Who in the field genuinely cares about winning the Arcadia 2 mile? I think it's more likely that the field isn't as good as last year and nobody was capable of setting a hard pace to begin with (in the sense that they'd still be competitive until the last 200). I mean we had a full random win NXN.
Apparently those boys cared about winning it. I suspect Sam Ruthe’s addition to the field increased the perceived importance of the race by bringing national pride into the mix.
....
That was the downfall of the race so many American sub minute milers and then the 15 yr old AGE group WB from another country. All the Americans wanted to beat the others and especially beat Sam. Because of the quality of the TOP 5 there was no chance of it ever being fast because everyone in the field had decided to run for 6th place and it showed...
I may be biased as a resident of Las Vegas, but I had the most respect for Kenan Dagge in that 3200. He entered with a 3200 PR of 8:54 and after putting himself in position during the first couple of laps when everyone was dicking around, he took the pace and pushed it, and ended up with 8:50.10 PR, breaking his own Nevada state record.
That was the downfall of the race so many American sub minute milers and then the 15 yr old AGE group WB from another country. All the Americans wanted to beat the others and especially beat Sam. Because of the quality of the TOP 5 there was no chance of it ever being fast because everyone in the field had decided to run for 6th place and it showed...
Not sure that they were all running for 6th, but this is pretty close to answering “Why would these kids let Arcadia go slow??”
First off, 4:28/4:29 at 1600 isn’t like some snail’s pace, and based on the splits I think basically everyone capable of running sub-9 in the invitational race cleared that barrier.
But the class of the field, the guys who would have been capable of confidently leading through in 4:20 without risk of shooting themselves in the foot, were more concerned with trying to win, which is understandable in a competitive foot race. Sure, there’s no “national title” ascribed to the race, but when it’s the most competitive 3200 of the year and the list of recent winners includes Sahlman-Birnbaum-Simmons, the stakes and prestige assign themselves. None of the sub-4 guys wanted to lead 2400m and then finish 5th in 8:36 in a race that would be remembered as the time 4 kids broke 8:35.
Most of the other guys in the race wanted a ride to a fast time, which again is understandable. They wanted to hitch themselves to the magical Arcadia peloton, stay as relaxed as possible and hopefully move up in the last 800 and set a big PR. Without spending too much time looking into it, I’m sure a lot of them did run PRs, albeit maybe not the big rewrites they were dreaming of. One guy who did not PR is Manny Putz, who ran 9:05 (he ran 9:08 at Arcadia last year, 8:56y at NON ‘24, 9:00y at NIN ‘25), and he was the only guy who tried taking it on in the first 3 laps and then went from 1st to 36th place between 1200 and 2000m. This is largely because running PR pace from the front is hard, physically and mentally (as is falling from 1st to 36th place).
I think people are crapping on this race too much. It’s not really fair to work yourself into a tizzy expecting a national record winning time and dozens of crazy PRs from the comfort of your chair, since no meet can exceed expectations year after year, and there’s no actual magic at Arcadia. We still got 23 kids at 8:54 or faster, 12 sub-8:50, and a winner running 8:39 with a 54 last 400, which I believe is a historical first (correct me if I’m wrong…maybe Hunter and Kessler came close). Much of the last lap was exciting as it looked possible for Tostenson or Ruthe to close down on Powell if he tired. It was a more entertaining race than 3 years ago when Sahlman ran 8:34.99, Leo Young 8:35.72, and those two finished 60 meters clear of third place—only 8 broke 8:50 that year, by the way.
Was up? I was wondering why she wasn’t entered in the 3200m. Seems like a good opportunity for a High School PB.
Heard from another Santiago girl that Santiago’s Prom was tonight. Props to Rylee for being a kid and choosing Prom over Arcadia, but I wish we could have seen her in that race. She’s not beating Jane right now but she wouldn’t be too far off.
No excuse for that dawdling pace. Jane Hedengren showed how it's done. It would have been very easy for the Crater boys and Powell to have gotten together and shared pacing duties (they're all U of W commits). Could have gone 4:17 and then would have had a shot at the Arcadia record.
Was up? I was wondering why she wasn’t entered in the 3200m. Seems like a good opportunity for a High School PB.
Heard from another Santiago girl that Santiago’s Prom was tonight. Props to Rylee for being a kid and choosing Prom over Arcadia, but I wish we could have seen her in that race.
She’s not beating Jane right now but she wouldn’t be too far off.
Well, Rylee Blade just ran an outdoor 3200 in 10 minutes, which is pretty far off of what Jane Hedengren ran last night.
That was the downfall of the race so many American sub minute milers and then the 15 yr old AGE group WB from another country. All the Americans wanted to beat the others and especially beat Sam. Because of the quality of the TOP 5 there was no chance of it ever being fast because everyone in the field had decided to run for 6th place and it showed...
Not sure that they were all running for 6th, but this is pretty close to answering “Why would these kids let Arcadia go slow??”
First off, 4:28/4:29 at 1600 isn’t like some snail’s pace, and based on the splits I think basically everyone capable of running sub-9 in the invitational race cleared that barrier.
But the class of the field, the guys who would have been capable of confidently leading through in 4:20 without risk of shooting themselves in the foot, were more concerned with trying to win, which is understandable in a competitive foot race. Sure, there’s no “national title” ascribed to the race, but when it’s the most competitive 3200 of the year and the list of recent winners includes Sahlman-Birnbaum-Simmons, the stakes and prestige assign themselves. None of the sub-4 guys wanted to lead 2400m and then finish 5th in 8:36 in a race that would be remembered as the time 4 kids broke 8:35.
Most of the other guys in the race wanted a ride to a fast time, which again is understandable. They wanted to hitch themselves to the magical Arcadia peloton, stay as relaxed as possible and hopefully move up in the last 800 and set a big PR. Without spending too much time looking into it, I’m sure a lot of them did run PRs, albeit maybe not the big rewrites they were dreaming of. One guy who did not PR is Manny Putz, who ran 9:05 (he ran 9:08 at Arcadia last year, 8:56y at NON ‘24, 9:00y at NIN ‘25), and he was the only guy who tried taking it on in the first 3 laps and then went from 1st to 36th place between 1200 and 2000m. This is largely because running PR pace from the front is hard, physically and mentally (as is falling from 1st to 36th place).
I think people are crapping on this race too much. It’s not really fair to work yourself into a tizzy expecting a national record winning time and dozens of crazy PRs from the comfort of your chair, since no meet can exceed expectations year after year, and there’s no actual magic at Arcadia. We still got 23 kids at 8:54 or faster, 12 sub-8:50, and a winner running 8:39 with a 54 last 400, which I believe is a historical first (correct me if I’m wrong…maybe Hunter and Kessler came close). Much of the last lap was exciting as it looked possible for Tostenson or Ruthe to close down on Powell if he tired. It was a more entertaining race than 3 years ago when Sahlman ran 8:34.99, Leo Young 8:35.72, and those two finished 60 meters clear of third place—only 8 broke 8:50 that year, by the way.
I struggle to understand why people get so worked up over tactics in a high school race. First of all, let us not forget that we are talking about kids here. Ease up a bit. Also, everyone has the right to pursue a race strategy they think is in their own best interest. If that shakes out in a way that leads to a tactical race, well, friends, sometimes that’s the way the cookie crumbles. These kids are just out there running a race. That’s all that happened here.
No excuse for that dawdling pace. Jane Hedengren showed how it's done. It would have been very easy for the Crater boys and Powell to have gotten together and shared pacing duties (they're all U of W commits). Could have gone 4:17 and then would have had a shot at the Arcadia record.
She has bigger balls then that entire boys field.
OWEN POWELL HAS THE BIGGEST BALLS OF THEM ALL. Best Arcadia Race EVER. The way he flowed down the track was magical. I’m so happy I got to see him in person. The way he came at the end was the best part! 😋
why would a group of 33 people let the race go tactical against 5 sub 4 milers? there was no work to do tonight. the weather is the best i’ve ever seen it. cool, with zero wind. perfect place to come and run fast. is this upcoming generation just a bunch of sit and kick bums?
Owen Powell is NOT a sit and kick BUM. He won in a tactical MASTTCLASS. Easily had 8:1X in his legs 🤫🤫
Joseph Socarras of Belen was incredible at the Arcadia Invitational in CA on Saturday, running a new Florida High School State Record of 1:47.66 in the 800m.
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