Youth runners running against high school kids

The same reasons why our best high school runners enter into college/pro races - to gain motivation, to get comfortable running at new levels of competition, to be pulled to faster times, to face new types of challenges. I wouldn't make it a habit to enter a young kid into a high school race, but he's gotta face new challenges at some point, and it doesn't seem like this could was provided much challenge by running with other kids in his age group.

Let it Rupp wrote:

The same reasons why our best high school runners enter into college/pro races - to gain motivation, to get comfortable running at new levels of competition, to be pulled to faster times, to face new types of challenges. I wouldn't make it a habit to enter a young kid into a high school race, but he's gotta face new challenges at some point, and it doesn't seem like this could was provided much challenge by running with other kids in his age group.

He ran indoors with an age group up and got beaten. Not horribly, but he lost to a couple kids. My point was that maybe he shouldn't run races where he is losing by a couple minutes.

As far as Grace Ping, I think she is very talented. The girls the other poster mentioned, nope, I am not sold. When you lose to a twelve year old and you are eighteen, I would have to say that isn't too elite in my book.

Look, every year has different groups. There were years when a 4:16 won the 1500m in the 13 year old group, the next three years 4:30 wasn't broken. But we still say the kids who won that year were elite because they won. That's not my definition of elite. Elite is the kid who got 4:16. Elite is the kid who broke that and then the AAU record, Brandon Miller. That is elite to me.

So you like Brandon Miller. How well is he doing in XC?

Should he enter the Freshmen races instead of Varsity?

If for you Elite includes only the Top Talent in many, many years, then you should consider adjusting your definition. Most other people would consider Stephanie Jenks, Maria Coffin and Sarah Leinheiser to be Elite and they all lost to Grace Ping.

Again, you do not know what you are talking about.

You are lucky Brandon doesn't run X-county because every age group record would be broken. And no I don't consider just him elite. Over the past year, there were a couple kids who got close to his times, they are elite. Not the people who win races for a lack of competition. Jonah Gorevic is another elite runner. So is Jaleel Gelin. Those are elite youth runners to me. The people you named were all beaten by a freaking little girl who is five to six years younger than them. What planet are you from if you call them elite. Would Grant Fisher or Drew Hunter lose to a twelve year old ever? Not even Brandon or Jonah could come close to them. THEY ARE ELITE. I would love to take off the mask on here and we can all see who really is posting and compare our own running times and the times of the people we coach if we do coach as well as run. People act real tough on here hiding behind their keyboards. Everyone is an expert on lets run. 99% of you are just fan boys and hobby joggers who don't know much about running. I base that on most of the posts on here. I work with two kids who I would say are very close to elite and neither one would have wanted to be that kid who ran that cross country meet. Losing is one thing, getting crushed is another. It dampens your spirit when you lose that bad. Again, you would have to be a great runner or work with great runners to know that so I don't hold your ignorance against you.

Debalsi, Jenks, Coffin, Leinheiser, Pendergast - not Elite?

They all lost to Ping.

colo sus wrote:

So you like Brandon Miller. How well is he doing in XC?

Should he enter the Freshmen races instead of Varsity?

Well no he shouldn't. He is in HIGH SCHOOL and pretty developed for a freshman. Plus his times are great at the distance they are running so he would hold his own against 99% of varsity runners. Even if he didn't, he wouldn't get crushed like the original example I used. Brandon is a foot taller than the kid I was referring to. Plus Brandon is a better runner. Plus Brandon doesn't run all over the USA in high school meets like the kid I was referring to does. He runs up to find people who can match his times. He has no choice. The kid I was talking about could go to more meets where age groups are combined and he would have plenty of competition. Plus he is a year younger than Brandon. Hope that helps

colo sus wrote:

Debalsi, Jenks, Coffin, Leinheiser, Pendergast - not Elite?

They all lost to Ping.

NOPE, then they are not. What part of this is hard for you to understand? 17-18 year olds who lose to ANY 12 year old are not elite.

Wrong again.

Brandon does run XC and he loses by 2+ min to the top runners in his town (not state, not national).

According to your theory, should he consider possibly removing himself from Varsity and sticking with the Fr races?

That little 13yo girl is unique. Boys and girls take different development paths. You will find more girls at the top of the ranks when they enter HS than you will find boys.

I think you are new to this sport. You will eventually get it.

You have a different definition of Elite than does everyone else.

Debalsi just started Stanford on a full scholarship. Jenks is on a full scholarship at Berkley.

Are you stupid?

colo sus wrote:

You have a different definition of Elite than does everyone else.

Debalsi just started Stanford on a full scholarship. Jenks is on a full scholarship at Berkley.

Are you stupid?

ANY THEY STILL LOST TO A TWELVE YEAR OLD WHEN THEY WERE 17 and 18 YEARS OLD. As an Alum of one of those schools, I am embarrassed.

How the heck did you get in?

colo sus wrote:

How the heck did you get in?

Well let me tell you. I was a senior in high schooI and we had a math and english scholarship you could try and get. I beat a twelve year and they gave me a full ride!

Where are they now? wrote:

Thanks for calling me a jerk! I knew you'd come out and play. This has nothing to do with my kids. It was a simple observation. My kids do lose (not often, but they do) and know how to lose. Running an eighth grader in a top level varsity meet is just dumb. Losing is one thing, coming in like 60th place is just wrong to do to a young kid who works hard. It just either sets him up to push way beyond his threshold or it makes him feel like nothing he's done is working. There's such a size and maturity difference that it isn't worth it in my opinion. But what do I know, I am a jerk. We are big picture people, not trying to be the greatest at 13-14. Thanks again and next time please learn how to read.

My advice, start them losing early, race them with people better than them. Its how they improve. Losing makes you a better athlete and a better person. No use in sheltering your kids from the harsh reality of losing. They should get used to it.

OP- I don't understand what your problem is with 8th graders running in HS meets. Some 8th graders are the same age as 9th graders and if they are psychologically devastated by finishing back in the pack of a varsity race, that's silly. Think about road races... The 14 and under age group winner gets "destroyed" in most road races, but I'm sure it doesn't cause permanent damage to the young runner.

In once finished 4th to last in a college XC race as a 17 year old freshman and managed to survive and enjoyed a moderately successful running career.

You missed his point completely. He wasn't generalizing. He was talking about one xc meet in particular and one 13 year old. I think that was the point. Some kid who was already a great runner but the parents had to push to have him run in a race he really didn't belong in. Correct me if I mm wrong op

Check this out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29DIJKIWzjw

People make choices for any number of reasons, desperation included.

Based on the irrational responses, it may be the OP doing tabloid-style pushing on his own kid ... maybe, I don't know.

colo sus wrote:

Check this out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29DIJKIWzjw

People make choices for any number of reasons, desperation included.

Based on the irrational responses, it may be the OP doing tabloid-style pushing on his own kid ... maybe, I don't know.

You are nuts

colo sus wrote:

Check this out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29DIJKIWzjw

People make choices for any number of reasons, desperation included.

Based on the irrational responses, it may be the OP doing tabloid-style pushing on his own kid ... maybe, I don't know.

I hope the guy who called you nuts and I are on the same page. My point which may or may not be his, why are you linking to this? If it is to show me that she runs against older kids, you are not very intelligent. If you listened to it, the reporter was saying how she beats all of those college girls. She doesn't get crushed like the example I used. The probably look at seed times and decide if it's a good match for her to run. Which is all I've been trying to say

But honestly, I can't fight with you people after seeing that. This poor little girl is making my heart break. What a tough kid! It's seeing people like her that overcome adversity that makes me realize how lucky I am to have three healthy children. She is a heck of a young lady and I hope she can continue to live a great life and follow her passion. She is elite in my book, but running is only a small reason why!

If that story broke your heart, that was the purpose.

People make choices for reasons you may do not understand.

This little girl had to rush thru life's experiences at a faster pace. Get it?

Don't accuse people with such ease. You may not understand their circumstances. Besides, there is nothing wrong with running HS races as many have already pointed out. It is also nothing wrong with losing. It is part of life.

Live your life and enjoy it. Allow others to work thru their own set of circumstances.