Biggest improvements you've seen in high school?

Broughton freshman Tyler Burke went from 18:33 5k last fall to 9:49 3200 this spring. Huge jump there

Wayzata’s Tal Havilio (Sr) went from 10:21 in the 3200 last year to 9:41 this year at Wayzata relays

Jaron Allen from Rocky Mt HS in Idaho.

13:04/6:01 guy his freshman year, just finished as a 10:00 guy and earned an opportunity to run in college at College of Southern of Idaho.

It looks like took a bunch of attempts at breaking 10, including running 4 3200m races in 13 days.

Rocky fan boys love to talk about how great Jeff Howard is, but this is brain dead coaching.

I think looking at the District standards for this year it was 9:57 so I’m sure Jaron wanted to try to get into his first ever Varsity Districts for track and the 3200 was his best chance.

Could be true. Especially since he never got to race at the state meet or NXR championship race for XC

Also, Goggins from Rocky Mountain went from 19:47 in 2022 to 16:25 in 2023

Future teammates at College of Southern Idaho it looks like! Cool opportunity for two kids with humble starts in the sport!

The standard was top 32 in the district. If you ran 9:56.99 and were 33rd, you didn't go to varsity districts. I'm sure that was the case, but racing the 3200 that much is crazy. It does benefit kids to race at other distances.

Not that it makes it any less impressive, but Goggins ran 19:15 in 2022. A nearly 3 minute improvement is still crazy.

I think this is a perfect thread to talk about improvement of Rocky Mountain runners (or Idaho runners in general) in, because Idaho is talked about so much on this website, and this is the only way to keep this thread going, since this thread is usually dead anyways

Davis Garrett from Buchholz made a huge jump from last year. Last year his PR in the 1600 was 4:58, but this year he ran a 4:17 at the 4A state meet and took 3rd.

Jonah Bennion - 17:22 5k XC to 9:53 3200 in track

I think it’s really a symptom of Idaho having a pretty good running scene but feeling largely unknown.

That being said-

Austin Johnston from Boise. Only broke 18 twice, fastest time at Rose City in 17:35. Went 9:45 this season.

Jeremiah Petersen from Eagle. 17:19.9 last fall, only a 16:50 at Woodbridge. Went 4:22.

FM NY has a freshman Nick Russell who’s 5k was 21:50 last fall, but this spring he ran a 10:13 3200

Taylorsville UT 5k improvements

Elliot Stout - 17:11 in 2023 to 15:33 in 2024

Edward Stout - 16:30 in 2023 to 15:01 in 2024

Jack Winward - 19:55 in 2023 to 17:03 in 2024

He won a modified XC race in 2023 as an 8th grader.

He only had 3 races in 2024 so this likely means he was injured that season

San Clemente CA: Mattheus Dos Santos - 17:53 5k in 2023. 15:21 5k in 2024

Senior year Jane Hedengren took 4th at Woodbridge, but at NXR and NXN, no one could challenge her