Event Training

[Rudym13]

During the summer months I run xc at my school and last season I PR'd 18:12 at our regional meet as a Sophomore. But during track season I Pole vault and because of my distance experience I'm also entitled to run the mile or 2 mile by my coaches. Ive had trouble this year managing the 2 diverse events and hope not to next year. What should my training schedule look like? and is anyone else stuck in this same situation? My distance coach even told me of a kid who was both the state champion for pole vault AND the 2 mile, so by hearing that I know it can be done!

[rainbowgirl28]

Sure it's possible to be a state champion in both, but not at a state meet that is very competitive.

To reach your full potential in either event, you have to give up one. If you enjoy both, then accept that fact that you may not reach your full potential in either, but might have a lot more fun along the way.

It sounds like you enjoy running, and you enjoy cross country. Try to move down to the 400-800 during track season, and do more speed workouts, less mileage. It's not like quitting distance running is going to automatically make you go from an 11'6 vaulter to a 17' vaulter. There are probably bigger things holding you back, like coaching or lack of opportunities to practice in the off season.

If there are any clubs/clinics/camps in your area, try to get some pole vault practices in during the summer/fall/winter. Training for cross country will make you a little slower than you could be, but you should be able to handle vaulting and running, unless your cross country coach is overtraining you.

[EIUvltr]

its called the cruel world of high school. For some reason high school track coaches always take the distance kids and make them into pole vaulters, when they should actually recruit the jumpers and sprinters. I would suggest focusing on one or the other and not count on winning state in both events. At least you're figuring this out now, I ran a sub 5 mile my freshman year as well as pole vaulted. I only jumped 15' in high school and didn't find out until college that I was supposed to be fast if I wanted to be any good. Years of distance running can be very detrimental to speed development later on (as they were for me). Although high intensity training like plyometrics is not really detrimental to endurance development later on. In fact it can sometimes be beneficial to have that strength base. Like the great olympic lifter Alexeyev once said, "I can only serve one master." Either you're going to excel at the vault or at distance and it's best to choose now rather than later on in college. TRUST me.

[bel142]

If you really don't want to give up one, but you are competitive in both, start thinking about this later in life, in the collegiate world you may not be super competitive in either of those events because of how you have been training... But if you know how the vault works and are hitting decent bars, while having the gas tank to run a competitive mile you may be hit up by lots of Universities to be a multi... Start learning about as many events as you can...

[vault3rb0y]

I would take beccas suggestion, and also try out the multi. If you are athletic enough to vault 14' and long jump far, sprint fast, throw far, and STILL run a quick 400 or 1500, you could be a really good candidate for a multi.

[Rudym13]

thanks for the advice and yea ive been thinking about possibly becoming a decathlete in college! Ill make sure to experiment next season with different running events but the only problem is the timing, one thing that was convenient with the 2 mile is that I could have a break in between each event.