High school running is a MESS. Not enjoyable to follow anymore.

Smells Like a Nursing Home in Here wrote:

The world has changed and many of you old farts need to understand that.

1. Want to run D1? Then you need to be an elite talent that can produce right away. The days of some plucky walk on rising to Olympic level greatness are over thanks to the House settlement.

2. Training methods are better. Talented kids want to train with coaches that utilize modern methodology, not crusty old gym teachers that still think running hard 400s until vomiting is the gold standard of preparation.

3. State athletic bureaucrats are also stuck in the past. Archaic rules, schools separated by divisions based on ball sports, and limitations on athletes have hindered domestic development for decades. The footwear companies saw an opportunity to create excitement and great match ups with athletes from across the country. Good on them for doing so!

4. More and more parents, especially those with boys, are taking advantage of the “Kindergarten Redshirt”. For many kids, it’s academically advantageous to hold of enrollment in school until age six. Many children are not intellectually and socially ready for school at age five. This isn’t some plot to create a master race of 19 year old high school seniors for the purpose of rewriting the record books.

5. Enough with the shoes! Technology evolved and all consumer products get better over time. The complaints nearly all come from old men miffed that their times, or those of their heroes, are getting eclipsed. Let it go or choose to be bitter, the wider world doesn’t care about your offense.

6. For all of the complaining, Americans have steadily become more competitive on the world stage. This is a good thing! It is sad that many of you desire a return to the horrible period that was the 1990s and early 2000s when the USA sent only pack fodder to international competitions. I can only surmise that some of you were “sub-elite” during the worst era of American running and would be complete non-factors today?

The kids are alright! Let them approach the sport on their own terms, not as some vehicle for your vicarious and unrealized dreams.

real dealer. wrote:

Smells Like a Nursing Home in Here wrote:

The world has changed and many of you old farts need to understand that.

1. Want to run D1? Then you need to be an elite talent that can produce right away. The days of some plucky walk on rising to Olympic level greatness are over thanks to the House settlement.

2. Training methods are better. Talented kids want to train with coaches that utilize modern methodology, not crusty old gym teachers that still think running hard 400s until vomiting is the gold standard of preparation.

3. State athletic bureaucrats are also stuck in the past. Archaic rules, schools separated by divisions based on ball sports, and limitations on athletes have hindered domestic development for decades. The footwear companies saw an opportunity to create excitement and great match ups with athletes from across the country. Good on them for doing so!

4. More and more parents, especially those with boys, are taking advantage of the “Kindergarten Redshirt”. For many kids, it’s academically advantageous to hold of enrollment in school until age six. Many children are not intellectually and socially ready for school at age five. This isn’t some plot to create a master race of 19 year old high school seniors for the purpose of rewriting the record books.

5. Enough with the shoes! Technology evolved and all consumer products get better over time. The complaints nearly all come from old men miffed that their times, or those of their heroes, are getting eclipsed. Let it go or choose to be bitter, the wider world doesn’t care about your offense.

6. For all of the complaining, Americans have steadily become more competitive on the world stage. This is a good thing! It is sad that many of you desire a return to the horrible period that was the 1990s and early 2000s when the USA sent only pack fodder to international competitions. I can only surmise that some of you were “sub-elite” during the worst era of American running and would be complete non-factors today?

The kids are alright! Let them approach the sport on their own terms, not as some vehicle for your vicarious and unrealized dreams.

Sorry, the shoe complaint is the real deal. These carbon fiber plated shoes are like springs for the feet, they propel you forward, not just a light weight shoe, but an actual performance enhancer. Todays runners want to pretend its all them, it isn't. Be honest folks.

Smells Like a Nursing Home in Here wrote:

The world has changed and many of you old farts need to understand that.

1. Want to run D1? Then you need to be an elite talent that can produce right away. The days of some plucky walk on rising to Olympic level greatness are over thanks to the House settlement.

2. Training methods are better. Talented kids want to train with coaches that utilize modern methodology, not crusty old gym teachers that still think running hard 400s until vomiting is the gold standard of preparation.

3. State athletic bureaucrats are also stuck in the past. Archaic rules, schools separated by divisions based on ball sports, and limitations on athletes have hindered domestic development for decades. The footwear companies saw an opportunity to create excitement and great match ups with athletes from across the country. Good on them for doing so!

4. More and more parents, especially those with boys, are taking advantage of the “Kindergarten Redshirt”. For many kids, it’s academically advantageous to hold of enrollment in school until age six. Many children are not intellectually and socially ready for school at age five. This isn’t some plot to create a master race of 19 year old high school seniors for the purpose of rewriting the record books.

5. Enough with the shoes! Technology evolved and all consumer products get better over time. The complaints nearly all come from old men miffed that their times, or those of their heroes, are getting eclipsed. Let it go or choose to be bitter, the wider world doesn’t care about your offense.

6. For all of the complaining, Americans have steadily become more competitive on the world stage. This is a good thing! It is sad that many of you desire a return to the horrible period that was the 1990s and early 2000s when the USA sent only pack fodder to international competitions. I can only surmise that some of you were “sub-elite” during the worst era of American running and would be complete non-factors today?

The kids are alright! Let them approach the sport on their own terms, not as some vehicle for your vicarious and unrealized dreams.

Kvothe wrote:

Smells Like a Nursing Home in Here wrote:

The world has changed and many of you old farts need to understand that.

1. Want to run D1? Then you need to be an elite talent that can produce right away. The days of some plucky walk on rising to Olympic level greatness are over thanks to the House settlement.

2. Training methods are better. Talented kids want to train with coaches that utilize modern methodology, not crusty old gym teachers that still think running hard 400s until vomiting is the gold standard of preparation.

3. State athletic bureaucrats are also stuck in the past. Archaic rules, schools separated by divisions based on ball sports, and limitations on athletes have hindered domestic development for decades. The footwear companies saw an opportunity to create excitement and great match ups with athletes from across the country. Good on them for doing so!

4. More and more parents, especially those with boys, are taking advantage of the “Kindergarten Redshirt”. For many kids, it’s academically advantageous to hold of enrollment in school until age six. Many children are not intellectually and socially ready for school at age five. This isn’t some plot to create a master race of 19 year old high school seniors for the purpose of rewriting the record books.

5. Enough with the shoes! Technology evolved and all consumer products get better over time. The complaints nearly all come from old men miffed that their times, or those of their heroes, are getting eclipsed. Let it go or choose to be bitter, the wider world doesn’t care about your offense.

6. For all of the complaining, Americans have steadily become more competitive on the world stage. This is a good thing! It is sad that many of you desire a return to the horrible period that was the 1990s and early 2000s when the USA sent only pack fodder to international competitions. I can only surmise that some of you were “sub-elite” during the worst era of American running and would be complete non-factors today?

The kids are alright! Let them approach the sport on their own terms, not as some vehicle for your vicarious and unrealized dreams.

I was at best a top regional runner in my best post college years and would be a non story even with my best times in most road races today. I completely agree with everything you wrote.

Its fun to watch the sport improve and people need to let go of people like Pre, Rodgers, Kennedy, etc. as anything more than historical figures and pioneers in the sport.

male_07 wrote:

Chef Gordon Ramzi wrote:

- Kids who don't run with school teams, but instead chase times in "elite" races.

- Multiple "National Championships" which create chaos and dilute talent.

- Abundance of overage seniors.

- Shoes are the final nail in the coffin. Multiple sub-4s every year, which should be 4:08s or thereabouts.

It's all way too clinical and phoned-in. Too many "good runners" to keep track of. Vibes are just off. Really just interested in my local/state stuff now.

Lots of what OP is saying is true. It's a huge mess. These times don't make sense. There needs to be stricter rules and testing implementing, because none of it makes sense anymore. The overage seniors and the "national championship" BS really sets it off for me.

High school running should be just the athlete running for their own high school, at high school meets, and nothing more. State meets should be the final level of competition. No "unattached" or "national champ" BS. That was barely a thing 20 years ago.

4 Minute Mi-liar wrote:

Kvothe wrote:

I was at best a top regional runner in my best post college years and would be a non story even with my best times in most road races today. I completely agree with everything you wrote.

Its fun to watch the sport improve and people need to let go of people like Pre, Rodgers, Kennedy, etc. as anything more than historical figures and pioneers in the sport.

Sorry, I have no issues with what high school kids do today... but I can't let go of Pre and Rodgers and those guys because back then track and field and road racing actually mattered as sports contests. Almost any sports fan out there knew who those guys were.

By the time Kennedy came along... that had all changed. Maybe it was because the Americans couldn't beat the international guys with names you couldn't pronounce. But it is no different today. 90% of sports fans out there couldn't tell you the name of the American who won the 1500 meters in the '24 Olympics. It used to not be that way... and it sucks that its not.