Let's hear your stories about running against the legendary high school milers of the early to mid '80s.
Let's hear your stories about running against the legendary high school milers of the early to mid '80s.
better yet, lets hear king99's stories. lol.
I graduated from HS in 1982 from a central NY HS. I ran against Miles many times and Stahr at some of the bigger meets. Both were a year behind me. Miles won the 600/2 mile double one year at either states or sectionals. Miles had some serious range. Stahr was the classic miler, great speed, could run off a slow pace or off a fast pace. Stahr ran a couple of brilliant 800 legs in relays while at ASU. I think his outdoor team set an AR with him running 1:46 and he lit up the Garden at Millrose with Don Paige-like accleration. Both ended up teamates at Georgetown and ran some very good times. Personally I liked them both, Miles was more outgoing but both seemed to be good guys.
Brian
In Sept 1989, I went to a road 10k in Yorktown, NY (a buit up the Hudson from NYC, in what's now Khannouchi Kountry) -- my old college teammate said it would be "an easy $250" b/c no one good ever ran. Well, just before the start I saw Stahr jogging around, figured "he's a miler, I'll kick his a-- in the second half" and he ended up jumping out to a 15-second lead in the first mile -- but he held it at exactly 15 second at each mile mark the rest of the way and was never pressed even though me and Charles Myers (remember him, "bfullem?") busted our a--es trying to catch up
Due to a wrong turn by the pace bike the race ended up being 7.0 mi, and Stahr ran 34:30 for that distance. Never saw or heard about him racing at all after that.
I ran the steeple against Miles Irish at the Loucks games in 1982. I'm pretty sure I remember Miles telling me it was his first time trying the event. Just based off his running ability he cranked out a 9:30ish time and left me a straight away behind in second.
Almost all 4 minute milers can break 31 minutes for a 10K.
Stahr was a pretty fair cross runner.
What ever happened to Stahr and why did he transfer from ASU to Georgetown?
Also, anyone remember Anthony Smith of Port Chester from the same era? Or Mike Collins of Rye? Smitty set a VCP record but I heard he fell on hard times in the late 80s and early 90s....
I ran against Stahr from Carmel HS at the 83 arlington relays, om arguably one of the last good cindertracks in ny. We watched him run some ungodly time inthe 4 x 800m, lucky for me he skipped the open 1500m(i won in an unimpressive 4:02 right infront of very young John Trautmann who set some soph state record) . Unluckily he ran the anchor leg of the dmr . I had quite a lead on the 1600m anchor leg. he ran me me down and won by alot. Then proceeded to run a 48 relay leg on their 4 x 400m. My oh so lovely teamates made sure to send me kraft carmels wrapped in paper with stars everday for a week
Did you attend the 1981 NYS X-C Championships in Malone? I did.
What happened to Jeff Van Wie from Suffern too?
Running in 3 inches of snow wast a lot of fun...not!
"mplatt," I wasn't surprised that Mike could break 31:00 when he was in shape. But I had no reason tho think he was in shape (he sure didn't look fit), and I was VERY surprised that he could kick my a-- so easily.
After Suffern, Jeff Van Wie went to Notre Dame, and my spies tell me he's in central NJ, in thee town next to mine. Still has the NY State record for 800 I think.
I was at Malone in 1981-- NYS Champs -- it was a snowstorm on a golf course, girls were falling and other girls running over top of them. Like they were ski moguls. Why didn't they call it off that year?
what about Vince Draddy. I know he was '79, but he tore up the track before all those guys. he was a great one... and he went to an even greater high school. he also brings up the subject of all-time CHSAA greats...
Remembering the top guys in NYS in the early 80s got me thinking. Which one of these guys (Stahr, Irish, Van Wie, Collins, etc) had the most impact on the national scene post-high school? Although he was usually overshadowed by the top guys in high school, I think Charles Marsala did quite well for himself at Indiana and after. Any thoughts?
Marsala did great, but there was a fella from Monroe-Woodbury HS named Trautmann...and a bit before their time was a kid from St Anthony's on Lawn Gyland named Gregorek....
Mike and Miles were great HS runners but I want to hear about this runner chick.
Didn't mean to overlook those two. Was just remembering NYS HS XC/track in 82-83. Gregorek definitely went on to bigger, better things after high school and had a great range of performances:
mile 3:51.34
2000 5:00.19
3000 7:42.18
3000sc 8:18:45
5000 13:17.44
Not many Americans can match up across this range. Maree and Spivey had more impressive perfomances on the flats and Broe seems to match up nicely from the 3000-3000sc-5000. Any others?
gregorak also ran 2:14 for the 26er
Joseph McVeigh:
I can only respond to what I read and what I know.
This is what I read:
"I saw Stahr jogging around, figured "he's a miler, I'll kick his a-- in the second half" - your words.
This is what I know:
You were a pretty good marathoner, but a pure marathoner. You had no 10K credentials at all. To see that you thought you were going to roll up on a guy like Stahr seemed illogical to me, actually funny. Now, if he was fat that is a different story. I can't know that unless you include it in your post.
I also know this, a sub 4 minute miler with decent cross country ability is most likely capable of sub 30 minute 10K's.
That's all.