Dropping my 3k time from a 13:00 to a 10:20. Is it possible?

Impossible to know, but focus on more tangible goals in the short run. Breaking 12:00 for 3000 is a good goal for now. Focus on staying healthy and building endurance and dropping times.

I think you maybe just about have the talent to do this! With your speed, a 65 second 400m, if you were fully aerobically developed that would translate to about a 2:18 800m which would then translate into a 4:50ish 1500m which would translate to around a 10:20 3k. So yes, you could do this but you would need a couple of years of aerobic development and proper coaching. Your 400m speed might even get naturally faster in the meantime as you keep growing/developing muscle.

Whys don't you want to be a 400/800 runner? Your 400 is actually quite good and you're 'already there' in terms of being competitive. While I have no doubt that you could significantly improve your 3k time, it might be worth considering. Also, nothing is stopping you from moving up in distance after maxing out your potential at the shorter distances. It might even help you in the (very) long term, building speed. Remember, when Bernard Ouma started to work with Elijah Manangoi (among if not the best 1500m runner in the world right now) he was a 400 guy. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

1% chance of getting there junior year. Set realistic incremental goals or you will end up giving up.

Not gonna happen. I mean there's a tiny chance that it could happen, but please do not plan your future on it.

If you want to run in college go to a small D3 school or join the club team.

I think its possible depending on how recovered you actually are, and how hard you were training for that 5:40 1500. When you were in 5:40 shape, I think you should have been around 12:00 for 3k to begin with. If the 3k is your main focus this coming season, make sure to focus more on endurance, as your 13:00 PB indicates your training my have been lacking in that area.

In your summer base phase, DO NOT attempt to make up for "lost time" of your sophomore year. This will lead to re-injury. Slowly build yourself back up again. By late August, hopefully you feel like your old self. Then when cross country season begins, you should be able to safely train more aggressively.

Spend your fall.cross country season running long miles. Occasional short interval workouts are good to keep the pop in your legs, but building a base is more important. Its not unreasonable to think that by the end of fall you will have built a good enough base to maybe run 19:00 for 5k. That's worth something like 10:45ish for 3k.

In the indoor season, begin to focus more on speed and I don't see any reason why its not possible to run 10:20 by the end of the season.

Its a similar transition for a high school cross country boy going from 18:00 to 17:00. This is something that is doable with a full season of quality training. Good luck to you.

thank you! I am the person who created this thread. in my freshman year when I ran the 5:40 and 13:00, that was on 12-15 miles of training. we had a really poor coaching situation and I didn’t realize the importance of higher mileage / wasn’t taking the sport seriously.

that is part of why I am hopeful that this goal can be realized.

allison wrote:

I am 5'2, slim, and have muscular legs (I am not super skinny like most girls on my team: I probably look more like a 400/800m runner, but I don't have the fast twitch fibers that one needs for sprinting), and weigh 115 pounds. For these reasons, I see myself as having true competitive potential only in longer distance events. I have good aerobic endurance, being able to run 10 miles at a 8:30-9 pace comfortably. Last July, I did a very challenging, hilly course for a 10k and ran a 8:00 pace.

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Ok, here's where it gets difficult and no one will tell you the truth. You won't run a 10:30 weighing 115 lbs at 5'2", you are too heavy. You are going to have people tell you otherwise and dispute this, but they will be liars.

Do yourself a favor and focus on the 800.

115 is absolutely not too heavy for 10:20. Especially depending on this young lady's body type, that she hasn't been running in a year, and that she says she was only running 10 miles in her freshman year. Running 35-40 mpw, her body will settle where it needs to. She will probably lose weight in the process. But to tell her she can't do it without losing weight is incorrect and can be dangerous.

Devil Dog wrote:

115 is absolutely not too heavy for 10:20. Especially depending on this young lady's body type, that she hasn't been running in a year, and that she says she was only running 10 miles in her freshman year. Running 35-40 mpw, her body will settle where it needs to. She will probably lose weight in the process. But to tell her she can't do it without losing weight is incorrect and can be dangerous.

+1

Dont recommend weight loss or gain advice without knowing the person

Just focus on not getting injured and being consistent with training and that will get you farthest

Based her times and her weight, she won’t come close. You are correct that she should eat well and not worry about weight. Focusing on losing weight will not improve times but if this is her physique, she is an 800 runner.

thank you! I weighed 100 lbs when I ran those times in freshman year— since then I’ve gained muscle but not doing consistent cardio definitely took a toll on my body (I had already gone through puberty, so I would characterize this weight gain as a result of lack of exercise and less healthy eating habits.) I am now focusing on upping my mileage, eating healthier, and core— weight loss being an expectant byproduct but obviously not the focus. Thank you all for your viewpoints— I like seeing the difference in opinions, I really appreciate seeing how different runners view this question.

This is by no means a goal for me to stake my college process on—I am a very strong student and don’t need a fast time to get into college, but I have the time and I may as well commit my fullest and try to accomplish as many of my running goals as possible.

I am running now to reach as much of my potential as possible— and consequently be a healthier and happier person. :)

If you want to go to a highly selective school, the acceptance rate is only 5%.