Why doesn't NAU have 800 runners or steeplers?

Because the steeple isn't a real event. It's a sideshow meant for guys who can't make it in the 15 or 5k. A consolation prize. Participation trophy event.

Pretty much true. Schools who want to win conference titles and national championships in track will try to get steeplers because it is a soft event. But schools like NAU who want to win XC and don't care about track, don't care to stik a guy in the steeple to get a few points.

we always let kids try steeple because there is an invite just for that and pent, but it's really just a fun thing, and sometimes we have a kid who is just going to miss getting to states in the 800/1600/3200; so we try to sneak in with steeple. this is it's only purpose in our world.

once in awhile, a kid falls in love with it, and it becomes their thing.

And you race the 1500 or 5k because you can't make it in the 100m or football or basketball.

10 points is 10 points. Most coaches don't train their steeplers and don't know how to coach hurdling. It's a sweet cherry to pick if you spend time learning hurdle technique and getting comfortable navigating barriers. You could beat significantly faster runners at the championships if youve worked on your hurdling.

He answered the question. You did not.

Mike Smith is an alpha, and he only coaches alphas who want to dominate in the most competitive events, not betas who take the easy way out by choosing the least competitive events.

Face it, the only reason guys choose the steeple is if they can't score points in anything else, its out of necessity, not choice. Steepling is the track version of ultramarathons and mountain running.

Alrighty that is quite a bit of steeple slander. While the absolute best collegiate runners may not steeple, the best steeplers in the country usually have pretty phenominal marks, but may not be on the hyper-talented elite level that the top guys in the 1500 and 5k are but they are still gunning for a competitive finish at NCAAs.

Still, under this train of thought, the 800 is run by the best 800 runners in the country. Does NAU just not attract 800 guys? It seems like they could have very fast guys there if they wanted, but my guess is that it's more of a scholarship issue. If the money is going to guys who can do xc and track, the best mid d guys would probably go elsewhere to get money. Even so, it seems like the elite program itself would attract good 800/mile guys even if they had to pay for school. So I wonder still why there aren't more marks in those events outside of guys who drop down and are phenomenal 5k guys.

Kip Keino was a pretty fair steepler with some major scalps in the 1500-5000-10000m. Same with Stephen Cherono in the 5000m.

I simp for winners, you simp for losers (steeplers). If you can point out one modern, world/oly, male steeple medalist that also has a medal in an outdoor, non-steeple event I will say Mike Smith is a beta.

Besides Keino.

The same reason Brodey Hasty hasn't tried to qualify for nationals in the 10k despite being an all American in XC. Just doesn't want to.

Or the GOAT Henry Rono

lameeeeee

Are the 110h or 400h events for those who want participation trophies? Why do coaches teach those?

It's hard to do fast intervals/speed work at 7,000 feet. Even the xc team drops down to Sedona or other lower elevation tracks to do a lot of their speed work. Or they use the elevation room and adjust the settings to lower than 7k - but that's only treadmill work then.

Moses Kiptanui #1 steeple from silver oly, gold WC also a junior 1500m champ

NAU "don't care about track" simply isn't their case anymore if it ever was in the first place. They have 2 of the absolute elite guys over 3k, 5k and 10k in Bosley and Young and then outrageous milers and 1500 metre runners like the Sahlman(s). I'm not sure what the rest of their roster such as Brodey Hosting&co are like on the track but I'm fairly sure they're all very good, well above average D1 track runners. The world class track runners that have come through their system- Nur, Beamish, Grijalva and they're very much kingpins in both track and XC.

Go ahead and say it's not a real event while you're sitting in the stands holding your stop watch. Then explain to your AD why none of your distance crew qualified or scored at Nattys.