^Wow, that really sucks. Sorry to hear that.

I'm going to try the mile again sometime, the last time I did it was two years ago (in 8th grade gym) and I got a rather unappealing time of 7:46. Third best time in class, and I was pretty scrawny back then. I've been working out a lot more since then, got more muscle now, so I hope I'll do better.

Oh, here other Athlethes <33

Because i'm from Finland we dont run mile, but i have runned Cooper test a bit over 3000m. And i'm fifteen. My main sport (sorry, i dont the real word for it) is 200m hurdles and i have run it for 28.07 (it's 6. time on my age in finland) also i run 300m and my PB is 39.44

E: I have run 2 years ago 1500 meters in 5.14, i dont know what would be my time now. Have to test someday.

I really used to hate long distance when I was younger, but being a college pitcher has a way of changing your mind. On average, our pitching staff runs 3 miles a day at practice, but if we walked to many hitters in previous games, we will run miles equivalent to how many walks we had (11 walks = 11 miles). Needless to say i don't mind a mile anymore, I ran mine at about 5:50 last spring.

@ Lee, are you sure there is nothing they can do surgery wise for your knee? I have Osgood Schlatters on my left knee, and running the track left all the time messed it up worse. Was your injury similar?

hey thanks for the VM, I had Osgood Schlatter when I was younger and yeah, my current condition certainly feels similar to how that felt. Similar kind of burning pain, but while I could train through Osgood I cannot train through this as my leg has become far too weak due to the degeneration. Can barely walk up the stairs without stopping for a break halfway.

The OS moved seamlessly into the tendonitis so I didn't know I even had tendonitis until it had became chronic and the doctors, in their infinite wisdom, thought the best treatment would be steroids (as they're potent anti-inflammatories) but they hadn't realised that at the time, I had tendonosis, not tendonitis (sound similar but different, tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon, tendonosis is degeneration of the tendon). Whereas steroids are great for tendonitis, they're akin to injecting a pirhana fish into your knee as far as tendonisis is concerned as they just further weaken the tendon. By the time they realised, it was too late. I was offered a reconstructive surgery but they estimated a 30% success rate, with a 10% chance of it actually making it worse so I rejected it.

I'm working on building it back up through eccentric exercises, good diet and plenty of rest...I'm determined I'll run again eventually (love it too much to just give up on it) but I have to come to terms with the fact that I'll probably never be able to run as well as I could prior to the injury (still gonna try tbh, I just have to see how things work out over the next year or so).

I'm 13 and do track and field and cross country, and my best time for mile is 5:53 which I think is pretty good (there are a bunch of 8th graders who outrun me, but most of them are like, absurd, and run 5:30 and below) and most of the other 7th graders in my school who can run sub6es have 5:40 - 5:59ish.

I also run 400 and 800m for track, and usually can win 400 (I get 1:05 - 110ish mostly) and I can win 800 usually against other 7th graders, but the 8th graders at the meets usually leave me behind like 15 seconds (they have 7th and 8th graders run together for 800m).

Any tips on how to improve the times, especially the 400m?

run a lot. google "arthur lydiard training" and use his philosophy, though obviously watered down (I'd never do 100 miles a week as a 13 year old). just jog easily, starting at 15 minutes and building up from there, until you're fit. you might not see immediate improvement, but by the time you're in 11th and 12th grade you will be an absolute monster, much better than you could be training in any other way.

I thought I had to run fast all the time and ended up no faster than 5:25 running like that. at the beginning of last year I began to run a lot more (though 90% of it was easy running) and I nearly cracked 4:30 in the mile. my coaches put me back on the low mileage super intense plan, and by the end of the season I could go no faster than 4:55. back on the high mileage again only for a few weeks and I'm already back in 4:35ish shape.


running a lot is the name of the game. just do it and don't overthink it. push your limits gently, never going too far too soon (or else you'll injure yourself), be patient, and crazy improvement will come.

I recently ran a 4:17 mile at the state track meet, but still did not claim first. But i've been running XC and track my entire life, and might be going to college for track. But for your level of training and sport of choice, a 6:38 is a great result, keep it up you'll do great!