Quote Originally Posted by LissaJous View Post
But against even that idea, many of the newly- or not-quite-18 year olds I've talked to in the last 2 years have strugged even in longer Short category races.


LissaJous is Lauren Jeska
On this particular point Lauren, when you look at the Junior FRA, they are usually 4 milers (as they are in with the U16s for convenience) and the senior race attached is sometimes over the 6 mile limit.
In the last couple of years the introduction of Clougha and Pendle have meant there have been some separate and longer U18 races.

But they go from U18 where they run typically 30-35 minutes and mix it with 20-25 min XC races and 1500m/3K track and then turn 18 and often aren't prepared for the step up.

Part of that is the messages from on high that come out preaching the LTAD and creating an impression that we can become world beaters of 3 or 4 days a week and low mileage.

The proposal I mentioned to allow some U18 and perhaps U16s to do selected over distance races with coaches approval would help to address that, but ultimately the athletes in these ages need to be doing more earlier in my opinion.

I sort of like the idea of the Lakeland AM series for 18 - 23s, perhaps with 3 races. Certainly Anniversary Waltz would be a good introductory race and I intend to make use of it for Beckie this year all being well, just for her to treat it as a training run for experience.
Fairfield would be another that I think would be a good race for a 18 year old.