The special case of Angelina Napoleon

D1.sound_reasoning. wrote:

In her first race with NC State, Angelina Napoleon clocked a 4:43 mile at the BU Season Opener in December 2023. A 4:43 mile has the following calculator equivalents: 9:21/16:14.

11 months later, Napoleon closed the 2024 cross-country season with a Season Fitness Estimate of 16:14, being awarded a 16:11 TiC at Natty’s 2024. Two weeks after that Natty’s performance, she clocked a 9:07, which has a 15:50 equivalent.

11 months later, the leveled-up Napoleon closed the 2025 cross-country season with a Season Fitness Estimate of 15:20. Although her Natty’s performance was only a 15:40, her lowest TiC of the season was a 15:17 at Nuttycombe. A 15:20 has an equivalent of 8:49.

Because of an endless year of strung-together seasons, concluding with her running-on-fumes in the last k of the recent Natty’s, I wouldn’t fault Napoleon for shutting it down now and forgoing the BU Season Opener this year.

However, if Napoleon does run the 3000m there, it will be interesting to see if she can get under 8:50.

D1.sound_reasoning. wrote:

In her first race with NC State, Angelina Napoleon clocked a 4:43 mile at the BU Season Opener in December 2023. A 4:43 mile has the following calculator equivalents: 9:21/16:14.

11 months later, Napoleon closed the 2024 cross-country season with a Season Fitness Estimate of 16:14, being awarded a 16:11 TiC at Natty’s 2024. Two weeks after that Natty’s performance, she clocked a 9:07, which has a 15:50 equivalent.

11 months later, the leveled-up Napoleon closed the 2025 cross-country season with a Season Fitness Estimate of 15:20. Although her Natty’s performance was only a 15:40, her lowest TiC of the season was a 15:17 at Nuttycombe. A 15:20 has an equivalent of 8:49.

Because of an endless year of strung-together seasons, concluding with her running-on-fumes in the last k of the recent Natty’s, I wouldn’t fault Napoleon for shutting it down now and forgoing the BU Season Opener this year.

However, if Napoleon does run the 3000m there, it will be interesting to see if she can get under 8:50.

D1.sound_reasoning. wrote:

In her first race with NC State, Angelina Napoleon clocked a 4:43 mile at the BU Season Opener in December 2023. A 4:43 mile has the following calculator equivalents: 9:21/16:14.

11 months later, Napoleon closed the 2024 cross-country season with a Season Fitness Estimate of 16:14, being awarded a 16:11 TiC at Natty’s 2024. Two weeks after that Natty’s performance, she clocked a 9:07, which has a 15:50 equivalent.

11 months later, the leveled-up Napoleon closed the 2025 cross-country season with a Season Fitness Estimate of 15:20. Although her Natty’s performance was only a 15:40, her lowest TiC of the season was a 15:17 at Nuttycombe. A 15:20 has an equivalent of 8:49.

Because of an endless year of strung-together seasons, concluding with her running-on-fumes in the last k of the recent Natty’s, I wouldn’t fault Napoleon for shutting it down now and forgoing the BU Season Opener this year.

However, if Napoleon does run the 3000m there, it will be interesting to see if she can get under 8:50.

LetsRunSpecial wrote:

pack phan wrote:

Til Sec Kennedy removes it, there's fluoride in the water.

It's actually a nice analysis you did. Gapes & Hartman are definitely the 2 winners in improvement.

What you are of course not including are all the non improvers.

Examples from Tuohy's class: Starliper, Hendrix, Shulz, Walters.

Also: Moreno, Tyynismaa, Rauber, Seymour.

Recently: Shea, Hall, Stephens, Quarzo&Quarzo, Templier.

Like all coaches and programs; running can be brutal as not everything works out.

Then be honest message would be:
Even in the best program in the country, the odds of making a major breakthrough—like Hartman, Gapes, Napoleon, probably Bush, and likely Michalak—are only about one-third. There’s also roughly a chance of getting injured if you push yourself too hard, as happened with Starliper and Stephens (and hopefully not Shea). For the remaining, your performance may level off (like Mareno, Tyynismma, Rauber, Seymour), but you’ll still experience the thrill of being part of an excellent team, the sportsmanship, and the camaraderie that can become some of the most meaningful memories of your life.
Many people in America make a lot of money—some Ivy League graduates included—but only a few get to carry truly cherished and pride-filled memories with them.

The final burger wrote:

D1.sound_reasoning. wrote:

In her first race with NC State, Angelina Napoleon clocked a 4:43 mile at the BU Season Opener in December 2023. A 4:43 mile has the following calculator equivalents: 9:21/16:14.

11 months later, Napoleon closed the 2024 cross-country season with a Season Fitness Estimate of 16:14, being awarded a 16:11 TiC at Natty’s 2024. Two weeks after that Natty’s performance, she clocked a 9:07, which has a 15:50 equivalent.

11 months later, the leveled-up Napoleon closed the 2025 cross-country season with a Season Fitness Estimate of 15:20. Although her Natty’s performance was only a 15:40, her lowest TiC of the season was a 15:17 at Nuttycombe. A 15:20 has an equivalent of 8:49.

Because of an endless year of strung-together seasons, concluding with her running-on-fumes in the last k of the recent Natty’s, I wouldn’t fault Napoleon for shutting it down now and forgoing the BU Season Opener this year.

However, if Napoleon does run the 3000m there, it will be interesting to see if she can get under 8:50.

She was sick at nationals. Go pack