<p>XC starts on the first day of school, while the other track people start sometime in the fall, not sure exactly when.</p>
<p>For the non IC's, you'll participate in intramurals. You will have the option to choose for a few different sports- Basketball, Tennis, Cross Country, Flickerball, Soccer, and there are more that I can't think of at the moment. But I think these go a few times a week, and culminates with the Wing Tournament. You are on a team with your squadmates. There are also a huge number of club sports/clubs that you can do in addition to intramurals. </p>
<p>You can put as little or much time into as you want (minimum would be just intramurals)</p>
<p>"and for people from sea-level, you never fully get used to it"</p>
<p>does 420' constitute as sea level? lol.... i have a feelin i'd have a hard time, even though i'm an avid runner :)</p>
<p>Haha yep. I think everything under 3000' is considered "not altitude" (awkwardly put but it does the trick). I was in really good shape when I came out here. But the very first 10 minutes up on the hill, they made us run up the ramp carrying our backpacks, and I thought I was going to die... And then 3 days in we ran the AFT for the first time. I went out really hard like I normally do, and was fine for the first 800m, then I hit a brick wall and died hardcore.</p>
<p>wow. thats very discouraging.... :( haha i'm sure i can prepare all i want, but somehow it wont be enough? like bct. lol.. ah well, when my time comes i'll give it all i got at the moment</p>
<p>Yeah you won't notice it unless it's like walking up the stairs to your BCT squads areas. you won't notice it when you are, say marching to Jack's or running the Assault Course (or at least there'll be other things to take your mind off that)</p>
<p>LOL. I forgot what the altitude is at the AF Academy? But a long long time ago I ran cross country IC and on scholarship. I traveled to run a meet at a place that was 7000 feet. Im from Oklahoma. I went to start warming up and was wheezing on my first lap. I never did run a race over half a mile at that meet or any altitude for that matter after that. LOL. And way back then I regularly ran 70 to 120 miles a week.</p>
<p>My son is interested in running cross country at the academy. I know the academy has a great distance running tradition. I hope that he can. But I know they are good. He is average but he doesent quit. He is a big guy though. He switched over from foot ball after his sophmore year. He ran CC during football season during his frosh and soph years. Did you say there was intramural cross country too?</p>
<p>7,258 feet I believe. And I'm pretty sure that there is intramural cross country as well, yes.</p>
<p>There is an intramural team. Correct on your altitude PETKO. :)</p>
<p>7,258......I'd be like Daffy duck when he says "Mother?" Hah hah hah hah</p>
<p>ANd thanks for the info Hornet and petko</p>
<p>Maybe I should have put the question about summer work outs over here. But it was a good place to get in the birthday wishes. </p>
<p>I have another question. It is subjective in nature. And I hope that more than one person will offer their subjective opinion.</p>
<p>If a person was interested in trying to run Cross Country at USAFA and they werent in a position to be recruited, what would you believe to be the minimum performances in the mile, 1500, 5K, 8k, 5 mile, 10 K, etcetera, which would indicate a minimum level of displayable running fitness necessary to be able to complete the USAFA daily work outs in a manner that would keep the athlete from being redirected to the intra-mural arena? LOL So, basicly, what, in your opinion, should they be able to do? And I know your answer is subjective. Just let me know what you think.</p>
<p>The person in question would be an incoming freshman, not a returning student. Also, please consider the effect of altitude.</p>
<p>Hmmm. Well, considering what I know of freshman walkons this year, I'd say you would probably need times somewhere around 4:10-4:15(or 4:20-4:25 up here) in the 1500, low to mid 4:20's (~low 4:30's up here) for the mile, high 15's to low 16's for a 5k (add 40 seconds for up here), maybe mid 26's-mid 27's for a 5mile/8k, and not really sure about 10k times because it is run so rarely by us. These times would probably indicate the necessary fitness level indicating competative times for our team. Keep in mind, these would be for a non recruited incoming freshman. I can give you specific examples of my teammates that weren't recruited in terms of times they ran before they got here. One walkon freshman on our team ran 2:02 for the 8, 4:28 for the mile, and like 15:55 for the 5k in HS, now he runs for us. Another (from a VERY small, rural school-6 kids in his graduating class) ran 2:09 for the 800, 4:40 for the mile, and 9:50 for the 2 mile. Another ran 4:27 for the mile. </p>
<p>These times all vary a bit, but they give a rough idea. But what it all comes down to for XC is our time trial at the beginning of the season. If you do well enough in that, nothing else really matters. As long as you can display that you have what it takes to compete/work hard, even if you won't be a record breaking runner, you have a good shot. The coaches here always talk about how we are a developmental program- we don't just recruit the best in the country, we take average-above average runners and make them into excellent runners, and we're pretty good at it. Of course, there are exception, but mot people I know were not in the top 5 people in the nation or anything like that, most of us are just above average, "good" HS runners. </p>
<p>Our Coach, Mark Stanforth, just retired though, so the new coach may have a completely different philosophy, but not likely.</p>
<p>Wow thanks for the information. Its pretty detailed and it gives me a good set of benchmarks. Those are realistic times to expect for an average chance to be able to handle the work neccessaary to improve enough to be competitive at the collegiate level. It is a mixture of physical talent, preparation and determination. I wish I had taken a hard look at performance levels and talent before I went into college with the goal of competing at that level. It might be best for many to find a sport or intramural where it is possible to participate on a regular basis without having to focus so much on athletic performance improvement that it negatively affects the academic performance. </p>
<p>Your right USAFA has a strong reputation for developing talent and having a strong team. I saw where Coach Stanforth was retiring. He appears to be a great coach.</p>
<p>There are a lot of clubs here that participate on a regular basis, for example to Marathon club, and the Triathalon club. I know for a fact that they practice almost every day, because I see them out on the trails often. And I'm almost certain that there are other clubs out there as well.</p>
<p>The marathon club will be awesome. My academic adviser is the officer in charge and a friend (2 dig now) in Tiger Ten is the Cadet in Charge. Both awesome guys.</p>
<p>Wow they really have a lot to offer. Thats great, thanks for the info guys.</p>
<p>How much does being an IC hurt academically? </p>
<p>What is the highest gpa you’ve seen on the track team?
How much do you travel/ how much of a disadvantage is that with classes?
I hear that one of the hardest post-graduation assignments to get is to go straight to grad school because you have to be near the top of the class. Have any track members that have been able to do that?</p>
<p>I would like to say that being an IC does hurt you academically, but if you have good time management, then it is totally doable.</p>
<p>I am not a track IC, but I do play tennis and we travel/practice about the same amount as the track team. I don’t know about the highest gpa on the track team, but I managed a 3.9 cumulative gpa so far playing tennis and missing one or two days of school almost every weekend in the fall and a little less in the spring. </p>
<p>To go to grad school right after the academy, you do need to be near the top of the class, usually no lower than a 3.7, maybe a 3.6, but it is definitely possible and has been done by ICs before. That is what I am trying to do and if you are truly dedicated to getting good grades, then even as an IC, it can be done.</p>