I really want to run cross country next year (my freshman year).

I'm pretty slow. 10 minute mile, and I really have crappy endurance.

My school runs 3 miles for meets.

I'm doing couch-to-5k right now. I'm doing week 2, workout 3 today.

I should probably run about 20 or 21 minutes for 3 miles, right?

We don't have to try out for cross country. We just have to show up. But I don't want to be on the team and suck. I want to be on the team and be good. Maybe not first place, but good enough that I can contend with better runners.

I don't know what to do to train. I'm thinking of progressing my couch-to-5k without resting 4 days a week (I do other exercise, but I have a ton free time that I can fit it in and it doesn't really tire me out).

Any tips? And do you think I could do it?

i ran x-country in high school, but i'm wanting to get back into running 5k's again.

my best time was only like 20mins, so i wasn't all that great, but don't only train for distance. you will be running on sand (i'm from a coastal city, so we had a few meets on the beach), dirt, grass, asphault, up hill, down hill, etc. so train on hills or run up the stairs at your school's stadium (thats what we did in high school).

it was a fun sport to compete in, even though I was never really all that good at it.

later

I ran cross country when I was in high school

From grade 4-7 I got first most of the time, a couple of seconds.

In high school I think I got 1st one year, second another ... and then the other years I sorta fell apart since I wasnt active anymore, only on the computer all day everyday. so im doing the couch to 5 k right now to try and get better again