<p>How do you guys seem to manage between school and sports, and do well in them? I'm a decent enough student and athlete, but I know I could be doing so much better in track right now. I don't get home from practices until like 6 and then I have 4+ hrs of hw. I've heard you should get 8 hrs of sleep but I'm lucky to get 7 (bed at 11, wake up at 6). I'm a sub 17:00 3 miler for XC yet I'm unable to reach my goal time in the mile of 4:45 and two mile time of 10:08 (FS school record). Should I focus more on nutrition? Post workout meal to replenish? More sleep?</p>
<p>bump (10 char)</p>
<p>You have to choose your number one priority. Some choose sports. Others school. Either way, you're going to give more weight to one activity. But sports teach an individual good time management, so it forces the individual to sit down and do their home work versus procrastinating on it since they are given so little time to do it anyway.</p>
<p>Focus on more sleep, I would say. Little sleep affects school and athletics. But nutrition is important, too. Drink plenty of water, because with all the exercise and school you are more likely to be dehydrated, which greatly contributes to exhaustion.</p>
<p>Also, try to limit stress. Continous stress, versus a little every now and then, leads to exhaustion.</p>
<p>well, if you want to excel at both, don't sleep. i run on like 3-4 hours a night, and it really isn't that bad. i know it's not super healthy, but i don't think it really affects my performance.</p>
<p>The best athlete I have ever known always went to sleep by 11 no matter what. Sleep is very important. </p>
<p>I go to sleep around 11 30ish 12ish and it is hurting my times. Oh well.</p>
<p>One of our varsity runners got accepted into MIT and Yale w/ scholarship. I'm so jealous. </p>
<p>Manage your time super effectively. Do something productive to studies and sports whenever possible.</p>
<p>Post workout meals are great btw. It feeds your hungry muscles and gives you strength for homework.</p>
<p>after a hard practice, i take a looooooooong shower for like half an hour. afterward I feel more focused. I usually don't spend more than two hours on school work a night and do the rest before i go to school.</p>
<p>try getting some of your w done in school (like during your easier classes)</p>
<p>What i am trying to start doing is get home at 6, take a shower and eat, do homework till like 10, then go to sleep and wake up at like 4 AM. this way u are refreshed and u have time to do ur work.</p>
<p>I've been juggling athletics and academics for a while, and here is my advice:</p>
<p>DO NOT "RELAX" FOR MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR WHEN YOU GET HOME. My biggest problem in school has been wasting tons of time early in the day, then wanting to still be able to do my work. I'm determined enough that I always got it done, but it came at the price of sleep. There was a period where I consistently got four hours of sleep a night. This is obviously not only horrible for your body but totally destructive to whatever you are trying to achieve academically or athletically. Getting to work early does suck, but it's the only way you can guarantee that you are able to get enough sleep and still do well enough to have a shot at a good college. If you don't do this, you have nobody to blame but yourself.</p>
<p>Ya it really sucks that I would have to choose between the two but that seems what I've had to do this year. Great grades all year, great beginning of the season, just okay end of the season. I appreciate the input.....anyone else have some advice?</p>
<p>10:08 is a pretty tough time to reach even for someone who can run a 4:45 mile. Is the 17:00 in cross country a 3 mile or a 5k?</p>
<p>Besides, it's still fairly early in the track season, which can make a big difference for distance runners.</p>
<p>I have to echo khaki's comments. Doing exactly that has caused me to lose countless hours of sleep. I couldn't get myself to do work usually until after I took a shower which was normally pretty late because I was worn out from practice which ended at around 6. Normally I would go to sleep at about 1am, so I suffered academically and physically.</p>
<p>Echoing ivyathlete's words, get hw done during "down" time at school/wherever. </p>
<p>Gym teacher not there and have a study hall? Do homework. Boring class on stuff you already know? Do homework. Track practice doesn't start till 4? Do homework. It all really adds up. Plus, I find that I work better school without the internet distracting me.</p>
<p>The sub 17:00 is 3 miles. Actually, according to my coach, someone who can do a 4:45 is definitely capable of a 10:08. I think most people run their (mile time + 15-20 seconds) twice for the 3200, at least for distance people. Seems to make sense. Unfortunately, we're in tapering mode because most of us aren't fast enough to make it to CIF. It's weird how some peoples' seasons are a month longer than others'.</p>