Thanks for cutting part of my post out to make it better support your opinion?
For someone that can run a 4:05, running 4:20ish (League Championships) isn't going to wreck them physically and limit their ability to run fast in the coming weeks.
For someone that can run a 4:05, running 4:20ish a second time (CIF-SS D1 Prelims) still isn't going to wreck them physically and limit their ability to run fast in the coming weeks.
... those were two very salient points you skipped over in your quote. I never said anything about 4:09 being a walk in the park for someone capable of a 4:04. Perhaps read the post again: For someone that can run a 4:05, all they have to do is run a 4:10-4:15 and they advance. That is three consecutive weeks of racing, but only the last one is completely all-out. That is contrary to the other example I pointed out, the 4:10-4:15 guys that are MAYBE top 50 in the nation. Those aren't the guys that are gunning for national titles (in all likelihood, at least, as there are others who have run faster with less opportunities).
My point was that while the California system is grueling, the very elite (e.g. US Top-10) athletes aren't really any more disadvantaged than some of the other top areas around the nation. For example, how fast do athletes in the top Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Texas, and Washington (etc.) leagues have to run to get to state?
Examples from this year, according to Athletic.net:
4A District 1/2 in Washington: 4:16
4A District 5/8 in Washington: 4:17
3A District 5/8 in Washington: 4:15 (4:17 through the AQ mark)
2A Section 6 in Minnesota: 4:12 (4:16 through the AQ mark)
6A Region 1 in Texas: 4:16
.... those certainly aren't that different than the 4:14 it took to get out of the CIF-SS,
So, do I think it's disingenuous to point out that the very top California athletes aren't being disadvantaged when it comes to their ability to run at post-season national level meets? No, not in the slightest.
It is not unique to California that athletes in competitive leagues have to run against good competition just to make it to state. Nor is it unreasonable to suggest that a kid can take it easier, going through 1200 about 10 seconds slower than might be ideal for them, in such meets in order to conserve himself for later races if he so chooses. There is nothing forcing these 4:05 type milers to go all out week after week for a month just to make it to state; they are fully capable of treating it like a preliminary/qualifying round, just like other athletes.