When is the last time an American NCAA XC champion like Charles Hicks debuted in the marathon before the age of 25? Predictions?

Since Charlie Hick is not an American how about Neil Cusack ??

He is an American - been in the States since 13 and he is a dual citizen (mom is American, I believe). He recently changed his allegiance - listen to his podcast interview.

Mantz wa 25. We are splitting hairs about a couple of months.

Mantz wa 25. We are splitting hairs about a couple of months.

When did Patrick Tiernan debut? King Ches?

Hicks will beat Ritz's debut time

You meant he's transferring his allegiance from GRB to the US?

Very excited to see what he can do. Clearly an aerobic monster as proven by his NCAA XC win on the hills in Stillwater.

With that said, I've wondered if he feels bitter looking at the success that Ky Robinson, his training partner at Stanford, has gone on to have on the track, while Hicks struggled to make a splash on the track after graduating. Granted, Hicks doesn't have the same speed that Robinson has, but you still have to wonder if his struggles were more a product of his training environment — most Bowerman men struggled on the track over the last two years. The training just seemed to be too intense.

I think of Klecker, who also isn't known for top-end speed, but still had a great few years in the 5000 and 10,000 under the tutelage of Ritzenhein. Might Hicks have been able to see more success in a program like OAC?

Was waiting for the first anti-Bowerman spin zone reply. LetsRun is the best

Dude, Rojo already said (accurately for once) that both his parents are American. Mom is a Stanford alum too. He was born in London when pops had a job in finance there so had a UK passport along with his US citizenship. It was always odd that he raced for the UK, but that was his call and I'm glad he has seen the light. :-)

Bitter? Not a chance. It was obvious to all of us who were paying attention that Ky had way better speed and had way more upside on the track than Charles did. Plus those 5k and 10k NCAA titles of Ky's had might have been a tell. And when I say "all of us," I'm including Charles and his coaches.

I'm not a huge fan of Ritz or Jerry as coaches, and I don't think anyone can say with a straight face that Ritz is definitively better than Jerry.

Craig Virgin was also 25 when he ran 2:10:26 at Boston in 1981.

Josh Rohatinsky was also 25 when he ran NY in 2:15:22 in 2007, although it was only a year after he won NCAA Cross Country.

They are not American.

Craing Virgin ran the Mission Bay Marathon at age 24

Actually Craig was only 23. Good catch though.

On one hand I can see Hicks being great at the marathon, but on the other hand I feel like Jerry isn't amazing at coaching marathoners. I haven't really heard of him coaching anyone transitioning to the roads, so it'll be interesting to see how Hicks does. I'm thinking around 2:08 or 2:09.

Random fact: Conner Mantz’s coach, Ed Eyestone, debuted at the Houston marathon at the age of 22 in 1984 running 2:16:22. 10 months later he won his NCAA Cross Country individual title.