And on this point, age does matter. All the foregoing aside, a college age runner is going to have more stamina and better physical development than a high school runner. Like it or not, the fact that Cook is 19 (sorry 18 yrs, 11 months) and is the same age as a second semester college freshman is a legitimate part of evaluating the performance. Maybe I am wrong but it just seems a bit unsporting.
Please list all the 18 year old true freshman "college age" runners who have run 15:25 since your implication is that its not nearly as big a deal for college freshmen to run that fast. if the answer is not many, than by definition, this time is exceptional whether she is a high school senior or a college freshman.
Maybe there have been none. Let's not make comparisons difficult though. Cook is faster than Tuohy. Tuohy is 20 while Cook is 18. I will assume that the May birthday is real even though nobody has verified it but she is still more than a year younger than Tuohy even though she is faster. Most people here use Tuohy as the gold standard.
I have said over and over it is a great time. But my assessment of the effort and the race are perfectly fair. Cook trained hard and is a very talented runner regardless.
And attempts at deflection aside, Cook's age clearly matters when we are talking about high school records and comparing her to high school athletes who graduated a year younger than she did. It is simple perspective. Spin all you want, but essentially a 19 year old is in the books for breaking a high school track record where the oldest high school athletes are typically a full year younger.
I have said over and over it is a great time. But my assessment of the effort and the race are perfectly fair. Cook trained hard and is a very talented runner regardless.
And attempts at deflection aside, Cook's age clearly matters when we are talking about high school records and comparing her to high school athletes who graduated a year younger than she did. It is simple perspective. Spin all you want, but essentially a 19 year old is in the books for breaking a high school track record where the oldest high school athletes are typically a full year younger.
What would you have her do, not compete her senior year in HS?
If that's true about her age, that she's almost 19, that actually augurs better for her future. Tuohy was a soph when she was at her best in hs. A 19 year old is probably going to continue getting better. Who knows about a frosh or soph girl? Too many changes ahead and too many stratospheric prospects have regressed or quit after that point. A 19 year old on very low mileage will get a lot better if the form-injury connection continues to limit her mileage. But anyone running that low in high school isn't worse in potential even at the same age as a college frosh, because she isn't in the college system yet. That is a system in which almost everyone who stays healthy gets a lot better. The training partners are much better, the facilities, the trainers, the coaches, the races.
Great point - Cook and Hutchins are both '22, and assuming Hutchins remains a red shirt for outdoor will both be Freshmen for Fall xc.
A big point of difference was that Hutchins was an established star on national scene before her year off. Cook was a relatively unknown local Texas talent, who stayed healthy and stormed into national picture only in last month of xc season.
Hutchins gets some academic benefit starting early, and a year to get physically right for college - will be intriguing how both develop in NCAA.
Great race by Cook....very impressive. Not sure why people want to stain the achievement of one athlete by making ridiculous comparisons, predictions, or slagging others.
Great achievement by her! Hope she continues to perform well and stay healthy!
Great point - Cook and Hutchins are both '22, and assuming Hutchins remains a red shirt for outdoor will both be Freshmen for Fall xc.
A big point of difference was that Hutchins was an established star on national scene before her year off. Cook was a relatively unknown local Texas talent, who stayed healthy and stormed into national picture only in last month of xc season.
Hutchins gets some academic benefit starting early, and a year to get physically right for college - will be intriguing how both develop in NCAA.
Your post reminded me of another reason Natalie Cook impressed me ... She has demonstrated excellent improvement throughout her senior year.
Despite various injuries, Natalie Cook had shown decent talent before entering the 2021 XC season ... For example, she finished 2nd to Brynn Brown at the the Texas Distance Festival in March 2019 running 16:39 to Brown's 16:25 ... and in Aug 2020, she ran a 10:16.07 3200m PR at the Music City Carnival finishing 2nd to winner Jenna Hutchins (9:49.83, Hutchins HS PR).
Natalie Cook started the 2021 XC season with a 3200m PR on a track in August (10:12) ... Cook then ran the best XC performance of her career to that point when finishing 3rd to Dalia Frias and Samantha McDonnell at the Woodbridge Sweepstakes in California (and that did get her some notice on the national arena) ... That was the last XC race she lost ... Natalie continued to improve and won both National XC races.
Winning the New Balance Indoor 2-Mile in 9:44.44 surprised me ... I did not believe she could run that fast ... From the lists I looked at, her time at the 3200m/2-Mile distance (indoors or outdoors) has only been bettered by Mary Cain ... you need to add-in some converted 3000 meter times to include Katelyn Tuohy, Alexa Efraimson and Katie Rainsberger ... That puts Natalie Cook in some impressive company!
Natalie Cook's choice of venue and race for her 5000 meters is a "blueprint" for breaking a high school record ... The right competition in terms of quality and the right location in terms of previous fast times and possible weather ... The weather cooperated and the pacing was spot-on ... everything worked out.
But it is still up to the athlete to take advantage of the conditions and set the record ... and Natalie Cook did that impressively and deserves praise for lowering the existing record by a significant margin.
I wish there had been some other high school girls in the race (such as Dalia Frias, Sadie Engelhardt, Sam McDonnell, the Buchanan girls, and others) so I could evaluate the race with respect to comparative speed, but that did not happen.
Jenna Hutchins may have run faster than her 15:34.34 if she was in the race ... I do not know ... But the Natalie Cook in the 5000 meter race was a much improved version of the Natalie Cook from Aug 2021.
how come natalie cook 19? how old is she really is? isnt she a senior in high school? tuohy ran ncaa indoors earlier and she was also just 19 in that and then turned 20 just week later and shes a sophomore in college
I really don't like the idea of 19-year-olds, loitering around our high schools, mixing it up with kids much younger than them. It seems very unwholesome! 19 year old should be in college, or the military... or prison! Not fraternizing with impressionable 14-15 year olds.
Actually I'm wrong, she would have been fine in California, as well as every other state I'm aware of... You can turn 19 your junior year and be eligible for the following year... But I'm pretty sure each state has slightly different regulations but 19 seems to be good in all states
California age rule “No student whose nineteenth (19) birthday is attained prior to June 15 of the prior school year shall participate or practice on any CIF team.”
Cook would be eligible to compete. She would be ineligible if she was a junior