I think Sadie is incredible, but her strength is more middle distance. I think Jane is in a league of her own.
There is always a tendency to belittle xc for a good miler or 800 runner.
If Sadie never ran a mile in her life, she would still be arguably best ever CA pure xc runner.
Going for 3rd straight CA xc title to join Lane, Baxter and Hasay. Course record holder at Woodward Park along side German Fernandez, and ahead of 3 ladies above.
Those three other girls each won two national xc championships. Sadie has never finished higher than 10th. Course records are nice, but what really matters is winning championships. Sadie still has a way to go to be considered the "best ever" xc runner from California.
Those three other girls each won two national xc championships. Sadie has never finished higher than 10th. Course records are nice, but what really matters is winning championships. Sadie still has a way to go to be considered the "best ever" xc runner from California.
Don't really disagree. National titles strengthen a resume.
She has been unlucky at national races. Injured as a soph at FL, and then bad race in cold and wet as a jr at NXN.
Unfortunate, but does not take away from her 3 years of xc achievements in CA.
Macchia has already been tested for drugs by USADA four times and she is still in high school. How is it possible that some 23-yo "professional" runners have never been tested yet? Why does USADA avoid testing certain runners and instead goes after high schoolers?
Zariel Macchia is also graduating highschool at 19 years old. What is up with BYU and their old ass recruits??
Wonder if this Jane girl is turning 19 years old too
Macchia has already been tested for drugs by USADA four times and she is still in high school. How is it possible that some 23-yo "professional" runners have never been tested yet? Why does USADA avoid testing certain runners and instead goes after high schoolers?
Zariel Macchia is also graduating highschool at 19 years old. What is up with BYU and their old ass recruits??
Wonder if this Jane girl is turning 19 years old too
Yes, Hedengren is also older. But honestly, countless of the top HS girls runners are a year older than usual, not just those who go to BYU. In recent years: Natalie Cook, Irene Riggs, Ellie Shea, Sadie Engelhardt, etc.
Yes, Hedengren is also older. But honestly, countless of the top HS girls runners are a year older than usual, not just those who go to BYU. In recent years: Natalie Cook, Irene Riggs, Ellie Shea, Sadie Engelhardt, etc.
Not necessarily... if they're 18 years old throughout their senior year of HS, that's normal. Sadie has only been 18 since August. Ellie Shea turned 18 in September 2023, graduated the following spring '24
It's only an issue when you are 19 years old in highschool. Like Macchia will be, Cook, etc.
IDK, but her athletic.net profile states she was 18 during her junior track season. They tend to screw up birthdates, however, so not sure how legit it is
I think what’s most notable is that Jane Hedengren ran the first half of her season under the weather. Her 3m time at Woodbridge was 15:36 and her 5k time at NXR SW was 15:50. Difference of 14 seconds.
If we compare others who ran both Woodbridge 3m vs NXR Southwest 5k: Payton Meineke: 15:58 / 17:10 Tessa Walter: 16:14 / 17:21 Jordan Banta: 16:26 / 17:28 (Not including Lily Adler due to injury)
The average difference is about 1:07.
Subtracting 1:00 from 15:50 gets us 14:50. It’s crazy to think about but… if Hedengren had been healthy at Woodbridge, could she have run the first sub-15 3m time in HS girls history? It seems impossible, yet…
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Not necessarily... if they're 18 years old throughout their senior year of HS, that's normal. Sadie has only been 18 since August. Ellie Shea turned 18 in September 2023, graduated the following spring '24
It's only an issue when you are 19 years old in highschool. Like Macchia will be, Cook, etc.
Macchia should've graduated last spring
Macchia is only three months older than Englehardt and only about three and a half months older than Shea when she was a senior. Three months is completely meaningless. You are acting like she is a whole year older. Don't know about Hedengren but it is probably the same situation. I graduated at 18 and I had other classmates who graduated at 18 but were almost nine months older than me.
What I do notice, however, is that Macchia and Hedengren (BYU recruits) are getting criticized while Englehardt and Shea (NC State recruits) are getting a free pass. That's what I see going on. And we know why Cook is being brought into the conversation. LetsRun just being LetsRun.
Macchia is only three months older than Englehardt and only about three and a half months older than Shea when she was a senior. Three months is completely meaningless. You are acting like she is a whole year older. Don't know about Hedengren but it is probably the same situation. I graduated at 18 and I had other classmates who graduated at 18 but were almost nine months older than me.
What I do notice, however, is that Macchia and Hedengren (BYU recruits) are getting criticized while Englehardt and Shea (NC State recruits) are getting a free pass. That's what I see going on. And we know why Cook is being brought into the conversation. LetsRun just being LetsRun.
If Macchia lived in CA like Sadie does, she would not be allowed to compete. The CIF has a strict rule where students who turn 19 before mid-June are ineligible for HS sports. That is the difference. Yes it is normal to be 18 throughout your senior year of HS, but to graduate at 19 is pushing it.
she definitely looks like a world-class runner. just an amazing-looking, super-efficient stride at that speed. reminds me a little bit of battocletti from italy. will definitely be watching her, would not at all be surprised if she makes the 2028 tor 2032 team in the 5 or 10. one to watch!
There is always a tendency to belittle xc for a good miler or 800 runner.
If Sadie never ran a mile in her life, she would still be arguably best ever CA pure xc runner.
Going for 3rd straight CA xc title to join Lane, Baxter and Hasay. Course record holder at Woodward Park along side German Fernandez, and ahead of 3 ladies above.
Those three other girls each won two national xc championships. Sadie has never finished higher than 10th. Course records are nice, but what really matters is winning championships. Sadie still has a way to go to be considered the "best ever" xc runner from California.
Cut out this nonsense. It still needs to be understood by the ignorant that the way the cross-country season is scheduled, California runners are at a great disadvantage going into the postseason because
(1) they don’t get a week off, pre-nats, unlike most of the rest of the country;
(2) the racing schedule right up to Natty’s is typically brutal, with brutal competition.