Let's keep things in perspective, this is not the olympics. This is high school running, albeit at the elite level.
Per milestat, Melanie True ran 16:38 to finish 28th at Woodbrige for Ventura but appears to have not raced since then (I may have missed something). She's either been rested and/or injured. We should know more next Saturday and/or the following weekend.
Any update if Melanie True is still competing for Ventura?
I imagine it will really shake their entry into NXN, given that while their top-5 (with True) are strong, they have a sizeable drop off at 6 and 7.
Any update if Melanie True is still competing for Ventura?
I imagine it will really shake their entry into NXN, given that while their top-5 (with True) are strong, they have a sizeable drop off at 6 and 7.
Out for the season with an injury.
That stinks. There are several really good teams that are competing for the CA nxn team spots. It is going to be really tough but not impossible for Ventura to qualify.
That stinks. There are several really good teams that are competing for the CA nxn team spots. It is going to be really tough but not impossible for Ventura to qualify.
Looks like the CCS was producing national calibre girls talent from 2011 through 2016. Then it was the boys turn, from 2017 culminating in this exceptional 2024 season. Runs in cycles. Terrific eras for both.
Don't see any future CCS phenoms on the horizon, as least for next fall.
So, fully expect this thread's equivalent in 2025 will resume "glazing" the Southern Section.
Looks like the CCS was producing national calibre girls talent from 2011 through 2016. Then it was the boys turn, from 2017 culminating in this exceptional 2024 season. Runs in cycles. Terrific eras for both.
Don't see any future CCS phenoms on the horizon, as least for next fall.
So, fully expect this thread's equivalent in 2025 will resume "glazing" the Southern Section.
This thread has been calling someone the favorite to win nationals just because he ran 14:23 crystal spring. That is the definition of glazing way too hard. Saying that it is impossible for high schoolers to run under 14:10 at Crystal Springs is glazing.
I have my own conversion for Crystal Springs to Woodward Park, and it is 20 seconds faster maybe 15 seconds if we are being very generous. I myself have actually ran this course TWICE. It starts downhill than you got some rolling hills, it felt like a real xc course, something I was not used to. The finish was brutal.
In the Northwest, their individuals are running insane times. Eagle Park had 9 runners under 15:03. Eagle Park is 20 seconds slower than Woodward Park. That is 9 runners running better than Fitchen Young IMO.
You will be suprised come nationals where everyone places. I been watching the nation scene and it is very competitive individual and team wise. It is not the same scene anymore.
Looks like the CCS was producing national calibre girls talent from 2011 through 2016. Then it was the boys turn, from 2017 culminating in this exceptional 2024 season. Runs in cycles. Terrific eras for both.
Don't see any future CCS phenoms on the horizon, as least for next fall.
So, fully expect this thread's equivalent in 2025 will resume "glazing" the Southern Section.
Here is Eli's CR race.
Someone should ask him or his highly regarded coach, Greg Brock, whether a high school boy could get within breathing distance of Matt Giusto's 14:14 a-t CR.
Video only shows the Big Hill traversed during the first mile, then the final 50 meters or so. Does not show Cardiac Hill or the ramp up to the finish.
As stated earlier, Crystal runs more like a mountain trail course than any cross country course you have seen. Which is why, along with its unusual distance, comparing times from Crystal to Woodward or any other course is whimsy.
Looks like the CCS was producing national calibre girls talent from 2011 through 2016. Then it was the boys turn, from 2017 culminating in this exceptional 2024 season. Runs in cycles. Terrific eras for both.
Don't see any future CCS phenoms on the horizon, as least for next fall.
So, fully expect this thread's equivalent in 2025 will resume "glazing" the Southern Section.
Here is Eli's CR race.
Someone should ask him or his highly regarded coach, Greg Brock, whether a high school boy could get within breathing distance of Matt Giusto's 14:14 a-t CR.
High School boys now go 13:25 for 5k on track, 7 of them ran in the 8:3x at Arcadia, 2 went 13:30 for a flat 3 mile xc course in mid september, 14:24 Woodward, 14:21 La Vern Gibson, 14:03 at huntsville park. They are also getting faster. I am sure they will have no problems breaking 14:10 Crystal Springs
Worth noting that Eli got 19th at NXN while his PR was 30 seconds slower on the course than it is now.
Also his pacing was atrocious, 4:35-4:40 first mile at crystal is ridiculously too quick for the time he ran. Going that quick on the long uphill significantly hampers the rest of the race.
I personally believe he’d have gone mid 14:10s with more normal pacing + some form of competition (which all these guys you are comparing him to have).
That stinks. There are several really good teams that are competing for the CA nxn team spots. It is going to be really tough but not impossible for Ventura to qualify.
Is Sadie even doing NXN this year?
Sadie said she is doing NXN. And she also said that tomorrow's race will be her last xc race ever at Mt SAC, meaning that she won't be running the Foot Locker west regional race at Mt SAC on December 7 because she'll be running NXN that day.
But if her team ends up not making NXN, I suppose it's possible that Sadie could change her mind and run Foot Locker instead of NXN.
Or maybe Foot Locker will let Sadie skip the West regional race and offer her a direct entry into Foot Locker nationals like they did last year.
Hopefully they do let Sadie do a direct entry! I suspect she is at least considering doing both NXN and Foot Locker this year; based on her running last week and the fact that she was clearly just pacing her teammate, it looks like her coach has her taking the conservative, energy-saving approach since this is the part of the season where place is a crucial element but time isn't so much. She was completely wiped last year by NXN so she may just be doing just the speed she needs to get the place she needs to advance rather than going for the PR or even in the case of last week the overall win
Hopefully they do let Sadie do a direct entry! I suspect she is at least considering doing both NXN and Foot Locker this year; based on her running last week and the fact that she was clearly just pacing her teammate, it looks like her coach has her taking the conservative, energy-saving approach since this is the part of the season where place is a crucial element but time isn't so much. She was completely wiped last year by NXN so she may just be doing just the speed she needs to get the place she needs to advance rather than going for the PR or even in the case of last week the overall win
Last week's race was just a prelim, so to go for a PR in a prelim would have made no sense.
The interesting race will be her state meet in 8 days. Will she try to break her course record? Or just run fast enough to win and conserve energy for NXN the following week?
My guess is that she won't try to break her course record at state. Sadie's biggest hole in her running career has been her mediocre performances at the 3 national xc races she has run in. Winning a national xc championship will be much more important to her than running fast at her state championship.
Also his pacing was atrocious, 4:35-4:40 first mile at crystal is ridiculously too quick for the time he ran. Going that quick on the long uphill significantly hampers the rest of the race.
I think Eli has a great shot at the fastest time of the day at state and a high placing at nationals, but this statement doesn't pass the smell test
Yes, the mile mark is in the middle of a big hill, but the first mile is a huge net DOWNHILL. The first 600m is almost entirely downhill before rolling a bit and then climbing back to the mile. I ran Crystal numerous times in HS and college and my 1st mile was always significantly faster than my others.
Last week's race was just a prelim, so to go for a PR in a prelim would have made no sense.
The interesting race will be her state meet in 8 days. Will she try to break her course record? Or just run fast enough to win and conserve energy for NXN the following week?
My guess is that she won't try to break her course record at state. Sadie's biggest hole in her running career has been her mediocre performances at the 3 national xc races she has run in. Winning a national xc championship will be much more important to her than running fast at her state championship.
Sadie will run hard at states. 1- team still has a shot at nxn, 2-she can be a 3-time CIS champ, 3- needs to be quick due merge factor, and only tôp 5 to nxn.
Agree nationals more important, but she still has to qualify and she can't see the competitors. Also 3xCA ties her with Lane, Baxter, others????.