Antischolastic wrote:
LoneStarXC wrote:
zxcvzxcv wrote:
After watching Ingrid in Team Ingebrigtsen, my 11 year old daughter asked me to start a xc team with her friends.
If I go ahead with it, a few years ahead of when I think it would be valuable for her to start running instead of playing soccer, basketball, gymnastics and the like for general fitness and speed, should I have them do mostly drills, some change of pace runs, and really light mileage, e.g. no more than 3M per day for now?
Start an XC team? What’s wrong with joining the school’s team?
Here's what's wrong with it:
Coaches.
Just look at how many threads exist to complain about school coaches. You may have to visit the High School Forum. Apparently these kids don't realize that by signing up for the team, they made the decision to be coached by this clown. He's your coach because you decided he was.
Heavy racing.
When I was in school (and probably eligible to join the teams) I raced a handful of times a year. Same as now. Well, a little more often, as my recovery powers have waned. How often do you see Kipchoge or Rupp on a starting line?
Red tape.
Nothing to join. No paperwork. No promising to only run for them. No nonsense. You train and race however you see fit. What are the requirements for participation in HS track? I don't know and never asked.
Distance events.
I may have looked into school track if 10,000 was an event they offered, considering I had the school record at 10k road. Your school doesn't have a 10k record? That's right. You have to have a student who has finished one to have a school record. 1600 and 3200? Those are not events. If you disagree, tell me the world record for either one.
Perhaps the question should be: Why run for the school's team?
I saw no upside in my youth. I see even more disadvantages now, and will guide the next generation accordingly.
“zxcvzxcv”’s daughter is 11, so that’s 6th grade (middle school), not high school.
