Pretty impressive. https://results.wingfootfinish.com/meets/6116/events/210989/results
Pretty impressive. https://results.wingfootfinish.com/meets/6116/events/210989/results
From what I can tell this is only his 2nd year of distance running.
I usually avoid talking about high school kids, but his rapid progression is really noteworthy.
After what appears to be only two years of distance running, putting up a 4:08.90 mile, along with a previously run 1:49.36 automatic timed 800m (unofficial race), 49.68 400m seems off the charts, but it looks to check out.
Looking at athletic.net, he did not run XC in 9th grade, and only ran the 100m, 200m and 400m in track, with a best time of 52.09 in the 400m.
In 10th grade, the XC times look like someone new to distance running, because they are what could be called JV level on the 3 courses with a long history of comaparable marks.
Clovis 16:48
Mt. Sac 16:39
Foot Locker West Regional 17:36
The jump happens in the next track season, in the first attempt at mid-distance events, which start with some ordinary times but sees continuous improvement.
800m of 2:03.84 on Mar.2, progressing to 1:52.99 May 25th.
How many people run 1:52.99 in their first year of distance running?
The 1600m is only run 3 times progressing from 4:41.7 to 4:29.92.
The 400m time is improved to 50.34.
In 11th Grade, the XC times improve substantially. Still non-elite but very good. Improvement rate points to someone relatively new to distance running.
Clovis 16:07
Mt. Sac 15:48
Foot Locker West Regional 15:48
So still under the radar at this point. Track season starts immediately with 2 PRs.
March 7, 49.68/1:52:06 double at the first official track meet.
Lock down starts, but unofficial timings of 1:49.36 800m and 4:09.87 1600m shows a jump to another level, but is it real?
The 4:08.90 mile shows that it was.
Followed up with the 1:48.26, and the rapid progression continues.
The current rate of improvement and natural speed make him someone to keep an eye on, especially if his cross country times show a similar jump.
oh wow, this kid is talented! thanks for illustrating his progression.
I was in the same league as Amador(school Lester is from) and they crank out some pretty consistent mile/800 results with a high number of sub 4:30/2:02 guys. Seems like a kid with good speed getting some aerobic strength and really succeeding. It also seems that the Amador coach trained under Rojo at Cornell so makes sense he knows his stuff.
Wow... Lester and Culpepper ran faster than AJ Green’s 800 PR (assuming Green didn’t run any races this spring).
So if these folks can hold a "normal" track meet successfully, why can't USATF or the Diamond League.
Damn, what a race.
Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=115&v=-VqJx1Q9-uY&feature=emb_logo
Culpepper is great but he suffers a bit from Robbie Andrews-itis. Just sits way too far back in the field and then has too much ground to make up in the last 150-200 in the mile/800. He was coming in hard. I think Cruz could run 1:47.XX based on that finish. Just needs to commit to going out harder.
John Lester ran his first 800 as a Sophmore at the Dan Gabor Invitational in 2:03.84, then improved all the way to make the CIF Finals in 1:52.99. Now he progresses from 1:52 down to 1:48 in a season. Not to mention he went from a 4:29 to a 4:08. This kid will be very fast next year.
I remember this kid winning NCS last year and finishing 7th in the state as a soph. He is clearly a talent. I'm not sure if he will ever be great at xc. It seems like 800 is his best event.
Jgt11 wrote:
John Lester ran his first 800 as a Sophmore at the Dan Gabor Invitational in 2:03.84, then improved all the way to make the CIF Finals in 1:52.99. Now he progresses from 1:52 down to 1:48 in a season. Not to mention he went from a 4:29 to a 4:08. This kid will be very fast next year.
Hopefully he'll get a few chances to take a shot at Granville's record!
Still has a long way to go, obviously, but it isn't out of reach it doesn't seem. The video suggested Lester wanted to run 1:47.XX.
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marathoner in the making wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-ejcDl5gyI
Damn the mic makes it sound like gale force winds!
birdbeard wrote:
Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=115&v=-VqJx1Q9-uY&feature=emb_logoCulpepper is great but he suffers a bit from Robbie Andrews-itis. Just sits way too far back in the field and then has too much ground to make up in the last 150-200 in the mile/800. He was coming in hard. I think Cruz could run 1:47.XX based on that finish. Just needs to commit to going out harder.
You are being obtuse. Cruz ran perfect splits of about 53.0/55.6. Look how he dropped Kipyego. Lester is just a faster 800 guy.
That's fair. Those are good splits for an 800. Given how hard he was closing on Lester, though, I have to think he could have been in slightly better position with 300 to go and maybe won that race. Who knows.
Cruz is in shape to run 3:58 or faster, right now.
Tbbtg wrote:
Cruz is in shape to run 3:58 or faster, right now.
I'm in shape to run 3:55. I also have a net worth of $2 billion. And I graduated first in my class at MIT (while playing video games all day long).
How is that relevant? He ran 4 minutes indoor and ran 1:48 outdoor. He is in shape for 3:56.
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