Is Hunter the Most Talented US High School Distance Runner Ever?

Why should my standard be a gold medal? Because this is America, buddy!

Look at how many events in various sports there are where we are or have frequently been the best in the world. Why should we aim lower in the distances?

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My guess he was referring to obvious things like better track, better shoes, more advanced/modern training etc for technologies.. Also nutrition wise, runners did not always realize importance of eating well. Liquori has said he believes he would've been faster but everyone back then ate whatever they wanted. These days runners realize importance of good nutrition. That's my assumption at least of what "yeah yeah right right" meant

Precisely

It would be just about impossible to top Ryun. 3:55 on dirt - worth sub 3:50 on a good track.

Can't really compare Hunter with overagers like LV.

Cheating Scandal wrote:

It would be just about impossible to top Ryun. 3:55 on dirt - worth sub 3:50 on a good track.

Can't really compare Hunter with overagers like LV.

But Hunter is not doing the same type of training as Ryun. If he was killing himself with intervals, and willing to peak at 19, he might be near 3:52 in outdoor. I'm talking about Talent not achievements. His training is very focused on college and post college

I think Hunter has more "talent" than you guys are giving him credit for.

He's only been focused on running for three years, never did anything in middle school. Granted he's now extremely focused on all the details and lives a spartan lifestyle, but he certainly has a lot of room for improvement. Obviously, his coach believes in consistency over all else, so he won't be pressing Hunter with extremely hard workouts.

Here's a good article, in which Hunter claims "he ran three times a week that summer [before 9th grade], probably 20 minutes at eight-minute pace each time. But that family talent showed: He ran 16:43 for 5K and 9:40 for the two-mile, playing basketball between seasons."

http://www.runnersworld.com/high-school-racing/high-school-runnings-next-big-star-andrew-hunter

Cheating Scandal wrote:

It would be just about impossible to top Ryun. 3:55 on dirt

New all weather grasstex track, San Diego.

This is a ridiculous thread with predictably ridiculous posts. Bottom line: reassess Hunter three or four years from now.

I'm so tired of the Ryun ran on cinder crowd...so what? Twenty years from now it's likely tracks will be significantly faster than they are today, so the argument is irrelevant. Different eras, different competition.

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Cheating Scandal wrote:

It would be just about impossible to top Ryun. 3:55 on dirt - worth sub 3:50 on a good track.

Can't really compare Hunter with overagers like LV.

But Hunter is not doing the same type of training as Ryun. If he was killing himself with intervals, and willing to peak at 19, he might be near 3:52 in outdoor. I'm talking about Talent not achievements. His training is very focused on college and post college

There are probably lots of kids who have never run a step and have more talent than anybody yet mentioned. Ridiculous to compare "talent"

Jim joined the XC team his sophomore year of HS and finished 6th in the state meet that same season. He went from a 5:38 mile in the fall of his sophomore year to a 4:07.8 mile by the end of his sophomore year. And of course 3:59 & 3:39 his junior year, less than 2 years after he started running.

Seems like pretty good talent to me.

Definitely a shuffler. No one can doubt that. Just sayin'

Cheating Scandal wrote:

Can't really compare Hunter with overagers like LV.

Verzbicas wasn't overage. Around 70% of US High Schoolers graduate at 18 (Verzbicas' age at graduation), and based on the nationwide distribution of Kindergarten cutoff ages, around 30-35% were older than Verzbicas when he graduated.

Certainly not the Web/Ryun type talent in the middle distances, but I can see Drew taking down the H.S. 5K and getting within a few seconds of the U.S. Jr 5k record as well. I think he is going to be very good, although I am not sure how good he can ultimately be at the highest level because his running style does not generate speed.

Btw, I was one of those who didn't think Drew could run sub-4 indoors, now I think he possibly could and definitely think he could outdoors.

dc wonk wrote:

This is a ridiculous thread with predictably ridiculous posts. Bottom line: reassess Hunter three or four years from now.

I'm so tired of the Ryun ran on cinder crowd...so what? Twenty years from now it's likely tracks will be significantly faster than they are today, so the argument is irrelevant. Different eras, different competition.

Really not ridiculous... Who is the more talented runner, put aside past achievements. Obviously it doesn't mean much, but always fun to discuss different things.

Greg Anderson ran 8 flat in the 80's in Canada.

He's the greater runner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_2V_ovqGYU

TrackCoach wrote:

Certainly not the Web/Ryun type talent in the middle distances, but I can see Drew taking down the H.S. 5K and getting within a few seconds of the U.S. Jr 5k record as well. I think he is going to be very good, although I am not sure how good he can ultimately be at the highest level because his running style does not generate speed.

Btw, I was one of those who didn't think Drew could run sub-4 indoors, now I think he possibly could and definitely think he could outdoors.

Whats your take on under 4:00 for the Mile... Feb 6th at the Armory? I think so!

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Goat! .. wrote:

Anyone have any specifics or a good article? ^

My guess he was referring to obvious things like better track, better shoes, more advanced/modern training etc for technologies.. Also nutrition wise, runners did not always realize importance of eating well. Liquori has said he believes he would've been faster but everyone back then ate whatever they wanted. These days runners realize importance of good nutrition. That's my assumption at least of what "yeah yeah right right" meant

I know exactly what the guy meant. Better shoes? yeah I'm sure Alan Webb would have run 3:49 in high school if only he had better shoes. Nutrition? How do you know Andrew Hunter doesn't eat like crap like most high schoolers? How do you know his diet is any better or worse than Jim Ryun or Alan Webb or Ritzenhein or anybody else who's in the conversation? And how do you know diet even makes a discernible difference? Usain Bolt was eating McDonalds daily when he ran his times. Just a whole lot of bullcrap in the guys post.

He;s no Willy Fink.

Hunter is a talented runner, but there are certainly a lot who have done more with less. That's the point and I think most people agree that Hunter isn't the top US high school distance or middle distance runner of all time.

Not even close. Jim Ryun is the greatest Highschool Distance runner ever.

After that it's Alan Webb.

Let's not even argue about the top 2 best male HS distance runners of all time and WHY. You should know why by now. Google that sh@t.

Then it's a toss up among a group of guys including Ritz, Fernandez, Lindgren, Rupp, Derrick, Nelson, Verzbicas, Cheserek, Hall. At the end of that group would be Hunter. All 9 of the guys mentioned in this group could have beaten Hunter. I am surely missing others but you get the idea.

The common trait from the second group of runners is they were aerobic demons but put them in a last lap mix up with our #1 and #2 Distance gods and they will lose every single time. Speed kills, baby. In fact - it's not fair to call Jim and Alan just distance runners. They would have been decent 400m runners if they had focused on that distance.

Anyway - for Hunter to reach God status he has to match Jim Ryun's 3:55. That is the Golden Standard. Way too many kids have done sub 4 now. 3:55 or better - you will be labeled "the one."