I have recently joined the track team at my school. I am a freshman and I made Varsity. I'm so excited but I still feel at the bottom of the pit! Does anyone have any tips on running. I might be doing hurdles and the coach is teaching me long jump also. Thanks a lot! XOXO
122459
Feeling sick at the bottom of your stomach just means that you want to do well. After a while you get used to the feeling. There are two ways of going faster; increase the length of your stride or increase the rate of your stride. Your coach should be able to help on these. Try using a speed-ball in training your boxing coach may help you out there. You should try some visualisation techniques before competing (and training) try the library on these. A good relaxation exercise is to shake your hands just relax your wrists and wave your hands down at your sides. Some people do this unconsciously, boxers and sprinters included but it is a method of relaxing and counters tense feelings. There isnt a sport in the world that is helped by being tensed up. Most of all though is to enjoy the training and good luck.
251912
I am in high school and I am a freshmen girl (15). I can run it in 2:30. Most of the other freshmen can run in the 2:40's. If you can run under 3 minutes as a 14 year old, I think you are going to do great when you get to high school! I think a decent time for you without training too much is about 2:55. If you train everyday... I think a good time would be in the high 2:40's. I am not sure exactly because I don't know if your school has track as a sport or if you train everyday. But like I said before, if you can run it in under 3 minutes, you are going to do awesome!\n \nGood luck when you get to high school! Hope this helps!
566811
Run. Alot. I run track and it helps immensely on the court. Just think, you run a couple miles everyday, then in a game, you run maybe, say, 1/4 mile. You'll be great. You'll beat your man up the floor everytime! And shoot alot too. Work on defensive drills as well as offensive. This may sound weird, but try taking tap dancing lessons. I know that sounds extremely odd but, the coaches recomd it because it makes for faster foot movement. Also, get in the gym alot, get a liftng plan going. Check it out. See if that works. Good Luck
346868
My sister dropped out of her running team in the university because of back injury. Yours sounds very similar to the problem she had. Stop running for now so you don't make matters worse for yourself. You must go to a doctor to rule out serious injury. And if it happens to be a bad one, you have to be treated for it so future years are not in suffering. Get to yoga classes to strenghthen your back later on. Tell your physical trainer / coach / advisor and seek the best available avenue to get relief from this pain. If they just look at you as a lost case on the field, gather inner strength and go to your parents. Please do tell them. I hope they are supportive. Take care. Good wishes to a speedy recovery and back to the same old you!
147225
I am on a track team, here is what I advise you to do. I don't know what kind of build you have, height, etc, so this is perhaps a generalization. I would for starters, try building strength in your legs. Do what are called Stassi Squats, which is keeping your feet spread and parallel, bending down at a 90 degree angle, and with your back as straight as you can make it. Hold this for a minute. Repeat 4 more times. You should also try 20x100 meters as hard as you can. By the way, 52 is a good time, a very good time. You should strive for better, always, but on the way be proud of yourself for being able to run that. I'm a distance runner and I wish I could do that.
398337
First off what you want to do is not to go out and run 10 miles the first day. Take your time since you are new you won't be the greatest runner in the history of running on  your first practice. You might want to go out and do a 2 mile run. Take it easy don't go to fast just try to keep a nice steady pace. Pacing is the key to distance running.\n\nWhen you get comfortable at 2 miles or so start increasing your mileage. Maybe 3 miles for two days then maybe 4. Just try to keep a steady pace while increasing your mileage. If you feel tired after running one day take it easy the next day. This will eventually get better the more times you run.\n\nWhen you start getting more comfortable and your mileage gets up to about 5-7 miles a day you might want to add some track workouts into your routine. Basically go to your local track and some of the first workouts you want to do are sprints to get some speed. When i used to do these it would be 8 200x with a 5 minute break in between the first 4 and the last 4. Basically you sprint as fast as you can for 200 meters (outdoor tracks are usually 400 meters so corner to corner of the track) then lightly jog 200 meters reset and run again. You should do this 4 times then stop for 5 minutes take a break get some water then do it again for another 4. Maybe do this 2-3 times (one time a week usually furthest away from a meet like if your meet is on Thursday maybe do it Tuesday or something i suggest not doing on Monday if you have taken the week off from running) then jump up to 2-2-4 (200 -200 -400 meters (3 sets of these same as before 5 minute break in between sets)) then maybe 4-4-8 (400-400-800) These will build up your distance. I'd suggest doing a 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down.\n\nDon't worry about your time. Times a pointless when your practicing. They will decrease on their own. Also the only way to get good is to practice. \n\nLast thing i suggest is not to get discouraged. I never got above 3rd place in a race until the end of my sophmore year. After practicing and training my junior and senior year i combined to only lose two races which i took 2nd in both. I was eventually ranked 11th in the state. So trust me i know how it is when you first start out. You get discouraged because you think you'll go out there and win it all. You won't. \n\nTry running with a person who has already run track. They will know how to pace better and they will be able to help you out. Plus you can get to know people on the team better and make some friends along the way.\n\nHave fun!!!!
60679
Its good that you are in varsity ball. Keep on playing very good and keep the effort. Sooner or later when you have games you wont know but some of the coaches from colleges will be there. More likely they will wait until you are a senior. Good luck!
431183
you need crazy stamina...geez...if you like burst speed, go for track...
607961
Matt's advice is very good. As a cross country runner and track runner myself, I usually run for 4 weeks before cross country season begins to get used to the distance. I train to peak at the right time (usually the state championship meet), which means to work slowly up to that day. You don't want to burn out before August. I would advise running 1-3 miles a day every other day throughout June and half of July (1 mile on monday, 2 miles on wednesday, 3 miles on friday, 1 mile on sunday, 1 mile on monday...etc.) This gets your muscles in better shape and your heart in better shape. Also, make sure your diet is good. Eat lean meat, fish, some carbs, and loads of fruits and vegetables. Since an 8k is a tiny bit less than 5 miles, you want to work up to 5 miles at the end of July and beginning of August. Depending on when your race is, try to run every day at the end of July and beginning of August. Those days should include some timed runs (ie. run for 45 minutes at a steady pace). If you take the same course each time for the same amount of time, you can see how much you improve! Make sure to get a couple of days a week where you run the actual 8k distance. Then, the week before the race, take it down a notch. Run maybe 3 miles a day. The day before the race, do a 20 or 30 minute LIGHT run. Then, stretch really really well. That's just to make sure your muscles know what you're doing the next day. The day of the race, go out feeling great and knowing you can do it!!!
260815
eat healthy. stretch REALLY good. drink a lot of water or gatorade. pace yourself, but sprint the last lap...also, keep a consisten breathing pattern: in through your nose, out through your mouth. last, do your best. Good luck!
411063
Deffinatly play!  Number one it shows great detication, which will help for next year.  Also it will help you improve, you can't get any better if you just give up because your friends arn't on the team.  In my middle school for modified basketball we have an A and  B team and I was put onto the B team, and I hated it!  But I stuck thought it and played, and now I'm a starting point guard on my Highschool Varsity team.  So deffinatly stick with it no matter what, if you love the sport just practice a lot.
398771
track is a non-cut sport. basically just dont fail all of your classes. since he has never run track before he should start training now. it depends what events he is going to be running to choose what workouts. but repeat 200's work for everything and gets you in good shape. he should do 3x200's with 2min rest in between. then do another set. another good workout is run a full out 300 as fast as you can, get full rest, then run a full out 150. make sure he gets a good warm up...you dont want to hurt yourself. try to work out 4-5 days a week. tell him good luck!
484691
If you're on the basketball team, you're in great shape...first and foremost, do everything your coach tells you to do (and share with him your desire to play college ball), secondly, work your butt off in practice, and the weightroom, thirdly, treat every game like you are auditioning for scouts...what I mean here is you want to be showing your best stuff every time you have a game, and lastly, you need to develop a killer instinct in yourself, where you look at anyone else on the court and have a knowledge within yourself that you are better than that person.  Once you have achieved that kind of confidence in your game, you can be sure that you have the desire, attitude and skill to play at the college level or beyond...\n\nIn response to your email question to me (which I couldn't reply to because your profile doesn't allow email contact with you) here's my answer about how many hours you should spend:  \n\nWhen I was on the High School team (in the '80's...jeez I feel old), I would wake up an hour early every day before school and jog to the basketball court and do layup drills for an hour, left handed on one side and right handed on the other.  At lunch at my school there was open gym and there would be a lot of pickup games, so I would pack a sandwich for lunch and play pickup games.  Then after school there was an hour before practice, so I would spend that hour shooting free throws, and then our practices used to last for four hours...after practice I went to the library and did homework.  So all told, I was playing ball for about 7 hours a day, 5 days a week.  It all depends on how bad you want it...remember, every time you have a chance to work on your game and you don't do it...that's the time that your competition is practicing on their game and getting better.  Remember the 7 "P"'s, "Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance"....Good Luck!!
453972
I'm a xc runner and I have the same problems...if ur really good u need to send out letters to schools with stats, a resume...all that crap. Get it all ready to go in this upcoming summer, and send out all the letters in early august. I sent out over 60. You might want to include a tape of your play, and a coach rec. that should get you some attention, and some coaches are sure to contact you back.
510226
You should regularly try running uphill paths for training followed by a sprint workout after you reach the top (if there is space) a few times a week.  You need to properly eat, making sure you drink lots of water (no gatorade or other sports drinks because of sugar).   Don't eat red meat before race.  Practice is important and sprinters need to run everday alternating between difficult and moderate workouts betwen days.   Plenty of stretching is vital, too. \n\nTechniquewise, I cannot show you how to properly sprint but advise you to seek good technique advice to maximize your potential.  Also, it helps to work on practice getting out of the blocks because you can make or break getting a good time with how you get out.  I always start out low and gradually get more upright as get out (you might already know this though)\n\nEver heard of "Strength" (or Spud Webb's "Jump Soles") training shoes?  These shoes actually help you to have a better vertical jump but it also helps you have better sprint times (ie. 40 yd dash).  I haven't tried these but I heard they do work to a certain degree.\n\nLastly, believe in yourself and push yourself to the limit (I don't feel ashame for running myself so hard into throwing up every once in a while during practice).  The most important thing is to have heart!   Good Luck
559167
It is definitely possible.  I have run track throughout high school and the first year of college, and I never really actually started training hard until the fall.  Track is a spring sport, so training really doesn't start until around January.  If you are interested in cross country as well, then you should start training now.  But it really does not take long at all to get into shape, and it only takes a few weeks after that to peak, and you really don't want that happening until the season starts.  There is only a small window of time that you remain in top condition, so it's important that that happens during season.\n\nIf you start training now, you should be more than fine.  I have always been given thirty to forty minute runs for summer work outs, and twice a week I do interval training, and one day with rest.  Go out for the team, by all means.  You should have no problem at all if you start training now.
185602
I jouned when kicked out of colege and even though I am in decent shape, I was still in trouble with the running.  Don't like to run....So start running, little distances at first but buold up to a mile at least in 10 minuts before u go.\n     Also have some exercises to build up your upper body strenght.  But mostly and importantly...RUN..RUN..RUN !!!