We've merged two thread on the same topic into 1. The other thread was titled, "a recap of bad decisions by Aaron Sahlman" which we feel is a little too negative for a HS focused thread.
Who is coaching him?? Between the focus on the 800, training for a record he was nowhere close to, ending his CIF season early, and racing injured for little gain, makes it hard to think there was any overarching guidance here post XC.
I'm sure he has a coach. It might be an overly zealous parent or something that thinks they know how it all work but there is someone that is guiding him poorly.
Probably didn't want to pass up the free Hoka swag.
Makes me question whether it was really a tear, because it would be pretty reckless to run with that. Maybe more like a strain. Also it's really hard to tear your IT band.
10/10 he did not tear his IT band. I remember thinking that when I first heard it. Then seeing him on the start line......
To be sure, I don't doubt it hurts, but the IT band is probably the hardest tendon in the body to tear and if he did, he'd probably have to have it surgically repaired.
That looks bad. I know it is hugely disappointing not to run sub-4 in high school or challenge any of the records that he wanted to, but sometimes for your own good you have to pack in your season and look to your future. He obviously does not yet have anyone who can tell him that.
One treatment for chronic IT band pain is to release a window over the lateral femoral epicondyle. Outcome data is solid. It works. And it takes big cut. Just, you know, for our 18 year old diagnostician and the sake of discussion.
This seems like a cultural problem. While he risks his health for a meet no-one cares about the european and african phenoms are working towards DL, WC and the olympics in 2-6 or whatever years.
Plenty of African phenoms are racing or training themselves into the ground. There are always more to take up their spots when they're out.
what coach wouldn't disown their athlete for this?
I was curious as to my folks were so critical of this young man. After seeing his “walkout announcement” to the track, it told me everything I needed to know.
And yes, if I was his college coach, I’d seriously be reconsidering such a recruit. As a distance runner, he’s not playing the long game.
I agree that running hurt is a colossal mistake. So, I am completely on board with the thread in general. Where I don't agree with all of you is on the coach topic. I was self-coached in high school and any situation other than that would have been much worse. I realize most or all of you just went with whomever the school district hired and considered them 'your coach'.
At my school, the track coach was one of the football coaches - or so I recall being told. My guess is that he was keeping an eye on his team by making them do a Spring sport - just like O.J. ran track at USC. I successfully avoided the joker the whole time I was in school. We never met. Any contact could only have had negative consequences.
So, the one move I do actually approve of from this kid is refusing to pledge allegiance to the official school coach. A lot of mistakes were made, sure. But I will defend that particular decision.
I'm sure he has a coach. It might be an overly zealous parent or something that thinks they know how it all work but there is someone that is guiding him poorly.
Probably didn't want to pass up the free Hoka swag.
Why would anyone comment as if they have all of the information regarding Aaron’s injury? Are you his doctor? Obviously a misdiagnosis regarding the IT band. And the cop comment… totally unnecessary and malicious.
Why would anyone comment as if they have all of the information regarding Aaron’s injury? Are you his doctor? Obviously a misdiagnosis regarding the IT band. And the cop comment… totally unnecessary and malicious.
Dude, our evidence is that Aaron Sahlman posted it online himself. And then 3 days later he was in the race video trying to break 4 in the mile and limped off. There is evidence of this. No we aren't his doctor and don't need to be.
Ditch The Coach, he was running for the best high school distance coach ever by the #'s. No coach in any length of career has produced more sub-9s or 8:30s or 8:40s: you name the metric for top quality times. It's entirely possible that he didn't actually tear his IT band, since that is very uncommon, but it clearly is in bad shape and he made it worse by racing. I understand the mentality--last chance to break 4 as a high schooler (doing it in college is too common to care too much about it), last chance to upstage the Youngs in high school, last chance to beat down the doubters. I hope it wasn't his last chance to get healthy for freshman cross country.
I watched a video of the Hoka race. Much of it was focused on the athletes interacting before & after the race. They were all being appropriately silly and typical for full of themselves high schoolers. But there's a time to joke around and a time to get serious. Sahlman might be willing to train but his demeanor is otherwise unserious. He has a very immature attitude. It's athletes like him that will prove the worth of a coach. Reigning him in will be part of the challenge for Mike Smith.
I watched a video of the Hoka race. Much of it was focused on the athletes interacting before & after the race. They were all being appropriately silly and typical for full of themselves high schoolers. But there's a time to joke around and a time to get serious. Sahlman might be willing to train but his demeanor is otherwise unserious. He has a very immature attitude. It's athletes like him that will prove the worth of a coach. Reigning him in will be part of the challenge for Mike Smith.
I saw that video too. the first half was almost all Aaron Sahlman, but then after the race (where he didn't finish) he's nowhere to be seen. clearly upset or embarrased about what happened and he refused to participate. I was hoping he'd talk about the race, his mindset, why he pulled up, little thing like that would have been interesting. instead, it ended with the other sub-4 runners at McDonalds. lame.
I watched a video of the Hoka race. Much of it was focused on the athletes interacting before & after the race. They were all being appropriately silly and typical for full of themselves high schoolers. But there's a time to joke around and a time to get serious. Sahlman might be willing to train but his demeanor is otherwise unserious. He has a very immature attitude. It's athletes like him that will prove the worth of a coach. Reigning him in will be part of the challenge for Mike Smith.
I saw that video too. the first half was almost all Aaron Sahlman, but then after the race (where he didn't finish) he's nowhere to be seen. clearly upset or embarrased about what happened and he refused to participate. I was hoping he'd talk about the race, his mindset, why he pulled up, little thing like that would have been interesting. instead, it ended with the other sub-4 runners at McDonalds. lame.
>>and he refused to participate.<<
...or he was in pain and getting treatment? Which is more likely?
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