Futsum Z makes debut 24:30

He'll have to run better then that if he wants to make nationals individually. 24:30 is a decent start for someone who was as good as he was in highschool but not anything special.

Why would he have to make nationals as an individual when the NAU team is solid? Nice to see Caleb Hoover representing the Show Me State well.

That is a great time for any Frosh's very first college race, I don't care who you are. Looks like he has transitioned well. Look for him to be running low 23 by conference and regionals. Then go around 29 at national. He'll be around 25th place at National and will be the top Frosh.

Don't forget about Nate Weitz. He went from 26:36 three weeks ago to a 24:58 at this meet. That's a hell of an improvement. Look out, NAU has a couple of solid Freshmen who should keep NAU in the mix for the next 4 years. Lot's of good young talent at NAU these days.

Course was a bit long, VERY challenging with lots of turns and rhythm-breaking rolling hills. Temp was in the 90's at the start of the race. All three NAU men looked very solid running at the front, as well as Darius Terry from AZ State.

pedo jediondo wrote:

Futsum got second place at UCLA's Pac 12 preview

That is the important part.

A very good time for your first time at bat with a doubt.

He beat some very solid runners from his own team, Ucla, ASU and SLO. Impressive debut w/ a big kick to finish off Terry.

Decent time! Great start! I have always respected this guy. No BS and always up front and honest about his age in highschool! Should start to make gradual improvements as the season progress! He'll be a super credit to any squad!!!!!! Go for it!!!

Just a few tenths behind Shrader, who is a sub 8 min 3000m runner. Definitely not too shabby...

When are you people going to start to understand the sport that you participate? Time means nothing in xc. In this case the course is long. Sometimes it is short. Sometimes it is muddy. Sometimes hilly. This is not track and so times mean nothing.

What?! wrote:

This is not track and so times mean nothing.

Which is why you have to look at who he beat. The guy in 3rd is a sub 14 5000m runner.

Again, that doesn't mean that much in September, but... You accumulate everything and...

He had a good start to his college career. Not crazy good start (like McDougal had), but a good start...

Yes. Frosh debut and he nearly outkicks the #1 guy for the W. Time not nearly as important as place.

Meet not much of a "preview" without Colorado though.

So now with a very solid start to his college career, where will he place at nationals?

Top 10

Top 25

Top 50

Top 100

Over 100

Will not qualify?

I was at the meet. NAU really laid back for the first 3 miles or so then Futsum, Shrader, and Weitz moved up in the last 2.

And Futsum didn't "almost" outkick Shrader. Shrader had it completely.

really? it seems like he did specially if they finished in a virtual tie. I think that by the end of the season Shrader will be running behind Futsum. Even as talented as Shrader is, I feel like Futsum is a notch above the rest of the NAU guys talent wise and will be the NAU leader for years to come. He will end up on the same league as Lopez Lamong, David McNeil, and Diego Estrada. The 3 NAU olimpians.

I'm excited to see how far Nathan Weitz goes in his NAU career as well. I feel NAU is the perfect environmnet for him to flourish. I think he will be top 10 in the nation by his junior year.

Great showing by McElroy too. Smart move on the transfer - the guy is a big talent and I'm happy he got out of the craphole that is OSU.

Noice brudduh wrote:

Great showing by McElroy too. Smart move on the transfer - the guy is a big talent and I'm happy he got out of the craphole that is OSU.

He is a nice looking runner. Nice grab for NAU.

me and two others wrote:

Even as talented as Shrader is, I feel like Futsum is a notch above the rest of the NAU guys talent wise

That's probably a gross understatement.

He was running 35 miles a week or so in high school. He hadn't run for a week when he ran 4:05 in the Dream Mile. Futsum's talent is insane.

Kanye North wrote:

That's probably a gross understatement.

He was running 35 miles a week or so in high school. He hadn't run for a week when he ran 4:05 in the Dream Mile. Futsum's talent is insane.

I agree with your sentiment, but I remember an interview with him after NXN last year where he said he was running in the 50s with a high of around 60 miles during his senior year. It could have been about the summer before his senior year though.

I heard the same about the week before the Dream Mile. He also said in an interview that he took a lot of time off after the state track meet in June, so he probably will improve quite a bit in the next couple months once he gets his fitness completely back.

The scary part is that he's better suited for 8k and 10k than 5k. The fact that he was able to run that fast for the mile when that is so far from his best event also points to how much potential he has.