That’s fair. I can see why he might not be making immediate improvements based on those adjustments but I didn’t expect him to be regressing the way that he has. It’s weird that dozens of collegians have been running the mile in under 4 minutes this year while his best time with NAU is 4:03.
Should he transfer to Washington so he can be part of a more mid-distance oriented program that would be better suited for his strengths? Or UCLA to reunite with his high school coach?
I know we’re used to seeing college freshmen run these crazy fast times, but it’s very common to not improve your first year in college. Adjusting to new training and a whole new life can make running fast difficult, especially when at altitude. That being said, he should’ve been redshirted. He would benefit a lot more by taking a break from racing and just purely focusing on the new training.
Running slower than he did in high school. What gives?
I'm sure Mike Smith will get him fast again eventually but it is a valid question if he has chosen the best school for his talents. He's probably more fast twitch than most NAU athletes and Smith's training specificity never focuses on 800 and even mile performances are just a side effect of his strength training.
Obviously, Washington seems like an obvious choice given their current performances and mid d focus in track
I know we’re used to seeing college freshmen run these crazy fast times, but it’s very common to not improve your first year in college. Adjusting to new training and a whole new life can make running fast difficult, especially when at altitude. That being said, he should’ve been redshirted. He would benefit a lot more by taking a break from racing and just purely focusing on the new training.
When has a blue chip distance runner ever redshirted? What if he graduates after 4 years or goes pro? You guys make him seem really sensitive compared to other HS star distance runners. Nico Young had no problems with altitude, Mike Smith or being good in HS.
He chose a school and coach that was not suited to his strengths. That was obvious immediately after the announcement. There is still a chance it works out - but that is the main reason it has not worked thus far.
I know we’re used to seeing college freshmen run these crazy fast times, but it’s very common to not improve your first year in college. Adjusting to new training and a whole new life can make running fast difficult, especially when at altitude. That being said, he should’ve been redshirted. He would benefit a lot more by taking a break from racing and just purely focusing on the new training.
I think it is more that we are used to sub 4 HS runners not improving. Feels like most of 2mile kids have nice improvements.
He chose a school and coach that was not suited to his strengths. That was obvious immediately after the announcement. There is still a chance it works out - but that is the main reason it has not worked thus far.
This is likely the answer here. It was discussed in another thread recently about why most HS phenoms don’t pan out. It’s becoming increasingly clear over time that individualized approaches to training are necessary to maximize performance (I’d say it’s been clear to many for a long time). But HSers do a HORRIBLE job at incorporating this into deciding where to go to college (I know I didn’t even consider this factor way back when I was a HS senior). They go to programs that have success, where the culture feels right, etc. Those things obviously matter but those things alone won’t help runners improve if the training isn’t a good fit. Colin probably saw NAUs success, saw Nico’s success, saw the altitude, liked the team, and decided to go there. But I agree it seemed like a bad fit from a training philosophy from the get go. Colin and Nico are totally different runners. Colin could of course turn it around after an adjustment period, and I hope I’m wrong. But this seems like one of the more likely explanations.
He chose a school and coach that was not suited to his strengths. That was obvious immediately after the announcement. There is still a chance it works out - but that is the main reason it has not worked thus far.
This is likely the answer here. It was discussed in another thread recently about why most HS phenoms don’t pan out. It’s becoming increasingly clear over time that individualized approaches to training are necessary to maximize performance (I’d say it’s been clear to many for a long time). But HSers do a HORRIBLE job at incorporating this into deciding where to go to college (I know I didn’t even consider this factor way back when I was a HS senior). They go to programs that have success, where the culture feels right, etc. Those things obviously matter but those things alone won’t help runners improve if the training isn’t a good fit. Colin probably saw NAUs success, saw Nico’s success, saw the altitude, liked the team, and decided to go there. But I agree it seemed like a bad fit from a training philosophy from the get go. Colin and Nico are totally different runners. Colin could of course turn it around after an adjustment period, and I hope I’m wrong. But this seems like one of the more likely explanations.
You make it sound like most high school kids know what training works for them. Colin has had one coach prior to NAU. Any coach and situation he could have chosen would have been different and it's a total crap shoot to know what would work and what wouldn't. He may have more data now, knowing what works for him compared to what may not work quite as well. Easy to second guess after the fact. Much of training is trial and error and everyone is different. What's interesting to me is, with the results to date, does that make Aaron reconsider his choice, being they are brothers and probably have much of the same make up that dictates what training works best?
He chose a school and coach that was not suited to his strengths. That was obvious immediately after the announcement. There is still a chance it works out - but that is the main reason it has not worked thus far.
This is likely the answer here. It was discussed in another thread recently about why most HS phenoms don’t pan out. It’s becoming increasingly clear over time that individualized approaches to training are necessary to maximize performance (I’d say it’s been clear to many for a long time). But HSers do a HORRIBLE job at incorporating this into deciding where to go to college (I know I didn’t even consider this factor way back when I was a HS senior). They go to programs that have success, where the culture feels right, etc. Those things obviously matter but those things alone won’t help runners improve if the training isn’t a good fit. Colin probably saw NAUs success, saw Nico’s success, saw the altitude, liked the team, and decided to go there. But I agree it seemed like a bad fit from a training philosophy from the get go. Colin and Nico are totally different runners. Colin could of course turn it around after an adjustment period, and I hope I’m wrong. But this seems like one of the more likely explanations.
It’s not just HS kids. Is the same thing happening to Cooper Teare as we speak?
This is likely the answer here. It was discussed in another thread recently about why most HS phenoms don’t pan out. It’s becoming increasingly clear over time that individualized approaches to training are necessary to maximize performance (I’d say it’s been clear to many for a long time). But HSers do a HORRIBLE job at incorporating this into deciding where to go to college (I know I didn’t even consider this factor way back when I was a HS senior). They go to programs that have success, where the culture feels right, etc. Those things obviously matter but those things alone won’t help runners improve if the training isn’t a good fit. Colin probably saw NAUs success, saw Nico’s success, saw the altitude, liked the team, and decided to go there. But I agree it seemed like a bad fit from a training philosophy from the get go. Colin and Nico are totally different runners. Colin could of course turn it around after an adjustment period, and I hope I’m wrong. But this seems like one of the more likely explanations.
It’s not just HS kids. Is the same thing happening to Cooper Teare as we speak?
I don’t know enough about Colin and his ambitions, but if you are a miler, then NAU does not seem like the place to go. I would say the same thing about Teare and his current situation. Both may work out great in the end, I hope so, but both Colin and Teare strike me as similar athletes and far different than Nico and Fisher.