What makes a high school xc/track legend?

It is hard to become a legend. I would go so far as to say even just running a sub-4 mile, even though it's rarely been done, would no longer on its own make a kid a legend. With the talent pools diluted by having two XC National Championships, winning back to back Footlockers also doesn't really make the cut. To be a legend these days, you need to capture the national spotlight. And then you need to fall off the map in a way that your post-high school achievements never live up to what you did in high school. So basically, Mary Cain and Alan Webb are the only two high school legends ever.

Not quite a noob wrote:

It is hard to become a legend. I would go so far as to say even just running a sub-4 mile, even though it's rarely been done, would no longer on its own make a kid a legend. With the talent pools diluted by having two XC National Championships, winning back to back Footlockers also doesn't really make the cut. To be a legend these days, you need to capture the national spotlight. And then you need to fall off the map in a way that your post-high school achievements never live up to what you did in high school. So basically, Mary Cain and Alan Webb are the only two high school legends ever.

How do you become a legend? You have to never die. Now to become a hero, you have to live forever, but that is another story.

Sandlot wrote:

Not quite a noob wrote:

It is hard to become a legend. I would go so far as to say even just running a sub-4 mile, even though it's rarely been done, would no longer on its own make a kid a legend. With the talent pools diluted by having two XC National Championships, winning back to back Footlockers also doesn't really make the cut. To be a legend these days, you need to capture the national spotlight. And then you need to fall off the map in a way that your post-high school achievements never live up to what you did in high school. So basically, Mary Cain and Alan Webb are the only two high school legends ever.

How do you become a legend? You have to never die. Now to become a hero, you have to live forever, but that is another story.

Nah, heroes are remembered. They die though.

Sandlot wrote:

How do you become a legend? You have to never die. Now to become a hero, you have to live forever, but that is another story.

Is that true?

Part of the idea of a HS legend was that no one knew what they really did and just heard rumors or saw a result or two in TnF news.

The Web killed that.

Breaking 4:00 in a dual meet. No rabbits, just you against the clock. I guarantee people will be talking about that for a long time.

Xc national champ at footlocker, state Xc champ, a few Xc course records.

Multiple solo sub 4 miles during the season. State 1600 champ sitting and kicking with a 52 second last lap. Maybe 1600/800/3200 triple state champ. Breaking Webbs mile record at prefontaine. 2016 Olympic trials qualifier.

Good luck Class of 2016 potential legends!

Headband helps.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PH5WzKfwT44/R4vL0x0CJ-I/AAAAAAAAAEk/tnP7p_Dmpqw/s400/withrow.jpg

These days sub 4:00 1600 and sub 8:40 3200 would still be pretty legendary, of course in high school only races. e.g., a 4:01 mile at Pre doesn't quite cut it, but a 3:59 at a dual or high school invitational would be fairly epic.

For girls, probably sub 4:35 and 9:50 respectively.

A 3 time winner at Footlocker. Make a World Juniors team while in high school, or an Olympic Trials (final for girls).

Running for your high school team. Unattached high school runners with private coaches are annoying. I don't consider unattached high school records to be real records.

I don't think we'll ever see a 3-time winner of FL.

1. Big wins - Footlocker, NXN, Brooks PR Indoor/Outdoor, Indoor/Outdoor National Champs

2. Times - Gotta have some range, so hit some combination of Sub-1:49, Sub-4, Sub-8:40, Sub-14:40 on a course like Balboa.

3. Invulnerability - Either you have to be so good that you are unbeatable, or just be lucky that you don't have competition when you're coming up.