Steve Magness...Not since Jim Ryun......

yikes he has to run a 3:55 like Jim Ryun did when he was what 17 before you can even compare the two....no matter what everyone says Web once he gets his crap together will be the next American miler....

steve ran a 4:01 or something like that in HS right?

Why count him out because he was slower then?

Remember the words of JK, you must sacrafice how good you could be NOW to be the best in the long term. you must get your miles up to 120-150mpw with a good amount of quality work. Then you can expect to be your best. Mileage/aerobic capacity first, then sharpen...

I sacrificed myself to a 4:40 mile in highschool but that didn't make me the savior of american distance running.

I agree. I was amazed at how well he adjusted to the 10k in CC this season. He wasn't an exception HS XC runner, yet was arguably the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th best american true freshman in CC this year. His range was impressive and I think a sign of things to come this spring.

Dude,

3rd or 4th best freshman?

He was 11th in the weakest district in the country! And the guy runs like 120 miles a week. 10K is not THAT big of an adjustment!

Look who at his two 10k's. Chille pepper he was 12th, beat some big names. At region he was only 3 seconds away from qualifying for nationals. And as an individual region the SC is tough. Morrison, Cragg, Keating, Sandfort, Balgac, and Bonn all could be all americans. Maybe not the best team region but It's no joke.

Steve is and will be a great miler, but 2004 is not his Olympic year. You predict 3:40 for a PB, which is likely, but that doesn't exactly lead one to predict an Olympic Finals appearance. Although the US trials may not even go that fast, there will be too many milers with better pr's and better credentials.

Magness in 2008 is more realistic

don't hate, love...

This guy has a bright future... it takes more than a few years to become the best... Instead of seeing all the negatives.. see the positives.. this is what makes steve magness different than you, while he sees the positive and continues to chase his dream, you look at all the negatives.. in your own lives... then you see he is slacking on looking at the negatives, so you feel the need to point them out..

This is exactly what is wrong with distance running, no one really believes in themselves or anyone else..

if your good your on drugs

if your not good you should just quit

what are you telling everyone.. ?

Does anyone here actually read what JK, Lydiard, Hadd, and Renato write?

He definatly will need to be in better shape at least then 340...whether or not he runs that to qualify is irrelevant. he has to be in shape to run 336 probably at least to take top 3 this upcomimg year.

Also about his 10k...let's be real...we should expect no less. The guy showed tremendous talent from his freshman year in hs...then proceeded to have injuries that made him almost not improve at all...he trained like nuts before his senior year and it paid off without injury...You can't expect to be the best in Cross country after your first summer of unbelievable intense running...The second year though...He made huge strides through track and this past summer...He's became used to the milage...Fast 10k's logially follow.

running a lot of mileage does not mean you work hard

generally it does

I think one should wait until track season to see if he has adjusted to college training. Just because the kid runs 100mpw doesn't mean he will be the next big thing.

i talked to magness often when he was a frosh in high school. there was no doubt in his mind that he could do what set out to do. he was determined to put in the time to be what he could be. and he ran faster than i could have imagined by his senior year in high school. i am willing to bet that xc isnt his thing and come track he will be at the head of his game.

Lets not overrate this guy. Haven't we learn are lesson with Alan Webb. Maganess may just be another talented 4 minute miler who has peaked early. Lets concentrate on the established US milers that actually have a shot at the trial and the Olympics.

Unless a miler runs at least a 3:55 mile we shouldn't even be talking about the Olympics.

I can assure you he hasn't peaked early. However I agree it's not good to put so many expectations on his shoulders ala webb.

100mpw is hard work, i dont care if your doing it the right way or the wrong way its hard work..

I swear some of you always want to be so negative its unbelievable. apparently if the rules of the universe were made by this board, nobody would run fast... because no one "works hard" and everyone "peaks early".

My god Steve is a very young kid, why say "might" just be another 4 minute miler.. he has tons of time before his age starts to hurt him.. and if he is working hard now, he probably wont stop.

Realize that some people have this unbeatable love for running, and some people don't pick up on negatives, because they KNOW they can do something, It has been said that EL G knew he could run a 3:26 several years before he did... that is what it takes, you really have to have no doubt in your mind... remove the doubt..

Dathan Ritzenhein- 4th at NCAA XC National Championships his Freshman year.

Steve Magness- does not even qualify to national championships his Freshman year.

We are talking apples and oranges here, folks. That's not to say that over a couple of years, Magness will be one of the US collegiate elite. We will just have to wait and see.

Ritz = 5k, 10k guy

Magness = miler

Of course Ritz is gonna do better in XC where distance is 8k and 10k. Now that's comparing apples and oranges.

Dathan must have peaked early in his career he is finished now for sure...

He probably also has been juiced...

DRUGS DRUGS HE DIDNT WORK HARD!!!