High schooler about to start track-- which events and how to run them? (Read 105 times)

Hello!  I'm new to this site so my apologies if I screw up in any way.

I'm not an entirely new runner but I'm pretty new and slow, so I figured this was an appropriate place.  I started running in back in May 2015, but initially I was only doing 1-2 miles a handful of times a week.  In fall I ran cross country, and I'm getting ready to start my first season of track as well.  Here's my stats:

Miles -- up to 25 a week, maybe a little more, during the cross country season.  However, I haven't been running nearly as much lately, so I'm getting back into it and looking at only about 10 miles for this week, though that's partly due to weather.  I should be up to 15 or 20 next week.  The longest I've run nonstop is about 6 miles.

Times-- I should mention that I'm a girl, by the way.

3 miles-- 24:50

1600m -- 7:05, I've run as low as 6:53/mile but that wasn't really an accurate timing

400m-- 1:20, but I wasn't racing it so I'd guess around 1:17

200m-- 32s, not racing

150m-- 22 or 23 seconds, not racing

I was one of the slowest people on the cross country team so I'd like to not repeat that in track, if possible (though I'm not gonna get my hopes up).  I think I'm going to end up doing the 1600, most likely.  The 7:05 was paced horribly (I started at like a 6:20 pace for my first lap or two), so I should be able to get below that if I just pace it correctly.  Also, the 1600 will probably help most when it comes to getting faster next cross country season.  I've been having a lot of trouble getting my 1600 to a good pace.  I ran out too fast two of the last three times, and the other time I did prevent myself from starting too fast but I never picked the pace back up and finished with 7:30.  After running 7:05 I felt energized and like I could keep running, simultaneously tired and energetic actually, so I assume that proper pacing and more effort would let me take a fair amount of time off of that.

Which events would you suggest I run, and how would you suggest I strategize in the race?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Now I'm paranoid that my 200 was actually slower than 32, haha.  I mean, that's what I thought it was, I have a note on my phone saying "32" that I'm pretty sure refers to that.  I'm certain it wasn't more than 34, and definitely not less than 32.  I do think it was 32, but let's say I'm nuts and it was actually, worst-case scenario, 34-- does that change things?

There's also the 100m but I don't have any recorded times for it, closest I have is 150m.  Those times I am far more confident in-- I know I was running 22 or 23 (hand-timed and all, but still).

As far as increasing mileage goes, the track season is starting in a few weeks so I don't really have much time to build up before then, but over summer before the XC season I definitely want to get my mileage up.

Oh yeah, and I forget to mention, one of my concerns with sprinting is that I have a bit of a turned foot (external tibial torsion), which I think might affect my ability to run with proper form, and I know that matters more in sprints.  It's not really bad or anything, but it's enough that I am incapable of walking or running with my foot straight (I limp if I try).  Laying or sitting down with my legs straight ahead of me, it's extremely easy for me to turn my turned foot parallel to the ground and touching it, while keeping my legs pretty straight and flat.

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it

Thanks, I believe we can try and switch events but we need to make the tryout time for any events we want to run in.  I already made the mile cutoff time, so I'm able to do that event.  On Monday I'll probably try out for the 100m (there's no direct 200m tryout).  Cutoff for the 100m is 14.1 seconds, hand-timed.  Does that seem doable based on my times? I'm afraid that maybe it isn't.

Although I do think I have more aptitude for sprints (age-grade calculators support your observations), our sprinting team seems to be faster so it might not be a big difference relative to my peers, if that makes sense?

Case in point: Using one age-grade calculator I found online, our slowest cutoff for sprinters is rated about 77% "age performance percentage", while our slowest cutoff for the mile is 7:15, which is given about 60%.

I'll probably end up trying out for the 100m on Monday and then if I make it I'll decide which one to start with and talk to my coach about if I could switch.

Other events I could try out for are the 400m, 800m, and hurdles, but I'm significantly slower than the cutoff for the 400 and 800, and probably not fast/flexible enough for hurdles (my orthopedist was sort of amazed by how inflexible my hamstrings are…yeah).

Thanks for the help, everybody!

Ah, I see.  That makes sense.

Regarding the mile strategy, I don't think our mile races are seeded, at least not all of them.  So trying to pass the front pack or stay just a little behind them is going to be unrealistic since I'm pretty sure I'll be running against a fair amount of sub-6 minute milers.  Should I just pick and try to stick with a pack that's roughly my speed?  When I researched the strategy for the mile I kept getting stuff about how to try to win the race, which I'm definitely not fast enough to do.