Kids are racing too much. I can't believe kids, including middle schoolers, are flying across the country on back to back days to is too much.
People that compare a kids are racing too much obviously are not runners themselves at any high level.
You train to race. These kids want to RACE. No one wants to run 50 mile weeks over and over again. No one. They are kids! They freaking want to race. To compete which is FUN which TRAINING is not.
I watched over 15 races of the boys mile between the emerging elite & championship sections at Nike & New Balance Outdoor Nationals this weekend. I feel like it was for the most part - it was pretty underwhelming as a whole.
The big highlight was obviously Hillhouse making it a race with Griffith, and being rewarded with the sub-4. And kudos to Drew for earning the ‘W’!
But I feel like between all the heats in both events, there was so much talent, yet maybe only a quarter of the kids PR? It was just over and over, the leaders coming through 800m at 2:07-2:09, and then it just becomes who can close the last lap in 59. Does everyone think they have the best kick? Is everyone that scared of an honest first lap?
I don’t want to sound crotchety - I think HS distance running is in such a cool place right now, and honestly, if these kids are more interested in racing to win rather than the time on the board, that’s probably better anyways. It just seems weird that so many people spend all the time and effort travelling to this race with a BUNCH of other fast kids - just for a tactical experience. You would think these meets are perfect PR opportunites.
Also I know it’s tricky to extend the season out a few weeks after state meets, so maybe they are just a bit flat and that’s why the times aren’t there.
Centro traveled all that way to run 3:50 in a 1500m. If only he focused on the time on the board rather than racing, he could've maybe made it to the 3:30s or under.
They are fine. Most kids have one workout and a race that’s treated like a workout weekly. And they turn out fine by end of season. Midwest kids race multiple times a week for 2 months straight and run some of the fastest times at these meets.
Centro traveled all that way to run 3:50 in a 1500m. If only he focused on the time on the board rather than racing, he could've maybe made it to the 3:30s or under.
How about coaches getting kids to focus on a single event instead of doubling and tripling? you don't need to race the championship 5,000, 2 Mile, Mile, and a bunch of relays. In fact, you really shouldn't and coaches should know better.
I do agree with this.
This is fine for some, but it's hard for others to justify airfare and a hotel for a kid, at least one parent and for probably 2 nights just to run one race. They're going all in, extending their seasons by 3-4 weeks and giving it one last go before transitioning in summer training for cross country, at least for the distance kids.
Yes, many want to “win” the race. However this is not the best tactic for overall place because you are technically racing people’s times from other heats. Another thing about the kids in the slower heats—many of them just barely made the cut. They probably had to peak just to make the cut and therefore didn’t have much left in them for postseason racing (and motivation may dwindle when you’re not actually racing for a National Championship, just running in one of the earlier heats). The top kids often train through their state championships (can still win even without a taper) and their focus is on the National Championships/Brooks PR. Regardless, I wouldn’t change things because it’s still a good experience for those guys and girls in the earlier heats—learning how to race in a championship event on a championship stage, with the nerves attached, not getting a normal warm up with the clerk of course rules, etc…it will help them be prepared when they hopefully get to a higher level and possibly in those later heats the following years (or bigger races in college).
Centro traveled all that way to run 3:50 in a 1500m. If only he focused on the time on the board rather than racing, he could've maybe made it to the 3:30s or under.
Why is this relevant?
C'mon - use that brain! I know you can do it! Reread the whole OP and my post. Teaching you how to fish as opposed to giving you a fish.
Another thing that happens is people go for it and then fade, so didn't run the optimum time. We had a guy run 800/Mile at NON, he PRed nicely in the 800m, came back the next day looking for sub 4:10 in the mile (on paper he should be able to do it easily). He was out at 2:05 but it was too much for him; he still PRed by a second or two but only 4:15. Probably could have been 4:13 with a slower first lap. Past his peak. Getting 2 PRs past your peak is a solid meet.
Centro traveled all that way to run 3:50 in a 1500m. If only he focused on the time on the board rather than racing, he could've maybe made it to the 3:30s or under.
Why is this relevant?
Seems fairly obvious. Sadie Englehardt and friends went through 800 around 2:30. Tactical races exist at championship level.
The best runners are running too many races all over the country. Simmons/Griffith would have been the best race of the weekend - but by the time they got there, they had both run 5-7 high quality races in the last two weeks and then they start training for college. Maybe that's why so many A+ HS distance runners slow down when they start their freshman year.
The best runners are running too many races all over the country. Simmons/Griffith would have been the best race of the weekend - but by the time they got there, they had both run 5-7 high quality races in the last two weeks and then they start training for college. Maybe that's why so many A+ HS distance runners slow down when they start their freshman year.
I promise you both Simmons and Griffith are thrilled with their performances. Simmons with a meet record 8:38 and a 4:07 after a 13:25 last week is ridiculous
Griffith ran 8:31, 3:59, and 4:01 within four-five days.
We might have been expecting more, but that's absolutely insane from both.
This post was edited 18 seconds after it was posted.
Seems fairly obvious. Sadie Englehardt and friends went through 800 around 2:30. Tactical races exist at championship level.
Sadie Englehardt is the National record holder in the mile and has already committed to run for NC State. It made sense that she ran it tactically.
For the kids who run 4:13, a 2 or 3 second PR can open new doors for them to run at the next level. I think that’s the critique of this comparison.
yes, she said she ran it tactically on purpose for trials "practice". I disagree that heats were slow. Maybe a few here or there. For those of us who were there, we just shook our heads all day long at how fast everything was.
For those running a combination of races all over (NYC, Birmingham, St. Louis, Seattle), then running multiple races in Philly or Eugene, it can be a little much after an already taxing school season (not even going to mention XC->Indoor->Outdoor). Also most runners at NON and NBO are doing several races and usually in back-to-back days. That can be too much for the end of the season... lots of physical growth that goes on. Look at the numbers of entries for male 9th and 10th graders in the Championship Mile division. It was very few. Add in how kids and families and teams handle the travel...
Despite all of that, I was impressed about the results. You cannot PR every meet. Showing consistency is great. Racing smartly impresses college coaches.
I will post separately about my conspiracy theory on how so many times are not real from random meets across the country. I know of too many where the meet timer doesn't perform a sanity check before posting.