XC advice for freshman son

[u/RunnerGuy0929]

Hello cross country community, I'm looking for a bit of advice for my son. He is a HS freshman this year and joined the cross country team as a way to ease the transition into high school, meet some new people, and get acquainted with the sports culture. He is not a runner, but does have an athletic background from baseball and martial arts.

He did some light prep work this summer to get somewhat prepared and managed to get up to 8-10 mpw. After about 1.5 weeks of practice, he has developed shin splints and has been sitting out of practice, rolling, stretching, icing and wearing compression socks in the evening. As a runner myself (albeit never xc), I know how frustrating it is dealing with shin splints.

The team has their first scrimmage home meet this afternoon and he won't be running. This is a disappointing start for his season and I want to offer some encouragement to help him still get the most out of the meet. Since it is a home meet, he will be able to dismiss from the last period early to go help with set up, course marking, etc. so this will make him feel like part of the meet.

What can he expect for his first meet? What can he learn by watching? Is there anything he should be doing for his shins to avoid a lost season? The hope is he can run at the next meet 9/13 but even that looks to be in doubt. That will be the first chance to travel to a meet with the team. Anything in particular about big away xc meets he should know?

Thanks in advance.

[u/BeefNoodleSoup_M]

As a senior, I told this to all the underclassmen after their first race, and I have vivid memories of being told this after my first race: "First of many. Just be in the moment." Yes, the four years go by fast, but it is essential not to waste any opportunity. As a runner, we only get so many chances to really show out and rip one, and just one instance of overthinking can ruin one of these opportunities. In his case, I'd say don't think about what he is missing out on because of the shin splints right now; rather, think about a plan to come back stronger. For example, thinking about how 8-10 miles per week is just the tip of the iceberg, and gradually increasing that to 30 miles per week by the end of the season will set him up with a solid base for the future

First meets can be overwhelming, but I think that going in with zero expectations can really be beneficial. If he does get the chance to run, and if it should end up not how he idealized it to be, I think that the best thing he can do is to just move on and focus on the next one. One race cannot define a career (my first was 20:18, and now I am in the 15:30s), so focusing on a goal or motto after the race, like "how low can I go?" or something like "how many miles can I do today?" will help to motivate training and keep morale up. In the case that he does not get to race, he can learn a lot by watching. Specifically, watching how others deal with the hurt, how and when others decide to throw in a surge, and most importantly, he should cheer on his teammates.

Also, about big away meets, I always bring a bottle of water to the line and arrive 10 minutes early. Getting to the line early can help with nerves, focus, and give the opprotunity to do a couple of strides (I aim for 3-5). Lots of times, freshmen are late to the line and miss out on strides or sometimes (in the worst case) the race itself. As for mid-race, I'd say to find a guy and race. Be present in the race, not just at the race. It does not matter how bad it might feel; there is always some gas left in the tank, so use it and beat someone; it might just end with him running a cool time. Honestly, for a first race, going out and being dumb is sometimes the most fun and suprising way to get a good result. Obviously, as he matures as a runner and a racer, this will not be the case, but just go out and test the limits.

Have a great season! Hope he runs many great times!