Summer: base, pace & race (so I won't be a disgrace)

My advice to you would be to make sure to keep your pace EASY during the summer. I made the mistake when I was in HS of doing the majority of my easy runs at 6:30 pace. Which, for a 16:50 5k runner was just to damn fast. If I were you, cranking up the mileage like that, I'd do most of my runs at around 7:30-8min. pace, or just keep the heart rate down around 135-150. Do some strides once or twice a week to keep relatively sharp with your form when running faster, and slowly add tempos in (like once per week) over the final month.

A few thoughts:

Your mileage goals look good for what you want to do. Just remember that there isn't a "right" amount of mileage--do what feels right to your (and your legs).

6:20 to 6:30 pace isn't a good place to be--too fast for an easy day and too slow for a hard day. If you do a bunch of running at this pace, you never recover completely and you don't get any faster, you just gain the ability to run at that speed for a long time.

I have a few runners running times similar to yours and I have them running 7:00 pace for long runs and 6:50 pace for steady aerobic runs. On easy days, they are supposed to run slower than 7:15 pace (preferably 7:30 pace) They do 1 tempo run per week and strides after their aerobic runs (2 per week). On easy days (3 per week), they just run easy and focus on recovery. There's really no rocket science here--just build up an aerobic bank account and do the tempo work and strides to get yourself ready for the transition to speedwork in season.

Good luck reaching your goals.

Yes, for someone running 5:25 pace for 3 miles, 6:20-6:30 pace is quite fast; with your mile/2 mile times, you would be able to do your 3 mile time with minimal endurance. So, first... analyze your situation. To NOT improve, the only thing you can do is to overtrain, even if you train minimally, you will improve. TRUST.

So, to improve significantly, you must train smartly. The reason you did not improve was because you probably read that tempos were the way to go (Kenyan way) but did not understand that young kid 15-16 years old do not respond to tempos the same as adults. WHY? Because your bodies are changing very rapidly and this type of hard hard hard training can result in muscle imbalances and constant fatigue. You may have to use weights to correct the problem. If the problem is " I am not breathing hard, my legs are just tired and weak."

Secondly, as someone stated, 6:40-7:00 is a good range for your moderate distance runs, even slower for your easy runs. They will sometimes change anyway ie. 6:40 will sometimes be easy when you are rested and 7:30 will seem moderate at other times. Just run and be relaxed, no racing on distance, not even against yourself.

Finally for the bad (good) news! Cross country is NOT what is going to get you the money for college unless you are a Footlocker Finalist type really. It can get you some $$, but track is much more of a sure thing. So, in a way, it may seem that your dreams are shattered. But I don't think of it that way, this gives you time to develop a longer plan, with smaller steps, and thus, more attainable.

Do not go for the one week high mileage, go for what you can do forever. Instead of running 50,57,46,50,54,50,50,69,83. See if you can never go below 65 or so. 65,66,65,68,67,65,65,67,65,66,67,65 etc. Consistency will end up being WAY better. There, I wrote you a lot.

thanks a lot man.

KKKK is right that typically you don't get money from cross country. However, you can get a lot of coaches to notice you in the fall and make potential offers early in the spring. This was my case. I was injured for much of high school and no track times to speak of. My senior year, I had a very good (for me) xc season, and got recruited off of that.

There is still hope, fear not.

i would also add on to the comment trying to get money. don't worry about it now and just stick with a continued, developed plan and don't rush it.

in my situation, i had a specific D1 school i wanted to go to and had no chance of getting the $$ going in based on my times and the other kids they brought in. however, i contacted the coach before i was admitted to express my interest in the school, the program and let him know my background. also followed up again after getting admitted. doing so helped me avert going through the BS "tryout" hurdle that walkons had to go through, with few being given an opportunity to be on the team. anyhow, with consistent training and development over the next two years, i ended up getting some financial help my junior. nothing much, but it was goal i attained.

stick with things, be smart and don't be impatient. things can work out to those that work hard and aren't necessary easily discouraged by not attaining goals immediately.

best of luck!

"As a sophmore I ran 16:16 in the 3mile XC, 4:33 and 9:50"

As a sophomore I ran 17:35 XC 5k, 4:27, 9:55...that summer I ran 11 miles nearly every single day with a long run of 12-14 plus a double or three and put in 70-80+ a week for 3 months. Junior year I ran 16:16, 4:27, 9:38. Put in the miles. It doesn't matter what pace they are as long as you can get them in. I was running no slower than 6:45 pace back then, sometimes getting down to 6:10-20. I got up to 80 by doing something like this after track season...55, 65, 75, 85...just get out and run.

Alan