Attn: Kids, HS Coaches & Parents

Ha, I used to think this very way...until I started actually working with high school kids and their parents..

It was the parents that were the biggest obstacle.

If some parent didn't see the need that their kid should run (50 mpw) or everyday even, it was NOT done.

One parent told me that if I tried to make his kid run over 25 miles a week, he would pull him off the team..

I started out believing the seniors would or could do 70mpw, but only 2 did in 6 years (summers)

The goals went from trying to get these kids around here to run alot, to just show up everyday and run some distance.

I kept a log book and out of a 10 week summer, only one kid made it to every workout..one year.

The rest missed at LEAST 4 weeks out of a 10 week summer.

The distractions...Walley World, 4-H fair, cubs baseball games...etc.

I know there are programs, whose kids are disciplined and determined..It would be a pleasure to meet the type kid who thought training like that was FUN as I do.

Of course, I got out of it now, with my head cleavered off and placed in my hands-ha.

But, your goals were about what I had in mind..

hyr,

The lack of dedication and understanding is why more kids are successful. If that is their choice then fine, but for those who are dedicated they need a blueprint on how to get where they want to go (successful collegiate runner or beyond). Unfortunately most high school coaches only get a few of them in their careers. But understanding is the first step. But if more kids come in their freshman year and see there is a path toward success that is open to most anyone then there is hope.

Oh yes the horror that a 15 year old might go on vacation with his family instead of spending the 6 weeks of summer break going to your summer practice session.

This isn't limited to HS kids.

My collegiate runners also take time during the summer to go with families on vacation, etc...

The biggest obstacle at times are jobs. Some of my kids work for forest service, fight fires, etc... Awful hard to get them to put in their runs after spending 12-16 hours working. Don't necessarily blame them.

Unless you are getting paid to run or are so financially stable you can pick and choose jobs at times, it makes it difficult for anyone to stick to a yearlong (even summer) plan.

We do the best we can and I know my kids try hard, but sometimes things slow you down.

Do you actually coach?

I like the progression and if a kid likes running and can handle the mileage I can go with the higher mileage, but I am curious how many of the athletes you coach, if you coach, adhere to such a program.

I'm not blaming anybody, nor did I give them a hard time about it..well, maybe a little.

I'm no different than they. I like vacations with my family and doing other things (after work in the summer)

But, I didn't.

The only times that I missed in 6 summers, was the one week moratorium that our state mandates.

I was an unpaid volunteer who paid for shoes summer race entry forms, every speck of gatorade that was consumed and copious awards and t-shirts etc...thousands of dollars in just 6 years.

i was just trying to get some of the kids to show up with their teammates as much as possible and it was worth it for sure.

But, I was idealistic the first summer and learned alot.

Did have two kids go division 1..but, most of the others, I just couldn't get to.

My favorite excuse for missing a summer practice was"

"yesterday was the first anniversary of the first date with my girlfriend"..

Lots of funny stories and I actually miss it. But, I don't blame the kids for anything.

jizzmo wrote:

Oh yes the horror that a 15 year old might go on vacation with his family instead of spending the 6 weeks of summer break going to your summer practice session.

Missing a team session isn't a problem but missing a couple weeks of runs period is. Can't the kid run while on vacation. I sure did then and now. I usually enjoy the fresh scenary and exploring a new area.

"If someone says, 'Hey, I ran 100 miles this week. How far did you run?' ignore him! What the hell difference does it make?.... The magic is in the man, not the 100 miles."

Bill Bowerman

"I think people can handle 150 to 200 miles a week. But something has to give somewhere. If he's a student, how's he going to study?

Bill Bowerman

I feel your progression is too aggressive for most young kids. Most HS freshmen are weak with poor form. To have them up to 40+ miles will usually mean 30% or more will be hurt and miss large chunks of training time. I feel it is beneficial to run less mileage and accumulate more mileage over time by remianing consistent without time off for injury. Only after showing they can handle higher mileage would I proceed. I also feel that with a few exceptions, a HS coach running kids over 55 miles a week are thinking of the glory of the "program" rather than what is best for the kids long-term development. I like to focus on strengthening at a young age with training supplemented with form drills, weights, core exercises, step running, etc. to develop form efficient enough to safely add miles.

You are training those kids like Little Bill.

Sounds like you are a great motivator...

Did you even read my second paragraph?

How did you come up with that "55" magic number?

While you think my schedule is too aggressive for most runners, don't you think a 55 mile a week cap is holding some better runners back?

Listen, I did not say the above program was for everyone. I specicly said:

"I'm going to lay out for you an easy plan to follow with your athletes (or kids) to bring them along in the sport of distance running (1 mile to 5k in high school progressing to 3000 to 10k in college) from the summer before their freshman year in high school to being ready for a successful collegiate career as a scholarship athlete."

If being ready for a successful collegiate career as scholarship athlete is not their goal than yes, by all means, be satsified with less. But for those who do have that as goal ......

As a high school coach who has coached many runners onto full ride scholarships and a number of them to the footlocker finals I can say that I agree with both sides of the argument here. The plan is solid, though like most programs it doesn;t fit everyone. I coached one kid who could only run 40 mpw...and ran sub 15 for 5k in HS. Everytime he pushed his mileage he got hurt or would race poor...so we supplimented part of his training with swimming and biking, and it worked. Every kid is different, as are their parents.

In my experience a good coach at this level need to build up a good relationship with the parents...just as they would with the athlete. At track meets between distance events or when the kids warm up I talk to the parents. about school, their training, everything. Then when the kid improves you psuh a little more and a little more. When you have built a repsectable program it is like a machine. If the whole team is dedicated the incoming freshman will step up.

I think in high school 100 mpw is reserved for very few elite runners. My goal is not to get the most out of them I can but to develop them for college. I want them peeking at the end of college or post collegiately if they choose to go that long. You have to give them a place to go up, and as a former elite runner who has logged many upon many 100 mi week it is not an easy thing to do. At least that is my philosophy... I believe that running 70-80 mpw on singles (we are talking HS here) is just as good, especially when you take into consideration the drama of this age. Of course where I coach is very demanding in academics, which I stress is more imprtant than running (though I like the push the running more).

The "plan" sounds like it came from a book...and I agree that sometimes it just doesn't work that way. And the coach sounds like he had problem parents and unmotivated athletes and got burnt out from pushing them. You can't make them run...but you can inspire them.

To be honest I make a plan every summer...and I meet the kids once a week for my own run. If they show up they show up. Then I use XC for base mileage and strength, back off a bit in winter and then push the track after 6 moths of base work. A month off in the summer is not going to kill anyone.

As my old coach once said, "life happens."

My experience shows that a talented kid will show that talent on 50 mpw and will still have room to progress collegiately and beyond. It does not take high mileage to acheive attention from colleges and there is little risk in sacrificing many others along the way. Your method may be great. Keep it up. I am just pointing out another way to skin the cat.

No offense but you clearly have zero experience with actually coaching high school kids. Theory and practice are two very different things. In addition, each individual is different and should be treated as such. Not even every national class highschooler will be able to handle that progression. The priorities of high school coaching are 1)teach life lessons, 2)have fun and increase participation, and only then 3)win meets and produce collegiate athletes. With those priorities I have had kids become footlocker finalists, sent teams to NTN, and had the majority of my varsity graduates run collegiately. But most importantly all the kids that come out of my program are healthier and wiser than when they entered.

/I was an unpaid volunteer who paid for shoes summer race entry forms, every speck of gatorade that was consumed and copious awards and t-shirts etc...thousands of dollars in just 6 years./

I am sure this is not the case but you are coming off as a jock sniffer who had to buy his way into a "coaching" position.

Great regimen! If they follow this to the “T” they will be fully burned out before they reach post pubescence. Come to think of it, the female youngsters will most likely run themselves free of a menstrual cycle anyway. Another thought might be to eschew with the 5k distance and get them right into marathoning. Cutting edge stuff here. Good job.

=March on young warriors, march on.=

They will be limping on if they follow your absurd *high school* schedule. I assure you that any one of my Junior runners of average talent, running half the mileage you prescribe will whip any 100 mpw senior on your team.

...and they will use the extra 7 hours a week that they are not running garbage miles to do what every teenaged kid should be entitled to do.

awoodenlegnamedsmith wrote:

=March on young warriors, march on.=

They will be limping on if they follow your absurd *high school* schedule. I assure you that any one of my Junior runners of average talent, running half the mileage you prescribe will whip any 100 mpw senior on your team.

...and they will use the extra 7 hours a week that they are not running garbage miles to do what every teenaged kid should be entitled to do.

We now return you to United States distance running in the 90s...

Also, how many high school freshman come into XC all worked up and worried about running in college, and will sacrifice everything just for that one goal? Maybe 2, 3 in the history of the world.