Sarah Baxter

sasdad wrote:

I was at the meet. She literally JOGGED both races. Her coach only lets her go all out for the big meets. Last Year she ran a 10:44 3200 the week before she ran the 10:08 at Arcadia. This year in XC she ran 16:12 on an all flat course and later when on to run 16 flat on the hilliest course in the nation. This conservative "holding her back" approach taken by her coach is in my opinion a large reason for her success.

Very good point.

Anna Rohrer also opened up her season this weekend.

Ran 10:26 in an indoor meet at Purdue.

HS is setup for Cain to shine a bit more I'd say, as she seems a natural 800/1500/5000 type, whereas Baxter appears to be a 5000-MAR type, which is likely more lucrative as a professional given the money in road racing. As has been stated, Cain is being allowed to run free, Baxter has the reins holding her back. Given their respective natural talents are slightly different, I think both girls are taking the right approach. As long as they are enjoying themselves it's perfect.

detroitcity wrote: I'm not impressed.

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself when you're taking a leak.

Coach coach wrote:

HS is setup for Cain to shine a bit more I'd say, as she seems a natural 800/1500/5000 type, whereas Baxter appears to be a 5000-MAR type, which is likely more lucrative as a professional given the money in road racing. As has been stated, Cain is being allowed to run free, Baxter has the reins holding her back. Given their respective natural talents are slightly different, I think both girls are taking the right approach. As long as they are enjoying themselves it's perfect.

+1. Most intelligent post I've seen on here so far.

Erin Finn had been injured last fall. Seems to be getting in high gear and could have a great outdoor season in her senior year.

Big Blue has a good one in Finn -- and Finn writes a smart, witty blog.

Nothing against Sarah Baxter. Wish her well.

At least Sarah is smart enough not to let a race against Mary Cain come down to a kick. It seems like some of our pros might want to learn from this strategy.

Jerome Kopf wrote:

Finn writes a smart, witty blog.

link

Mary Cain just ran 5:05

This settles the issue.

Let's be smart here. All we can really say is these things:

Last fall, Baxter was better than Cain on a muddy course on Dec. 1. If Baxter and Cain would have raced 5 times over different courses at different times, Baxter would have won most or all of them.

Cain is clearly better on the track at any distance 2 miles or below. Baxter may break 10:00 or even around 9:50, but she will not approach 9:40.

If they raced 5k on the track? Hard to say. I'd favor Cain, but it would be a better race than the 2M would.

Anything over 5k, Baxter looks pretty good. If they race XC again next fall at nationals, if Cain even goes that route, it should be pretty close, I'd say.

Sarah is not awkward at all in person.

Not everyone is comfortable in front of a camera and microphone.

This is an idiotic comparison. Cain has a good chance to meet the "A" standard in the 1500 this year; she has a good chance to make the World team this year; Cain is already a national class runner on the senior level. Baxter might become a national class runner in the 5 and 10 . . . might . . . and it might take years, which doesn't diminish the fact that she is a terrific high school distance runner, and one of the best high school cross country runners we've seen. However, would anyone be surprised to see Cain beat the likes of Rowbury and Simpson? I would not.

ifififi wrote:

Let's be smart here. All we can really say is these things:

Last fall, Baxter was better than Cain on a muddy course on Dec. 1. If Baxter and Cain would have raced 5 times over different courses at different times, Baxter would have won most or all of them.

Cain is clearly better on the track at any distance 2 miles or below. Baxter may break 10:00 or even around 9:50, but she will not approach 9:40.

If they raced 5k on the track? Hard to say. I'd favor Cain, but it would be a better race than the 2M would.

Anything over 5k, Baxter looks pretty good. If they race XC again next fall at nationals, if Cain even goes that route, it should be pretty close, I'd say.

After a 5:05 full mile won a senior national championship, her 5:10 1600 doesn't seem so bad!

Baxter can't even run 58.61 for a 400.

CAINNNNN wrote:

Baxter can't even run 58.61 for a 400.

Cain can't even win a 5k cross-country race against Baxter.

They are both different girls. Cain is a middle-distance runner and Baxter is a long-distance runner.

Cain is the better runner right now, definitely, but who knows what the future holds. If they were to race a 10k, I'd give it to Baxter.

Coach coach wrote:

HS is setup for Cain to shine a bit more I'd say, as she seems a natural 800/1500/5000 type, whereas Baxter appears to be a 5000-MAR type, which is likely more lucrative as a professional given the money in road racing. As has been stated, Cain is being allowed to run free, Baxter has the reins holding her back. Given their respective natural talents are slightly different, I think both girls are taking the right approach. As long as they are enjoying themselves it's perfect.

This is a good perspective. I'm not sure why there are so many posters that insist on pitting these 2 16 year-old girls against each other.

We have seen so many girl proteges that have failed to make the transition to successful, mature adult runners for any number of reasons - from physical changes, to eating/emotional disorders, to just loss of interest or motivation.

Can't we just root for Cain and Baxter to succeed in their own way and on the time schedule that is best for them?

Anyone who thinks 5:10 was an all out effort for Sarah Baxter is flat out stupid.

SHE STARTED MT SAC XC WITH A 5:06 FIRST MILE

You will all pipe down when she crushes the 10 minute barrier at Arcadia(always her first true "race" of track season)

Btw, lets say she runs 9:55 this season. Is that superior to Cain?...OF COURSE NOT. But that doesn't take away from the fact that Sub 10 is an incredible accomplishment for a high school girl.

So lets enjoy them for what they are. One is a cross country god and one is a track god.

Montesquieu wrote:

This is an idiotic comparison. Cain has a good chance to meet the "A" standard in the 1500 this year; she has a good chance to make the World team this year; Cain is already a national class runner on the senior level. Baxter might become a national class runner in the 5 and 10

Cain is clearly better on the track at any distance 2 miles or below. Baxter may break 10:00 or even around 9:50, but she will not approach 9:40.

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But Baxter has been HELD BACK in her running. She literally has a squad of boys whose only job is to grab her and tackle her to the ground if she begins to run fast AT ALL in training. Her highest mileage was 53 miles... for the YEAR. She does most of her training in army boots while doing her AP calculus homework. She wanted to run an extra lap at NXN, but her coach tackled her at the finish line to keep her from continuing. She doesn't run in the mud, the mud IMPLORES her to "Step here!" so that it can buoy her forward. The rest of the mud gets mad and spits in the eye of Mary Cain.