track middle distance - do you need to run off season?

[Anonymous]

We are what I would call a low key sports family, with two older ones at T20 schools and younger guy a sophomore in hs. He’s played soccer most of life, and rode the varsity bench this past fall. But likes it. Last spring however, he ran pretty good mid distance times as a frosh with no training (except soccer running, which can’t be discounted)- 10 minute 3200, mod 4:30s1600 and 2:00ish 800. These times don’t mean much to me, but coach is excited and pushing him to run this winter to establish a “base”. It’s feeling a little forced to me, and I really want this to stay fun for him - doubt he’s getting recruited, so better spending time with academics and other ECs. I feel if he has talent it will show without having a 16 year old run 25-30 miles a week in the offseason - which seems crazy to me - track people, what say you??

[Anonymous]

Track season will be MUCH more pleasant at the beginning if he runs off season and arrives with a base. He’s at an age where normal growth and being fit could yield some impressive improvements fairly quickly.

The current times would help him a little bit for D3 purposes but not D1. If he doesn’t have another fitness activity in the off season, it would be worth putting some mileage in—it will keep him in shape and really help when track practice starts. I mean, they are likely starting formal practice in about 2 weeks so it’s a bit late but every bit helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are what I would call a low key sports family, with two older ones at T20 schools and younger guy a sophomore in hs. He’s played soccer most of life, and rode the varsity bench this past fall. But likes it. Last spring however, he ran pretty good mid distance times as a frosh with no training (except soccer running, which can’t be discounted)- 10 minute 3200, mod 4:30s1600 and 2:00ish 800. These times don’t mean much to me, but coach is excited and pushing him to run this winter to establish a “base”. It’s feeling a little forced to me, and I really want this to stay fun for him - doubt he’s getting recruited, so better spending time with academics and other ECs. I feel if he has talent it will show without having a 16 year old run 25-30 miles a week in the offseason - which seems crazy to me - track people, what say you??

Totally depends on the kid and what they want to do.

Under 2 for the 800 is very good. Same with under 4:30 for the 1600.

Those are really good times for 16

You have a natural runner.

But yeah, 25-30 a week would be on the low end. It's a lot being a competitive mid-distance runner.

This kind of thing should totally be up to the kid. Genuinely hard training. The passion is there, or it's not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are what I would call a low key sports family, with two older ones at T20 schools and younger guy a sophomore in hs. He’s played soccer most of life, and rode the varsity bench this past fall. But likes it. Last spring however, he ran pretty good mid distance times as a frosh with no training (except soccer running, which can’t be discounted)- 10 minute 3200, mod 4:30s1600 and 2:00ish 800. These times don’t mean much to me, but coach is excited and pushing him to run this winter to establish a “base”. It’s feeling a little forced to me, and I really want this to stay fun for him - doubt he’s getting recruited, so better spending time with academics and other ECs. I feel if he has talent it will show without having a 16 year old run 25-30 miles a week in the offseason - which seems crazy to me - track people, what say you??

Check out this guy Ahmed Bile, he started running in 10th grade also. Off-season training would be great for him. I would say his times are average now, but if has great academics and drops 5-6 sec on the 800 he can get some good looks at D1... I think 2 years to get the time is long enough, the main thing to look out for is injuries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are what I would call a low key sports family, with two older ones at T20 schools and younger guy a sophomore in hs. He’s played soccer most of life, and rode the varsity bench this past fall. But likes it. Last spring however, he ran pretty good mid distance times as a frosh with no training (except soccer running, which can’t be discounted)- 10 minute 3200, mod 4:30s1600 and 2:00ish 800. These times don’t mean much to me, but coach is excited and pushing him to run this winter to establish a “base”. It’s feeling a little forced to me, and I really want this to stay fun for him - doubt he’s getting recruited, so better spending time with academics and other ECs. I feel if he has talent it will show without having a 16 year old run 25-30 miles a week in the offseason - which seems crazy to me - track people, what say you??

Check out this guy Ahmed Bile, he started running in 10th grade also. Off-season training would be great for him. I would say his times are average now, but if has great academics and drops 5-6 sec on the 800 he can get some good looks at D1... I think 2 years to get the time is long enough, the main thing to look out for is injuries.

times are average for a
frosh with zero running background or a
hs senior who’s been running since he was 8?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are what I would call a low key sports family, with two older ones at T20 schools and younger guy a sophomore in hs. He’s played soccer most of life, and rode the varsity bench this past fall. But likes it. Last spring however, he ran pretty good mid distance times as a frosh with no training (except soccer running, which can’t be discounted)- 10 minute 3200, mod 4:30s1600 and 2:00ish 800. These times don’t mean much to me, but coach is excited and pushing him to run this winter to establish a “base”. It’s feeling a little forced to me, and I really want this to stay fun for him - doubt he’s getting recruited, so better spending time with academics and other ECs. I feel if he has talent it will show without having a 16 year old run 25-30 miles a week in the offseason - which seems crazy to me - track people, what say you??

Check out this guy Ahmed Bile, he started running in 10th grade also. Off-season training would be great for him. I would say his times are average now, but if has great academics and drops 5-6 sec on the 800 he can get some good looks at D1... I think 2 years to get the time is long enough, the main thing to look out for is injuries.

times are average for a
frosh with zero running background or a
hs senior who’s been running since he was 8?

They are average for a high school guy with decent, but not great, running skills. Some kids will progress and some will not. Those times as a senior will help with D3, though if they don’t improve from soph to senior years not as much as a kid who started as senior who coaches may perceive has more room for growth. More to the point, at 16 there is a decent possibility that times will improve significantly over the next couple of years with physical growth and effort.

You can check out Milesplit for your state and/or nationally to get a sense of times for various events.

[Anonymous]

Runcruit allows you to enter your times and see where you could be recruited

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Runcruit allows you to enter your times and see where you could be recruited

thanks, cool site. How accurate is this in ur experience?

[Anonymous]

Those are great times, but I would do everything you can to encourage your child’s LOVE of running or athletics in general.

I say this as a parent of a top middle distance track runner who loves to run, always has good times like that, went to States etc.

Running is the kind of thing where if you take a week or two off, it really messes with your performance. Conversely, though, you can kind of burn out, especially if you run three seasons for track.

Follow your child’s lead and see what they want to do. But I agree they should continue running even in the off-season.

The only time of year my son consistently takes a break from running is after Summer/ outdoor track states from like mid June to early July. He makes up for it by playing basketball or going swimming then.

[Anonymous]

Also, my son consistently runs 30 to 40 miles a week as a top varsity runner for cross country and indoor track and outdoor track.

He runs 5-6 miles a day at practice M-F with the team, and he runs about 11 miles on a Saturday with a small group in a long run.

This is what it takes to be a top varsity level boy runner in high school. Other kids don’t run that much, but again that’s the sport.

[Anonymous]

My kids was a middle distance runner. As she moved through school, she gradually increased her running time to year round. Went from just spring track to winter track, then cross country, and ultimately coach gave her a training schedule for over the summer. I think she genuinely wanted it, because otherwise it was frustrated to lose gains she made. She also enjoyed making friends on the team, and that being a part of her overall high school life.
We are a low key sports family, btw. Never did anything but some local rec league stuff when kids were younger, and only started doing more once it was part of public school experience. (hooray for late activity buses!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Runcruit allows you to enter your times and see where you could be recruited

thanks, cool site. How accurate is this in ur experience?

Very accurate

[Anonymous]

You're getting good advice, OP. He's off to a great start. Maintaining a base will really help him once the season starts. As long as he's not overdoing it (a lot of off-season runs should be at an easy pace) it can guard against injury, too. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Tfrrs is also a great site to see different times for college teams.

Milestat/ milesplit are also good sites for checking times by state and runner.

Also Google any hs kids/ runner’s name and milestat and you will see their stats and progression.

Most of the stats on milestat are free but a pro subscription makes a good gift for a runner.

[Anonymous]

There is no downside to running 25-30 miles per week. He has the time.