyone does a strength session at some point on Saturday
Sunday:
AM: Long run depending on weekly mileage. Longest our coach will let us go is 18, everyone will do 80 minutes at the absolute minimum. Usually ends with progression.
As for classes, we practice as a team at 4pm, but AM runs are on your own, so AM runs get done between or before classes. Most schedule late morning and early afternoon. After practice we eat as a team and then usually you are doing homework until you go to bed. Getting a job would be tough, you could maybe squeeze in a few hours a week at night. A few kids work in the library and essentially just do homework the whole time, so that's a possibility. You will be fine.
all I can say is good luck
1st the incoming tip: Run this summer and stay in shape. Need to feel like you are in incredibly fit and strong (but will still get your a$$ handed to you in your 1st 8K cc race) where you are gradually increasing effort and mileage, but not going overboard. 10 miles a day at least with some doubles if you can and a 4-5 mile tempo every 10 days. No need to worry about speed, but run a 10K or 2 if that floats your boat. Take a day off a week if needed or go 10 days on, 1 off, summer of Malmo or whatever works. Run, work, repeat - ALL SUMMER LONG. Make sure you head into the Fall with a good solid base for CC. I did not frosh year and wish I had.
Typical college day? Assuming you are full time student and at most, part time employee, you will have a ton of free time. More time than you will likely ever see again after graduation when real life starts.
What worked for me may not work for everyone, but I tried not to schedule early classes.
Typical day in season: Breakfast, mid morning class(es), lunch, siesta or early pm class, 3:00 p.m. practice, done by 5:30 at the latest (usually earlier). Dinner, evening class(es)/job/studying. In bed by midnight. Repeat with Fridays being light workout days and often traveling Friday pm or early Saturday for away meets in season.
Tons of free time on home meet Thursdays and Fridays. Even more time off season.
No huge secrets here. Mind your school and your running, but have fun as well.
A final caveat: Thursday nights can be dangerous in college, especially with a big meet looming Saturday. Tread lightly in season and let it rip otherwise. It is college after all and there will be life before, during and after running.
10AM: Wake and bake
11AM: Skip Class
12 Noon: Eat crap
1PM: Rip Bong
2PM: Skip Class
3PM: Practice
5PM: Lift Weights
6PM: Ice Bath
6:30PM: Rip Bong
7PM: All you can eat dining hall
8PM: Rip Bong
8:30PM: Drink 4-5 Keystone Ice
9PM: Rip Bong
10PM: Video Games
11PM: Rip Bong
6:45 - wake up
7:30 - practice
10:00 - breakfast
11:00 - class
12:00 - lunch
12:45 - nap
3:00 - class
5:00 - double
6:30 - dinner
7:30 - homework
10:30 - bed
Siesta sleep schedule comes in handy: 7 to 8 hour main block plus a 30 minute nap within 7 hours of waking up.
Alarm goes off (I was dreaming about what it was like when i was #1 in HS)
Breakfast
Classes (daydreaming about riding my bike)
Lunch
Practice w team (I know I'm better than these guys)
Study
The rest of the team goes out together for a bonding event but I don't attend b/c I'm #1 and I'm better than them
Dinner
Think about quitting and ditching my team
Sleep
The amount of time you spend studying will depend on the semester and the difficulty of the class. Sometimes 3 credit classes can be easy and other times require a ton of work.
The running depends on the college. Most workout from 4pm-6pm. Some a little longer others start earlier.
Youll find yourself playing a lot of video games in the dorm rooms most likely
quote]Ca$hclay wrote:
1st the incoming tip: Run this summer and stay in shape. Need to feel like you are in incredibly fit and strong (but will still get your a$$ handed to you in your 1st 8K cc race) where you are gradually increasing effort and mileage, but not going overboard. 10 miles a day at least with some doubles if you can and a 4-5 mile tempo every 10 days. No need to worry about speed, but run a 10K or 2 if that floats your boat. Take a day off a week if needed or go 10 days on, 1 off, summer of Malmo or whatever works. Run, work, repeat - ALL SUMMER LONG. Make sure you head into the Fall with a good solid base for CC. I did not frosh year and wish I had.
Typical college day? Assuming you are full time student and at most, part time employee, you will have a ton of free time. More time than you will likely ever see again after graduation when real life starts.
What worked for me may not work for everyone, but I tried not to schedule early classes.
Typical day in season: Breakfast, mid morning class(es), lunch, siesta or early pm class, 3:00 p.m. practice, done by 5:30 at the latest (usually earlier). Dinner, evening class(es)/job/studying. In bed by midnight. Repeat with Fridays being light workout days and often traveling Friday pm or early Saturday for away meets in season.
Tons of free time on home meet Thursdays and Fridays. Even more time off season.
No huge secrets here. Mind your school and your running, but have fun as well.
A final caveat: Thursday nights can be dangerous in college, especially with a big meet looming Saturday. Tread lightly in season and let it rip otherwise. It is college after all and there will be life before, during and after running.[/quote]
This is probably the most informative and helpful post on college running. Great insight....wish I had known this early on.
Ca$hclay wrote:
A final caveat: Thursday nights can be dangerous in college, especially with a big meet looming Saturday.
So true ...