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????.
If Melanie True is in fact out for the season as someone else reported, Ventura won't be good enough to make NXN.
Sadie doesn't need to run all out in order for her to win her race at state.
And even not running all out she'll still be plenty fast enough to qualify as an individual for NXN. She just ran 16:24 on that course. Running 17:00 at state gets her into NXN with lots of room to spare. The 5th place girl last year ran 17:31. That's an easy run for Sadie.
Sadie is running for the post-season championships. But the Blade may be remembered as the one with the course records.
stay tuned
It's unlikely Rylee Blade will try to break the 16:24 course record at state with NXN the following week. And even if she tried, I don't think that she could break that course record.
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.
I don't understand your point. Just because he ran the first downhill 600m fast doesn't mean that running those exact same 600m UPHILL won't be any less taxing on one's speed.
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????.
If Melanie True is in fact out for the season as someone else reported, Ventura won't be good enough to make NXN.
Yeah if she is out, there would be no way Ventura can place higher than Buchanan, Trabuco Hills, Santiago Corona, or JSerra, unless one of these teams underperforms.
I also doubt there would be 2 at larges in CA based on how the CA girls teams placed at NXN last year. The NXN conditions hurt California a lot
If Melanie True is in fact out for the season as someone else reported, Ventura won't be good enough to make NXN.
Sadie doesn't need to run all out in order for her to win her race at state.
And even not running all out she'll still be plenty fast enough to qualify as an individual for NXN. She just ran 16:24 on that course. Running 17:00 at state gets her into NXN with lots of room to spare. The 5th place girl last year ran 17:31. That's an easy run for Sadie.
You could be right. Blade and Engelhardt not in same race. That's 2 spots. Can't cruise too much as only 5 spots total.
She only truly raced Woodbridge and Clovis all year, so even a State/nxn back to back not too much.
I think she likes the State 3 peat idea, and would not want to lose to Blade via merge, but we will see.
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????.
If Melanie True is in fact out for the season as someone else reported, Ventura won't be good enough to make NXN.
Sadie doesn't need to run all out in order for her to win her race at state.
And even not running all out she'll still be plenty fast enough to qualify as an individual for NXN. She just ran 16:24 on that course. Running 17:00 at state gets her into NXN with lots of room to spare. The 5th place girl last year ran 17:31. That's an easy run for Sadie.
Now that Ventura girls has lost one of their strongest runners, what are the odds that the 2nd fastest Div 2 team, St. Francis (Mountain View) could beat Ventura? I think there is a chance they can win, especially given the fact that another Ventura runner, Tiffany Sax, has only raced twice this season and not once since Clovis.
Sadie is running for the post-season championships. But the Blade may be remembered as the one with the course records.
stay tuned
It's unlikely Rylee Blade will try to break the 16:24 course record at state with NXN the following week. And even if she tried, I don't think that she could break that course record.
Then she why did she recently blister Mt. Sac to post a new, high-bar course record, when she could have saved herself like Sadie did?
It's unlikely Rylee Blade will try to break the 16:24 course record at state with NXN the following week. And even if she tried, I don't think that she could break that course record.
Then she why did she recently blister Mt. Sac to post a new, high-bar course record, when she could have saved herself like Sadie did?
Blade now owns the Woodbridge and Mt. Sac high-school course records. If she takes down the Woodward Park record, she can retire her high-school legacy right there.
Yeah I do not think it is that close. If you compare Oakdale's 2023 State performance to Jesuit's 2024 Clovis performance I'd probably take Oakdale by an insanely close margin. But that obviously not fair, we need to see what Jesuit does at state. And I think they will destroy their own SJS team time record. But I agree it is interesting how close it is considering Jesuit has 50 years of history, benefits of a private school, 975 boys enrolled, and a roster of 50+. While Oakdale came out of nowhere, has ~850 boys enrolled, and a roster of about 15. Jesuit is inarguably better, but there's definitely an argument to be made that Oakdale was more impressive.
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.
I don't understand your point. Just because he ran the first downhill 600m fast doesn't mean that running those exact same 600m UPHILL won't be any less taxing on one's speed.
Because the mile mark is nowhere near all the way back to the top of the hill. There's still at least 200m and 60 vertical feet to climb before you get back to the start.
When downhill > uphill, times are fast for that mile. Just like woodward park first mile is a net downhill and always fast and the second mile is a net uphill and slower.
Then she why did she recently blister Mt. Sac to post a new, high-bar course record, when she could have saved herself like Sadie did?
Blade now owns the Woodbridge and Mt. Sac high-school course records. If she takes down the Woodward Park record, she can retire her high-school legacy right there.
I personally do not know what Blade is thinking, but maybe she will wake up the morning of the State Final, and decide right then and there to “send it”.
It's unlikely Rylee Blade will try to break the 16:24 course record at state with NXN the following week. And even if she tried, I don't think that she could break that course record.
Then she why did she recently blister Mt. Sac to post a new, high-bar course record, when she could have saved herself like Sadie did?
Rylee Blade ran a good time at Mt SAC but she did not "blister" the course as you claim. That record won't last long.
Also that Mt SAC race was not the week before a national championship.
Sadie is running for the post-season championships. But the Blade may be remembered as the one with the course records.
stay tuned
It's unlikely Rylee Blade will try to break the 16:24 course record at state with NXN the following week. And even if she tried, I don't think that she could break that course record.
She’s a strong athlete, I think it makes more sense for her to run a strong time to win but save a little mental juice for NXN.
Wouldn't be surprised to her place within top-5 at NXN.
It's unlikely Rylee Blade will try to break the 16:24 course record at state with NXN the following week. And even if she tried, I don't think that she could break that course record.
She’s a strong athlete, I think it makes more sense for her to run a strong time to win but save a little mental juice for NXN.
Wouldn't be surprised to her place within top-5 at NXN.
Go out top 5 at NXN, or with the course records at Cali’s Big Three (Woodbridge, Mt. Sac, Woodward Park.). Maybe attempt the latter, and still go top 5 at NXN.
It's unlikely Rylee Blade will try to break the 16:24 course record at state with NXN the following week. And even if she tried, I don't think that she could break that course record.
She’s a strong athlete, I think it makes more sense for her to run a strong time to win but save a little mental juice for NXN.
Wouldn't be surprised to her place within top-5 at NXN.
Everyone wants to talk about the amazing Sadie Engelhardt, AS THEY SHOULD.
However, Rylee Blade is literally having the greatest seasons of any female runner in California state history. Sadie may have beaten Rylee in more head to head races over the years, but this year they're 1-1.
Blade is the only girl in California state history who has ever run under 16 minutes four times in a season, and she still holds the National Record for the fastest 3-mile time in American history. We're watching history, and NXN this year will be the last time those 2 legends face one another in high school... but they're both headed to the ACC!
Everyone wants to talk about the amazing Sadie Engelhardt, AS THEY SHOULD.
However, Rylee Blade is literally having the greatest seasons of any female runner in California state history. Sadie may have beaten Rylee in more head to head races over the years, but this year they're 1-1.
Blade is the only girl in California state history who has ever run under 16 minutes four times in a season, and she still holds the National Record for the fastest 3-mile time in American history. We're watching history, and NXN this year will be the last time those 2 legends face one another in high school... but they're both headed to the ACC!
Blade is very good. The State meet and post season is largely what matters.
Both have a chance to win nxn/fl.
Strange year, there is a clear top 5, but probably are 10 ladies with a chance to win nxn.
If Melanie True is in fact out for the season as someone else reported, Ventura won't be good enough to make NXN.
Sadie doesn't need to run all out in order for her to win her race at state.
And even not running all out she'll still be plenty fast enough to qualify as an individual for NXN. She just ran 16:24 on that course. Running 17:00 at state gets her into NXN with lots of room to spare. The 5th place girl last year ran 17:31. That's an easy run for Sadie.
Now that Ventura girls has lost one of their strongest runners, what are the odds that the 2nd fastest Div 2 team, St. Francis (Mountain View) could beat Ventura? I think there is a chance they can win, especially given the fact that another Ventura runner, Tiffany Sax, has only raced twice this season and not once since Clovis.
The coaches are probably not having Sax race much to make sure she peaks at the state meet. If she and True are really both sick or injured and won’t be racing at the state meet, St Francis Mountain View will be able to beat Ventura