Should I just quit?

Do you train in the off season?

Yes - I ran last summer with a competitive group 6 days/week, then went into XC season, had a week off before indoor, ran over Xmas break, and then ran over our break between indoor and outdoor. Our coach gives us workouts - I’ve never had a problem hitting the mileage, but always have trouble hitting the times

What kind of mileage are you running?

So far this current season, we’re doing 30-35 mpw

This^

You're 15 and have been running seriously for a year and you want to give up already?

Several things to point out:

1) You've barely started running, just growing itself is gonna make you significantly faster over the next 3 years if you keep doing any running at all.

2) 12:09 for 3k at your age with only a year of running isn't that bad; people are different: some start out slow and with some consistent training will improve massively, which is what I believe will happen for you if you keep training

3) next time that kid talks sh!t behind your back get up in his face and smack the b!tch out of him if you have to to teach him some respect. Better yet, don't be discouraged, keep training and bury that loaer's dick in the dirt when you race him again

4) what's your training been like? Weekly volume? Intensity? Workouts?

Tldr: you're still super young, barely been training, people start and improve at different places and paces, and ignore what the idiots say, keep at it and at the end of the day it's just running, not the end of the world if you don't achieve what you want

dfl wrote:

So far this current season, we’re doing 30-35 mpw

That's your problem. Those are rookie numbers, got to pump them up. Run at least a hour a day.

Don't give up, keep training and slowly work up to getting 100 MPW and run that weekly high mileage consistently.

Don’t quit

So this is your origin story, huh?

Stay patient. Keep working and stay consistent. As you get a little older you will keep improving, and a year of training is still far, far away from sufficient to reach your potential. You said you’re working hard at practice, but make sure you have easy days and down weeks to allow your body to adapt to the training stimulus.

Na don't quit, don't give up you're only a freshman you have so much time for your body to change. As a freshman I was almost dead last on my team and I came up this year in my senior year to be on the varsity team that went to state. It's all about pushing yourself harder every day and being motivated. Just think about every day how you're working as hard it harder than these cocky guys and when you'll silence them. Just inspire yourself man and work hard is all there is to running

Thank you guys for the advice. My coach texted me tonight and said he noticed I was looking pretty down, and that he’s proud of the effort I’m putting in and that the results will come if I just stay consistent. He also said he runs better now in his late 30s than he did in HS, and it’s about just putting in the time.

I guess it feels like I’ve put in a lot of time, but I need to remember that some of the guys on my team have been running since they were little, and have parents who are serious runners.

I wish I could beat all the guys who were laughing, but one of them actually is crazy fast, and I know I will never run a mile under 4:20.

dfl wrote:

Thank you guys for the advice. My coach texted me tonight and said he noticed I was looking pretty down, and that he’s proud of the effort I’m putting in and that the results will come if I just stay consistent. He also said he runs better now in his late 30s than he did in HS, and it’s about just putting in the time.

I guess it feels like I’ve put in a lot of time, but I need to remember that some of the guys on my team have been running since they were little, and have parents who are serious runners.

I wish I could beat all the guys who were laughing, but one of them actually is crazy fast, and I know I will never run a mile under 4:20.

Danger! Danger! You're red-lining it.

If it makes you feel better I felt the same when I was your age too. I was about 10-15 seconds behind evryone else on my team in the 800m. This was largely to donwith the fact the others had been at it for years whereas I was a former overweight kid coming from a sedentary background. Yes, background matters. People talk about building a base for the season during summer but your level of activity as a child/youth is your real base to BUILD that base upon. Those kids were active and sporty from a you her age, they WILL be faster right now - nothing you can do about that.

But guess what? Some 20 years later, they have all quit running, are now all fat, miserable and prediabetic and I’m still running and am faster and fitter now than I ever was then. I guarantee that I could beat every single one of them in a race now. Sometimes it pays to play the long game.

Remember when I talked about that base they builtbeing active as a child? Well my base is much bigger than their’s now. So if you give up now, trust me, you will really regret it if you say, want to be fit in your 20s, 30s and 40s.

Keep plugging away dude, you aren’t even finished going through puberty yet. How you treat your body during puberty is so important when it comes to athletic development. I really cannot tell you enough about how much you will regret it if you stop now.

15? You’re still a kid. You won’t even reach your full potential or strength for another 10 years.

You probably run a 6 flat mile right about now, right? In all honesty a 6 minute miler isn’t exactly mine or most people’s idea of a slow or bad runner. Being in condition to sustain a 6 minute mile is something you can only do if you are fit and healthy, even if you feel slow - just think of the health benefits, find other ways to feel god about running other than competing. Plus, I have full confidence that if you train hard and eat well that you will get faster than you ever believed was possible with a few more years of training and physical development. And do not be afraid to challenge and develop your speed and have a go at the shorter events either.

Haven’t you heard of Danny Diaz, McFarland USA?

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Every team needs a Danny Diaz! Don’t quit! Train hard, race your best! You will not regret it!

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