Far Out West wrote:
His progression is horrible because he was training and running age group track in middle school. Age group track is terrible and distance kids who run it seriously typically peak early and don't improve much later in their careers. It should be a red flag for college coaches.
I can't speak specifically about Tamagno because I don't know what he did before H.S., but to say "age group track is terrible" is incorrect and is the type of thinking I have not heard in a long time. Too much of anything at too young of an age is not good weather it is running or throwing a fast ball. The list of elite runners who where middle school and/or age group stars is to long to list. Agee Wilson, Brenda Martinez, Shalane Flanagan, Jordan Hasay, Denna Kaster and Meb, etc., started running at a young age and continued to get better. Conversely, there are many who did not progress as well, but that can be said for athletes who never ran until H.S. who became H.S. stars, but didn't progress in college and college stars who don't progress post college. Over 90% of middle school and age group kids only train about 3 days a week and only run less than 20 miles a week.
Some people tend to think of the few high profile phenoms who's progress tapered off in high school or college, but there are many young phenoms who became NCAA champs and Olympians. Btw, without middle and/or age group programs we would barely have a sport. There are 10s of thousands of young athletes who enter U.S. with many activities to choose from, but look forwarded to joining their high school XC and track teams because they identify themselves are runners because of their middle school and/or age group experience.