Good time for a high school freshman? What can I do to get better

HunterS1 wrote:

I was wondering what people thought of these times and what my level for improvement is. Also what should I do this winter and which events should I run in track.

1) your times are faster than some, slower than others.

2) your level of improvement cannot be predicted. I've seen freshmen running your times who run in the 19 minute range as a senior and I've seen them run in the 14:30 range as a senior. I'm positive that if you continue to train and stay healthy that you'll improve. I dont know how much.

3) this winter you should continue to run and try to just slightly increase your mileage during the break between xc and track. Dont do too much intensity, mostly just mileage, maybe a tempo or progression run sprinkled in. Focus on not getting injured. Make friends with and train with some teammates.

4) run every event in track from the 400 to the 3200 in the more casual meets, like dual meets against other schools in your league. Double up every meet and occasionally triple. Pick your best event in a year or two from now, but even then, run other events sometimes and double early season.

Each off season make it a goal to progress your mileage. So this summer you ran about 30 miles a week, now try to average 35 a week or whatever before track and then 40 during the summer before cross.

Don’t listen to anyone here regarding training. You have a good coach so get offline and do what the coach says and follow the better guys on the team. It sounds like they have a successful program.

Do you have much musical aptitude? Based on your times I think a switch to band may be your best move. Band camp in the summer will really help you to refine your musical skills. Based on the times posted I think you are well suited to be in woodwinds. If you get the mileage up percussion may be an option as well. Don't give up and keep the music alive.

You can do this!!!

MUSIC IS YOUR FUTURE, MUSIC IS YOUR LIFE!

Good luck and God Bless.

Run more during the off season. How much more? I don’t know, it doesn’t matter. Just more.

Alan

Runningart2004 wrote:

Run more during the off season. How much more? I don’t know, it doesn’t matter. Just more.

Alan

^This.

Your improvement over the season, assuming similar courses, shows that you likely didn't train enough or regularly enough in the summer. You should be running 6 days a week MINIMUM in the summer, and then only if you are injury prone. If not injury prone, run every day with only a once-in-a-great-while day off.

Increase mileage weekly in the off season for 2-3 weeks and then take a step back, and then increase again for 2-3 weeks and take a step back.

As a general rule:

Minimum weekly mileage in the summer what would be a high school sophomore should be 35.

Ideal weekly mileage in the summer for a GOOD high school runner in the off season should be 45-55.

Elite high school runners typically run 65-80 in the summer with a few of them doing even more.

just another guy wrote:

Do you have much musical aptitude? Based on your times I think a switch to band may be your best move. Band camp in the summer will really help you to refine your musical skills. Based on the times posted I think you are well suited to be in woodwinds. If you get the mileage up percussion may be an option as well. Don't give up and keep the music alive.

You can do this!!!

MUSIC IS YOUR FUTURE, MUSIC IS YOUR LIFE!

Good luck and God Bless.

+2

just another guy wrote:

Do you have much musical aptitude? Based on your times I think a switch to band may be your best move. Band camp in the summer will really help you to refine your musical skills. Based on the times posted I think you are well suited to be in woodwinds. If you get the mileage up percussion may be an option as well. Don't give up and keep the music alive.

You can do this!!!

MUSIC IS YOUR FUTURE, MUSIC IS YOUR LIFE!

Good luck and God Bless.

+3