This outdoor season, just in Oregon, there are 15 high schoolers under 8:25 for 3000m or 9:00 for 3200m. There are also 9 high schoolers under 4:10 for the full mile.
These top times look a lot like California, which has 17 under 9:00 and 8 under 4:10 (for 1600). California also has OVER 9 TIMES Oregon's population.
Has any state put up per-capita numbers like this before? There's a HS running boom going on right now, but there aren't many athletes of this caliber anywhere in the US.
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It’d be interesting to know if there is any common thread in the training, or if it is just coincidence.
Fat thumbs wrote:
It’d be interesting to know if there is any common thread in the training, or if it is just coincidence.
Coincidence.
runnerguy2 wrote:
This outdoor season, just in Oregon, there are 15 high schoolers under 8:25 for 3000m or 9:00 for 3200m. There are also 9 high schoolers under 4:10 for the full mile.
These top times look a lot like California, which has 17 under 9:00 and 8 under 4:10 (for 1600). California also has OVER 9 TIMES Oregon's population.
Has any state put up per-capita numbers like this before? There's a HS running boom going on right now, but there aren't many athletes of this caliber anywhere in the US.
Newbury Park has 6 or 7 guys under or around 9. Probably 6 or so at 4:10 or so since 4:20 isn't that fast to them. For just one school that's worth paying attention to. They probably account for half or more of Cali's big numbers.
Great, you just featured Oregon.
Feel better?
My guess is that in Oregon there are more qualified track coaches than in many other places. And while the so called major sports still attract the most interest there are also a higher % of kids that are interested in running.
Yeah, nobody associates Oregon with distance running, bout time Oregon gets it due.
They need to change to the 1600m and 3200m and stop the 1500m and 3000m madness.
Also Crater HS Coach > NPHS Coach.
How are these kids training? How many miles are these kids doing a week?
Besides the shoes, what has changed?
A lot of the Portland area kids came up in the club system (Bowerman, Beaverton Youth Track, Tigard Track Club, Sherwood Track Club, Portland area CYO programs) and have good aerobic development before they reach high school. They have already chosen distance running as their pursuit and not merely going out for XC as a freshman because it is a "no cut" sport.
100% this is accurate. Track is attracting better athletes. Like other club sports, kids are training early and often.
Still the times are just crazy. Breaking 9 minutes for a 3200 used to b an anomaly in HS.
wazzu1452 wrote:
100% this is accurate. Track is attracting better athletes. Like other club sports, kids are training early and often.
Still the times are just crazy. Breaking 9 minutes for a 3200 used to b an anomaly in HS.
And before that it used to be a lot more common, we're getting back to our roots and even better
Then you have the shoes!
what company is located in Oregon that just happens to make shoes with carbon fiber blades? Hear they help you run faster, might just be true.
Times mean absolutely nothing now.
Jesuit OR is a solid team. They have 4 of their top 7 coming back next year for XC. They will needs a 5th closer to their 4th though.
How was the winter in Oregon this year? The potential is always there due to the mild, albeit wet climate; lots of hills and great trails in many of the cities. Great to see so many kids there ramping up their game. Great competition breeds faster guys....
I see Tyrone Gorze is in the Sound Running 5000m heat 2 this weekend, along with Lex Young. Good for the Crater coach to get him in this fast race.
Washington state also has a quite a few decent marks this Spring. Not quite at Oregon's level but still pretty good. Something about the PNW.
wazzu1452 wrote:
100% this is accurate. Track is attracting better athletes. Like other club sports, kids are training early and often.
Still the times are just crazy. Breaking 9 minutes for a 3200 used to b an anomaly in HS.
Crazy to think Daniel Appleford ran 8:52 and very few people talk about him when we’re talking about nphs top runners. That’s the world u20 standards for 3000m (8:15) and would place him top 3 high schoolers in most nations.
University of Oregon needs to pay attention!