Can i still have a fit muscular body if i train for the Mile?

Ok so I did track freshmen year and I ran a 5:01 mile, but now I'm a Junior and the coach wants me to do track again, but I'm afraid ill lose the muscle that I've gained over the past few months. I weigh 150lbs with 10% bf and 5'8". I go to the YMCA pretty much everyday and have gotten some awesome results. I run a mile as a warm up and as a cool down, so I'm not completely out of shape, cardio wise. I want to break the 5:00 mark, but will I lose muscle if I train for the mile? I won't do anything over that. When I was in track I also ran a 2:08 800m, it was my favorite event. I just don't want to lose muscle, I've worked hard for it. Oh he also coaches crosscountry and wants me to join that too but they run a ton of miles and ill surely lose mmuscle if I do, so I keep telling him I won't.

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Recommended Answer:

If you run xc and eat enough and continue lifting weights, you won't lose muscle.However, given your 5:01 and 2:08, I would highly recommend that you try 400m over mile, as you seem to be a very speed rather than endurance based runner. Most endurance based 800 runners with 5:0x miles at a high school are running like 2:15 in the 800, and given that you're running much faster than that it seems that your real strengths lie in the longer sprints and shorter mid distance events rather than longer ones. If you want to have breaking the 5:00 mile mark as your main goal, you should definitely do xc though. Don't expect to be one of the top runners - speed based 800 runners have a tendency to struggle with xc, but you could definitely improve your aerobic endurance significantly.

Other Answers:

• A mile wont get rid of your muscle mass easily. Cross country will definitely decrease your muscle mass because you are burning so many calories while running long distance. Just work out couple times a week. Running a mile everyday wont hurt.