Texas, big track state.
Texas, big track state.
Here are some records from NYS:
http://www.tullyrunners.com/RecNysBoys.htm
You'll notice that not all of those guys are exactly household names. The moral of the story? Your time from 8th grade doesn't matter as much as your attitude in 8th grade. Focus on dreaming big, working hard, and making sacrifices - from that foundation, you'll achieve, even if you don't break every age group record on the way to where you're going.
Any other thoughts on world caliber 8th grade 3200m times?
Top 1600 meter times for 8th graders nationally per Athletic.net in the 2013 season (note, may not be fully inclusive of all national times, but good enough to give a sense of performance ranges)
1. Austin Byrer 4:37.41
2. Noah Wallace 4:41.50
3. Thomas Weakland 4:42.80
4. Nick Chaplik 4:42.81a
5. Kyle Hurd 4:44.10
6. Ryan Parson 4:45.00
7. Thomas Hill 4:46.22
8. Hayden Scott 4:46.67
9. David Johnson 4:47.00
10. Daniel Cohen 4:47.16
Getting under 5 is a solid indicator of talent, getting under 4:50 shows elite potential. But there's a million other factors that could influence your end potential.
Basically, as an 8th grader, don't do too much mileage/interval work, keep it fun. If you can run fast without maxing out your training, it's a great sign. Good luck.
JustAGuyWhoReadsLetsRun wrote:
Top 1600 meter times for 8th graders nationally per Athletic.net in the 2013 season (note, may not be fully inclusive of all national times, but good enough to give a sense of performance ranges)
1. Austin Byrer 4:37.41
2. Noah Wallace 4:41.50
3. Thomas Weakland 4:42.80
4. Nick Chaplik 4:42.81a
5. Kyle Hurd 4:44.10
6. Ryan Parson 4:45.00
7. Thomas Hill 4:46.22
8. Hayden Scott 4:46.67
9. David Johnson 4:47.00
10. Daniel Cohen 4:47.16
Getting under 5 is a solid indicator of talent, getting under 4:50 shows elite potential. But there's a million other factors that could influence your end potential.
Basically, as an 8th grader, don't do too much mileage/interval work, keep it fun. If you can run fast without maxing out your training, it's a great sign. Good luck.
Is that for the entire season?
my gradeschool catholic school's track program had a pretty crazy championship race when i was in 8th grade. Top kid went 4:31 (2:05 double the same day), next went 4:37, third went 4:41 or so. The kid who ran 4:41 is now one of the top 5 distance runners in the state, the 4:31 kid has been somewhat inconsistent, but still is doing great, medalling at states, while the 4:37 kid seems less motivated, though still has broken 16:00 for a 5k. Moral of the story is grade school success often translates great for high school, but is hard to predict. The 4:31 kid was skinny, undeveloped, and short in 8th grade for reference.
Start training with a weight vest. If you can run a 12 minute 2 mile with a 30 pound weight vest, then a 11 minute 2 mile with a 25 pound weight vest, then a 10 minute 2 mile with a 20 pound weight vest, then you should be in fine shape to drop just 1 minute off when you take the weight vest off.
Middle school success is not necesarily a great indicator for success. Some people mature earlier than others. Some people train much harder in middle school. 5:00 in middle school is very good. 5:00 as a freshman isn't nearly as impressive. I have seen people go from 5:40 in middle school to 5:00 as freshmen. I have seen 5:00 in middle school run ~4:30 as a freshman. I have also seen 5:00 8th graders run similar times throughout high school. Too many variables to determine potential. A lot depends on training and physical maturity in middle school. Have fun and work hard.
Why does everybody talk about physical maturity being a factor in why a kid won't improve in high school if they are a mature 8th grader? Do we tell high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors they aren't going to get much better because they are physically mature now? Yes, a mature 8th grade probably will run faster than a less mature peer, but any time of high fours/low fives, especially on limited training, shows very good potential no matter how mature they are. Continued success depends much more upon work ethic, training program, good health, and desire to win. I'm sure a kid that's physically mature in 8th grade who can run 4:40-5:10 who is willing to work hard and stays healthy is most likely going to have success in high school.
thati s a good point
maturity nonsense wrote:
Why does everybody talk about physical maturity being a factor in why a kid won't improve in high school if they are a mature 8th grader? Do we tell high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors they aren't going to get much better because they are physically mature now? Yes, a mature 8th grade probably will run faster than a less mature peer, but any time of high fours/low fives, especially on limited training, shows very good potential no matter how mature they are. Continued success depends much more upon work ethic, training program, good health, and desire to win. I'm sure a kid that's physically mature in 8th grade who can run 4:40-5:10 who is willing to work hard and stays healthy is most likely going to have success in high school.
8th grade times do not mean anything. I ran 5:20 and 2:31 in 8th grade. My freshmen year in college I was able to run 30:30 for a 10k. Don't worry about times and stuff when you're in 8th grade. just go out and have fun!
Weight Vest Runner wrote:
Start training with a weight vest. If you can run a 12 minute 2 mile with a 30 pound weight vest, then a 11 minute 2 mile with a 25 pound weight vest, then a 10 minute 2 mile with a 20 pound weight vest, then you should be in fine shape to drop just 1 minute off when you take the weight vest off.
dont do this
Quality not quantity wrote:
In 8th grade I ran 4:42 on 12-15 mpw, here's my HS progression.
9th grade--4:31. 30-35 mpw 1 workout per week, no long runs
10th grade-4:24. 40 mpw. Ditto
11th grade-4:18. 45-50 mpw. Ditto
12th grade-4:12 50-55 mpw. 10 mile long runs
Good luck.
could have been faster off more mileage
if you really want to get into elite time ranges like 4:10 and sub 9 for 3200m you should be at least 60-70mpw if not more in base phase
also, some posters are noting 4:20-4:30 mile times as national class for 8th graders. This is substantially exaggerated and therefore false.
While there have been a few prodigious standouts to run such times before high school, generally "elite" middle schoolers will run ~4:45 for a mile and ~10:20 for a 3200. This is based off my personal experiences/opinion, as aggregate data/rankings on a national level for middle school track are either nonexistent or incomplete. In this sense, I'm defining "elite" as times that would rank you among the top runners in a good state, for that event.
Not many states have middle school track championships, but if you are looking for more perspective look up some results from major middle school state meets or invitationals and check out some of the best times from those meets.
Be very careful who you pick for a high school coach. Many good 8th graders are ruined by coaches who think they found their meal ticket.
For most, it is probably better to not be really good in middle school.
Do not sweat things, I was like that in middle school and early hs, now in college and i cant run anymore due to injuries, train smart and think about times later
Its a point, but not a good one. Not everyone is cut out to be an exceptional runner. You need to have genes and talent. When you mature early, you may reach your peak faster and not improve much after. You can't turn any regular Joe into Galen Krupp with hard work.
Future of Kenya wrote:
thati s a good point
maturity nonsense wrote:Why does everybody talk about physical maturity being a factor in why a kid won't improve in high school if they are a mature 8th grader? Do we tell high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors they aren't going to get much better because they are physically mature now? Yes, a mature 8th grade probably will run faster than a less mature peer, but any time of high fours/low fives, especially on limited training, shows very good potential no matter how mature they are. Continued success depends much more upon work ethic, training program, good health, and desire to win. I'm sure a kid that's physically mature in 8th grade who can run 4:40-5:10 who is willing to work hard and stays healthy is most likely going to have success in high school.
The OP was asking about success in high school not becoming Galen Rupp. I maintain that with a good coach, strong work ethic, ability to remain healthy, a 4:50 8th grader, no matter their physical maturity, is very likely going to have a great HIGH SCHOOL career, unless that 8th grader is already running 50 miles a week.
fanboi wrote:
Its a point, but not a good one. Not everyone is cut out to be an exceptional runner. You need to have genes and talent. When you mature early, you may reach your peak faster and not improve much after. You can't turn any regular Joe into Galen Krupp with hard work.
Future of Kenya wrote:thati s a good point
Future of Kenya wrote:
In high school, I want to run sub 8:50, NXN, Footlocker, everything. I know it's too early to tell in middle school, and that I should take everything step by step. I want to know what I can do right now in 8th grade to help me be successful in the future.
Running is my passion, something that I could spend my entire life training and winning.
One of my teammates was a big road runner starting in 6th grade. He ran 10ks, 5miles, nothing over 10miles, sometimes 5ks, but we ran in the 70s/80s and 5ks were not really held back then or they were considered "fun runs" for kids.
Not sure why he thought he should do the 10k/10mile races as I found out later that his Dad was the New Jersey State Champ in the 440y and Big 10 Champ in the 880y indoors and out, but his dad was a hardcore, pushy parent and this was the peak of the Running Boom ... so I guess that is why.
Anyway, he was very, very good and ran 35:59 and 17:28 in 7th grade. The 10k time was a National age Group Record for 12 yr olds.
Anyway, he ran Hershey Nationals for track. not sure if they have those anymore, but you competed in a "state meet" then a "regional meet" and those qualified you for the National Finals. Summer of 8th grade, when he should have been training for XC season coming up he ran those meets and was running a bunch of track workouts. He ran 2nd in the 1500m (which I think was the longest event they had) and ran 4:24, which is a 4:45 mile and 4:43 1600.
He had a pretty good XC season as a frosh ((running 16:22 on a real course and placing high at State Meet) and then was injured for indoor/outdoor track for 9th grade (ran one meet of 2:10/4:43), and injured for XC/indoor/outdoor for 10th grade.
Came back fairly strong as a junior (having missed a year and a half) in XC. Trained pretty spottily and ran mostly a little slower than he did as a frosh, but pulled a 15:57 out of his ear at the end of the season and then bombed at State.
Trained spottily that Winter, or maybe not at all. Ended up running :53/2:01/4:26/9:47 in 11th grade outdoor (found he had some speed).
Trained not at all and had a lackluster XC season. did not win Conference, Regional or State Meets. Ran an OK indoor season, although I think it was just 2 or 3 meets. He ran a 2:01/4:30 double at Spartan Relays and was beaten by Todd Williams as a junior (who ran 4:23 in the 1600).
Caught fire in his last outdoor season and ran 1:54.71 early (and several races from 1:57-2:03) and 4:20 in two races (with first 800 splits of 2:03 and 2:01!!) and several races of 4:24-4:30. He also ran a 9:37 in maybe his only 3200m. Ran 1:55 for 5th at State Meet in a race won in 1:53, and a 1:55r leg at MW Meet of Champions.
Ran for MSU one year which included some 26-high to 27-mid XC 8ks. Some OK 1000yd and 800m indoor races. Best race outdoors was a 3:57 1500 (worth 4:15 for 1600m).
So, my long-winded point is that it matters little what you do in 8th grade. Alan Webb ran 4:20 as a freshman after having run very little and being overweight from swimming. But he could run an all-time great type time because he had Alan Webb-type talent!! He ran a soph-record 4:06 the next yr, and 3:59 indoors and 3:53y.
If you train very hard and don't break 4:30 or 10:00 as a freshman, you don't have 8:50y type of talent.