Minor addendum that Welch ran an 8:50 steeple and took 4th at the (last ever) Pac-12 champs this spring
Kind of confusing process from Carlson because, without naming names, some of the "survivors" are not as fast as some of the kids who got cut. Seems like he maybe took into account relative youth and high school pedigree in addition to actual results at CU
The crazy thing to consider is the dynamic this must create. "How fast do I have to run this year to be safe next year? It's either me or my teammate/roommate/friend. How can I get an edge?" Not *entirely* on Sean but it seems like now more than ever rosters will comprise individuals rather than a cohesive team. Bummer, to say the least
I also wonder what the ripple effects will be in terms of training risk and lifestyle choices
Either way, this is likely just the beginning at CU and nationwide. It will be interesting to see if something like quasi-official "farm teams" develop where kids race unattached in the hopes of earning a scholarship later in their collegiate careers. If I were a recruit, I wouldn't buy into that kind of premise, but I digress
Here's hoping we haven't seen the last of these guys and they're able to get to a better situation sooner than later