Torn Coach, you are lucky to have a kid as motivated as this one. In contrast, your runner is unlucky to have a coach as negative as you.
If your kid wants to put in the work, that is, get up every morning at 5:30 and train, great things can happen. Here is Jim Ryun's progression. It was a lot of work, a lot more than most kids are willing to put in these days, but Ryun exploited his talent fully.
From "Jim Ryun, Master of the Mile"
15 year old sophomore
- 5:38 mile time trial
- 11:51 2 mile XC first time trial
- 11:23 4th is first JV race
- won the next JV race
- 10:36 in first varsity race, eventually becoming Wichita East's top runner
- 6th at State meet, leading the team to victory.
Start running at 5:30am every day during the winter.
- 4:40 self-timed time trial during the winter of his sophomore year
- 4:32.2 loses his first mile race by 0.2 to defending State champ Charles Harper
- 4:26.5 down 15 meters with 100 to go, Ryun digs deep and finds that kick of his, winning his first mile over Harper.
- 4:21.7 leads from gun to tape for win #2
- 4:21.3 wins again, runs first 880, a leg of winning 2mi relay team
age 16
- wins another mile
- 4:16.2 wins state meet
- 4:08.2 MVAAU loses to college runner, doubles back with 1:54.5 880 (5th)
- 1:53.6 5th again, behind four college kids
- 4:07.8 USTFF 6th to college kids
During the Summer between his sophomore and junior years, Ryun ran 5 miles at 5:30am. The harder he worked, the more talented he became. Will YOU run 5 miles at 5:30 am this Summer? Will you?