What ever happened to the girl who ran 16:44 in 7th grade?

Just saw her new athletic.net it says she ran low 10s in 3200 during track season, but no word on XC

Moved to Utah, where she can't run in HS meets as a middle-schooler ... https://www.winonadailynews.com/sports/high-school/report-grace-ping-family-moving-to-utah/article_07b0d3cd-df5e-5497-b26d-b3755dc3d514.amp.html

Ping will not be able to compete in high school events in Utah as an eighth-grader, but Ryan Ping told FloTrack she will try to enter “significant indoor and outdoor meets this coming spring.”

Never happened

I live in Utah and I'm happy to hear that, she'll make an awesome contribution to the hs running scene here. Also maybe it's better that she won't be racing competitively this year, it's already inevitable that she won't improve much throughout hs but a less intense year of just training will do her good.

435 wrote:

..it's already inevitable that she won't improve much throughout hs ...

Is that because only boys are allowed to improve in HS?

I should add that the LRC men-only "brain trust" claimed she would never break 17 before HS was over, and likely never. 17 low was the PR prediction for her.

She ran 16:45 in 8th grade and quit running to be a cheerleader.

I think her dad said they were looking to do some cross country skiing and was looking for races that wouldn't compromise her eligibility. He was talking about getting her into some fast, West coast spring track races.

I am also in the camp that maybe some time away from the sport or spent doing another sport would be better for her longer term.

lol ive seen girls who improve in hs and run pretty decent times

She is training to be the first female to run a 2:09 downhill marathon.

Not a Boy wrote:

435 wrote:

..it's already inevitable that she won't improve much throughout hs ...

Is that because only boys are allowed to improve in HS?

Boys are guaranteed to improve in HS, girls are not

HardLoper wrote:

Boys are guaranteed to improve in HS, girls are not

Nothing is guaranteed.

As boys grow they also become broader and heavier, some losing their lithe distance runner's body. Boys continue this process through their 20s whereas for females most have their adult build by age 18.

HardLoper wrote:

Not a Boy wrote:

Is that because only boys are allowed to improve in HS?

Boys are guaranteed to improve in HS, girls are not

Unfortunately many fast girls have about 2 year or so being in the spotlight before injury strikes or they just peak and other girls surpass them. I have watched many in my state where this has happened over the last 3 years. The ones that are doing best now in college were 5th to 15th in the state when when competing in high school. As a father of one of these runners I hope hope that mine can make it past the series of injuries from high school and reach the next level in college. Grace has a lot of miles to run while avoiding injury and a lot of time with pressure on her before she reaches college.

I don't know why any of them bother. If your going to be an also-ran or worse in college, why do it? Why torment your body? The scholarship dough? Only a few elite get full rides. Only a micro fraction of them will earn a living running.

Run 1/3 as much and be a local 5k hero with a normal life and a normal healthy body is my advice.

If you're the next Molly or Shalane, fine, run 90mi/wk. If you're a 17:00 runner, hit the books, sister.

Dr. Hakomov wrote:

I don't know why any of them bother.

Run 1/3 as much and be a local 5k hero with a normal life and a normal healthy body is my advice.

hit the books, sister.

This is solid advice

Holy crap.

http://www.flotrack.org/article/44630-world-age-group-record-holder-grace-ping-moves-to-utah

Moving to 7,000 feet for a year.