I am one with the levee and the levee with me

It is hard to quit, but it is better to not finish a workout like that than to slug through it and possibly get hurt. Good coaches recognize that and are not afraid to pull the plug early on bad speed workouts. Good decision.

I completly agree with Jon. Way to show self control, I think we lose this the more miles we log.

Right now I do not think you even need 8x400 at 65, much less 62. You only need to be able to hold 72s to run 15:00. You have plenty of speed for that if you can do 8x400 in 65.7 with only 1:30 rest. A better workout would be something like 3x2000 starting at 6:15, then 6:10, and then see how close you can get to 6:00 on the last one.

For the meet, I think realistically with all the traveling, and not being adjusted to running at a lower altitude, you would be lucky to run under 15:30 on your first try. Do you really want to spend the money and time traveling to maybe run 15:25? Also, the cross-country season does not start until August, right? So it would not make any practical difference if you meet the BYU team standards now or later this summer. By then, if everything goes well, you would not need to go to sea level to run a sub-15:00, you'd be able to do it a road race here. I would recommend Draper Days in July. Or ask Ed what he thinks about Magna 5 K - tell him all Teren Jameson could do while racing Trever Ball was 14:11, so it is downhill, but not so ridiculously downhill that people run faster than they would on the track at sea level.

Thanks for your insight, I like that 3x2000 idea, I'll probably give it a try next week. Eyestone suggested changing up the workout pace here and there, like running at mile-pace every couple weeks. Honestly, I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to training -- just giving it a try.

I'm going to be in Washington the week of those races, so I figure I might as well run one. Pullman is a two-hour drive from my parents' house, so it wouldn't be too bad. I'll be at sea-level a week before the race, and I can run a good workout to get used to the lower altitude, then be ready for the faster pace on the track.

If I understood Eyestone right, running sub-15 doesn't guarantee me a spot come XC, it just means that I should be top-12 on the team, which is where he wants me to be to walk on. If I were a freshman he wouldn't be so stingy with the team spots, but I don't have a lot of eligibility left to tempt him with.

Go for the one that is easiest to get to and will allow you most rest and adaptation then.

You should still have all four years of eligibility left, unless you already used some at a different school.

Hey, that would be awesome! I haven't run for any other school, but doesn't the clock start once you enter college?

No, just counts the time you have run.

Yep. The general rule is that you have 5 years to complete your eligibility from the time you first participate in a NCAA sport. I think there is also a D-I restriction that you must be 25 or under, with the exception of people who have served in the military or performed a religious mission. (ie - so don't worry about the age thing if you served a mission).

So hypothetically you could start next year and still redshirt a full year, and get in 4 XC and 4 Track seasons.

Oh, and if you win any money at road races this spring or summer, DON'T take it.

Dude that is awesome that you are trying to make the team for BYU!!! That is exactly what I did with CU, and it has worked out amazing! Make sure to keep contact with Ed Eyestone. That is what I did with Wetmore and I think it made a big difference. As for your fitness now, I would build a really strong base to tryout next cross season. If you just build mileage and sprinkle in some AT work until mid-summer (then begin some faster stuff), you should be good. Feel free to check out my blog. It shows everything I did leading up to my tryout. Exciting!

I would agree with Nick. Strong base does wonders, and a natural distance runner does not lose speed while building base. Good example - Jeff was doing nothing except base and very occasional tempos for months. We go out to shake our legs supposedly at 5 K pace, and he hits a 59 second quarter with the splits of 31-28 on asphalt wearing pants and heavy trainers in the middle of a 10 mile run.

Thanks, guys, I really appreciate all the comments and advice!