Good Freshman time for 8k?

KevinHeeman wrote:

This is my first year running in college. So far the season had been a good season but I still don’t feel like I’ve raced to my potential. I ran a 26:30 this past weekend on a fairly flat course that ran really slow this year compared to previous years, and the course was not in good condition. Besides that, is this a good time as a freshman? Personally I feel if I can have the perfect race conditions on another flat course, I could be closer to 26 flat.

Go f*** yourself. You already know how good or bad your times are by comparing to your teammates and competitors. Don't come here for compliment fishing.

NoOneCares wrote:

[quote]KevinHeeman wrote:

Don't come here for compliment fishing.

Compliment phishing would take a 24:45.

26:30 is about what a 4:30/10:00 guy would have run in high school.

I think 25:00 is good - close to 5:00/mile pace.

It looks like you ran the 26:30 at the Houghton Highlander invitational. That is the fastest course you will run on all year. Also, the course was not slow compared to previous years. 26 flat seems unlikely. Don't put too much stock into your freshman year 8k times, they really don't matter that much.

Bet you wouldn’t say that to his face in person.

Higgins2018 wrote:

Bet you wouldn’t say that to his face in person.

I try not to associate with anybody who would just randomly tell somebody to F theirself on a message board but I would tell anybody that while 26:30 is a solid time, it would not be used on this board to phish for compliments. (Unless OP is also out of touch)

25:00 will make you a really good D3 runner, and Top 7 on most D1 teams (but not the top teams at the NCAA championships). If you're 26:30 as a freshman you could get down to 25 flat in a couple years. You probably need to run more. Most people that are running 25 flat are doing at least 70 miles per week. Most people running 24 flat are running more than 70, closer to 100 miles per week.

If you don’t break 23 as a freshman you should just quit.

I remember the OP. Remember last summer I said rough numbers add 10:30 to your 5K and you said you ran 16:13.

Now you ran 26:33.

It's like magic. You are right where you would be expected to be.

Keep at it and stay consistent with your training throughout the year.

Good luck.

Higgins2018 wrote:

Bet you wouldn’t say that to his face in person.

I absolutely would.

Yeah this course was insanely fast and conditions were perfect, I don't think this guy will come close to this time the rest of the year

Guys, be advised that Nonecares is an extreme tough guy. Though it should be noted he is a day late and not posting this on TNT's Tough Guy Tuesday.

I wasn’t “compliment fishing” or whatever tf you call it. I was asking because I wanted to know if it actually was a good time for a Freshman, and speaking of the fact that I’m a freshman, I don’t know how I would compare myself to my competitors, because it’s MY FIRST YEAR. Since it’s also my first year, I don’t know WHAT TIMES ARE CONSIDERED GOOD, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED.

Alright cool, yeah I hit 70 as my highest mileage week during the summer but haven’t surpassed that yet. I want to try to get into the triple digits next summer, but I don’t know if my body will hold up. I had a knee injury this past winter/spring that took me out for a couple months. I want to go for it, but at the same time, I’m scared to risk it, not gonna lie. I know it will make me a better runner if I do.

KevinHeeman wrote:

I wasn’t “compliment fishing” or whatever tf you call it. I was asking because I wanted to know if it actually was a good time for a Freshman, and speaking of the fact that I’m a freshman, I don’t know how I would compare myself to my competitors, because it’s MY FIRST YEAR. Since it’s also my first year, I don’t know WHAT TIMES ARE CONSIDERED GOOD, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED.

It depends on your division, conference, state, area. At a D1 in a top conference 26:30 is very slow. My school had 7 freshman under 26 minutes my year. At a lower division or lower tier conference 26:30 is great for a freshman. It's all relative. Personally I'd say 25:00 minutes is average and 26:00 minutes is not good for a freshman.

KevinHeeman wrote:

I wasn’t “compliment fishing” or whatever tf you call it. I was asking because I wanted to know if it actually was a good time for a Freshman, and speaking of the fact that I’m a freshman, I don’t know how I would compare myself to my competitors, because it’s MY FIRST YEAR. Since it’s also my first year, I don’t know WHAT TIMES ARE CONSIDERED GOOD, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED.

Yes you do know exactly where you OBJECTIVELY stand among your teammates and competitors in your races. Furthermore, "good" is SUBJECTIVE so it will not provide you with any new information you don't already have.

Oh yeah, I completely forgot about adding that up. That’s right, I remember your response because your username made me laugh. Yeah you were right on with that!

KevinHeeman wrote:

I wasn’t “compliment fishing” or whatever tf you call it. I was asking because I wanted to know if it actually was a good time for a Freshman, and speaking of the fact that I’m a freshman, I don’t know how I would compare myself to my competitors, because it’s MY FIRST YEAR. Since it’s also my first year, I don’t know WHAT TIMES ARE CONSIDERED GOOD, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED.

If you can't understand where you fall in the mix and how your times compare to other freshman and/or other college runners, you shouldn't be running in college, or in college period. Too stupid, to needy. Have you talked to your coach? Are they happy with your progress????????????????

The distance may have changed, but the scene is the same, if not easier to navigate, compared to what you had in HS. Why do you need to ask a random stranger for guidance? Can their commentary somehow change your outcome???? Your fitness?

As others have said, with pity - 26:30 is standard times for a freshman succeeding at transitioning from 4:30/9:45/16min HS times. What more is there to understand?

Other responders need to chill. 26:30 at the D1 level is slow but collegiate xc runners tend to improve a lot between midseason freshman year and end of season senior year, because few are ready for the distance, especially with added fatigue from practicing with faster guys with harder workouts and higher mileage than high school. Get plenty of sleep, gradually improve your mileage, and take your easy days easy, hard days at coach's target pace. You should be mid 25s by the end of this season if you taper correctly. Over the summer, if you run higher mileage, you'll see massive improvements and maybe break 25 next year, which would get you around average for D1. Average is very good, because there will be very few road races outside the NCAA in the country where even the winners are ahead of that pace.

As for the knee injuries, you need to do preventive and strengthening exercises every day or other day. They would take the form of quad strengthening exercises with ankle weights, calf extensions, body weight squats at least, step-ups, the occasional eccentric calf drops on a step, bridges, and step-over/back of something several feet high.