I’ve been trying to run for track. I’m a high school sophomore and ran track last year. I ran the 1600 in 7 minutes which is ehh but i had also gotten shin splints. I now have about 6 months for the season again and want to start running again before the season so I can avoid injuries. I want to know how good I can get in this time period (from 7 min). I’m planning on stretching and running everyday either before or after school. Thank you 
I don’t know how much you can improve, but I suggest you research training techniques for that distance running. Lots of info on the web. You should also talk to your coach.
thank you??
Distance running is a combination of building base miles and speed. I would expect with good training and running injury free you could be below 6 minutes this year and sub 5 before you graduate. Shin splints are often due to over striding which results in heavy heel striking. Shorten your stride as necessary to get your cadence up to 180 or so on training runs. Then work on leg speed to turn that into a fast 800, then a fast 1600. Do you have a cross country team? I’d expect any miler not doing soccer to be running XC.
The above recommendation is excellent. Also look film on the Jamaica running Olympic team. They run much differently then a lot of runners but it’s also a lot more efficient. It’s hard to explain but shoulders are over the torso and not leaning forward. You are actually leaning backwards with your chest out and hands up higher then usual. If it feels strange to do this then your doing it correctly… Lol… . If you just do a simple jog then throw your hands /arm straight up and then back to your body quickly, this will usually put your body in that position. When running if you lose it just do it again.
Also a tip that some runners do is to set your pace but at different points in the run count to 10 but during that time increase your pace. Then go back down to your normal pace then do it again. A lot of marathoners will play with this idea.
Even though it had been debated… Stretch before and after your runs. Don’t use your warm up jog as a stretch per se. Also talk to your coach. They are there for a reason. Orthotics can help with the shin splints but try changing the stride as suggested. This is harder to do then you might think. There are running stores that have camera set ups for a cheap way to see yourself running to understand what to do. You might also want to look into a local running club. They have lectures on these things plus you might get suggestions from more experienced runners. Of course there are running trainers and physical therapy groups that specialize in running. Their are actually speed coaches also.
Talk to your track coach for training advice. Most young runners improve a lot with proper training. If you’re asking whether you’ll improve enough to be recruited, consider it unlikely. You should do it because you want to.
My school doesn’t have a cross country team but I do plan on running everyday and increasing my mileage every week or 2. Yeah I overdid my running last year but I will try to stretch more to avoid shin splints. Thank you
Overstriding is due to mechanics not running volume ( though increased volume or intensity will exacerbate the risk of shin splints, ITB, etc). Overstriding is when your leading foot landing is in front of rather than under your body. It causes you to strike with your heel which transmits the force right into your lower leg. Just focus on building mileage this fall going hard-easy-hard. One hard day should be a long run and one should be up tempo - intervals, tempo, fartlek, etc. Every third week you should drop back in mileage to let your body recover. Weekly increased should be small - 10-15% over the prior well and not all on the long day. You could also look into training plans by Jack Daniels which is a common method for high school programs.
Shopping.kart – Reach out to your school coach for an off season training plan. If they are not helpful, look at T & F News, Active.com, Runners World or FloTrack message boards and articles for suggestions rather than college confidential. As a young runner sometimes doing too much distance can be harmful and I am a firm believer in that running long slow distance only makes you a better long, slow runner!
Runningahead.com is a great site and you’ll get lots of good advice there. @“Shopping.kart”
Please check this link. 40 years ago I successfully walked on this team. It’s extremely competitive. They actually post this list of expectations for anyone who MIGHT make the team.
Shin Splints might be a significant obstacle for one intending to compete in middle distance runs–at least based on my preferred method of training.
While 800 meters will help increase speed & help to develop a proper stride, I preferred to run long distance (10 miles per day) along with a variety of shorter distance (800 & 400 meters as well as 5K runs) daily workouts.
In my experience, it is better to think in terms of years rather than months with respect to improvement.
It will help if you can compete each & every week. Easy to find weekend 5K competitions.
I don’t think your local high school track coach is the best source of info on an offseason training program. I know locally here in the SF Bay Area there are professional running coaches/trainers that can help a HS runner become a better runner. My kid’s best friend used one to become one of the top 100/110 hurdlers in our local section.
Absent some local professional, there are online training programs for runners.
^ I respectfully disagree with the notion that a HS kid running a seven minute mile needs a private coach. For the vast majority of HS distance runners, a HS coach is the best source of training advice because he/she will know appropriate mileage based on age and training history, as well as how to ramp up without injury. Most high school distance coaches have off season training programs already set up, and the kids run together in groups. Sure, hurdles and sprints are a different story due to the technical demands of those events.
I’ll respectively disagree with you as well. Sure, there may be some great HS coaches out there with some great off season training programs, but I’d argue that there may be newer and better techniques available (i.e., programs) to increase speed, stamina and strength as well as injury prevention.
Admittedly, I’m biased. I wouldn’t 100% rely on a HS coach, whether it be basketball, soccer, running, etc., depending on their credentials, of course. I’d seek something better. That’s what I would do for my kids.