Don't think I was making a big deal of the "only 19" stuff. Just asked the question. Bottom line, there haven't been a whole lot of male runners under 20 who have done it in distance events in the past 50-60 years, based on the several snarky responses I have gotten.
HS Coach here wrote:
Don't think I was making a big deal of the "only 19" stuff. Just asked the question. Bottom line, there haven't been a whole lot of male runners under 20 who have done it in distance events in the past 50-60 years, based on the several snarky responses I have gotten.
It's not you, it's them, HS Coach. I made an innocuous post here about a month ago and out of left field came a non-sequitur reply that I must be gay. Perhaps it was sarcasm.
[quote]Food for thought!!! wrote:
"Hunter's definitely the best distance prospect in the U.S. by far"
That is a very undereducated statement.
He is good. Let's see how good. There are many other top distance prospects in the U.S. Some of which are showing better than Hunter.
Stick to facts wrote:
[quote]Food for thought!!! wrote:
"Hunter's definitely the best distance prospect in the U.S. by far"
That is a very undereducated statement.
He is good. Let's see how good. There are many other top distance prospects in the U.S. Some of which are showing better than Hunter.
Sammy Watson???!!!
HS Coach here wrote:
Don't think I was making a big deal of the "only 19" stuff. Just asked the question. Bottom line, there haven't been a whole lot of male runners under 20 who have done it in distance events in the past 50-60 years, based on the several snarky responses I have gotten.
The fact that you did not know that even Ryun and Webb were finalists when under 19 tells us that you actually know very little about history.
It wasn't unreasonable for people to expect a bit more from Hunter.
Since you clearly know the entire history of American distance running, at least well enough to assert your superior knowledge and continue to put me down, how about you answer my question? Of course I know Alan Webb ran fast at 18, though I (and probably everyone else) think of his mile at Pre more than what he did at USAs. I also know he was state runner up as a freshman in HS in cross country while still focusing on swimming...bet you didn't know that, but that's part of his story too- just not quite as exciting as the races that came later in his career.
In case you have forgotten the original question, CAN ANYONE LIST WHAT MALE RUNNERS HAVE MADE A US DISTANCE FINAL AS TEENAGERS? So far we have Ryun, Webb, Fernandez, Liquori, Byers, Myers, and Hunter. If we add the 800, this list would be longer. This is a pretty short list for half a century of running. I guess I DO think this is a big deal.
I don't think too many people expected Hunter to even make the final, so I am not sure why you or they are disappointed he didn't do more IN the final. Though Hunter, being a competitor, probably expected more of himself too, despite seeming really happy just to have made the final. For a relative rookie, he is doing pretty well racing against guys with more experience.
Parody of itself wrote:
Literally that was his first professional race that was truly tactical. He might have been gunning for top 8 and thought that the best way to do that was to track it. Certainly not his best result, but he did well to even make the final.
Something I found interesting, and encouraging: his last 800 was run in 1:53.5 (last 400 in 54.5) and ran 3:46. Exactly two years ago, in the Junior Boy's 1500, he ran a 1:54 last 800 and ran 3:58 (last 400 in 53). So he's certainly improving. He was just overmatched by, in order:
The best kicker in the US and perhaps the world
The best tactical 1500 meter runner in the world
a 3:53 miler with 5 years of NCAA experience who ran his best race ever
The best American collegian 1500 runner who was 4th at Olympic Trials
a 3:36 runner who nearly beat Cheserek and ran a great race
a 3:34 flat guy 10 years his senior
One of the fastest NCAA 1500/milers, but a beatable guy theoretically (Prakel)
One of the fastest NCAA 1500/milers, but a beatable guy theoretically (Thompson)
The D2 NCAA Champion, perhaps a beatable guy theoretically (Ribich)
The most talented NCAA runner in recent years, even if he's been hot and cold, perhaps a beatable guy theoretically (Saarel)
That's a very strong lineup. Hunter BEAT (an admittedly injured) Murphy and (a self-sabotaged) Blankenship. Those are two guys one wouldn't expect him to beat. Maybe he could have beaten Saarel, Ribich, Prakel, and Thompson, but there's no reason to expect he'd beat any of them. Three of them are faster than Hunter on paper, and Ribich has years of NCAA experience. Hunter did well not to finish DFL. Knock the learning experience spin all you want, but this really was a learning experience, and he will be a lot smarter for it. It sucks that he has to learn this in the USA final rather than the PAC-12 meet, but that's the way the chips fell for him. Lucky for Hunter, he's 19, and has a very long while to figure out how to place highly. Things will be easier for him once he's running 3:34 or 3:32, not 3:38.
How is Saarel the most talented NCAA runner in recent years? There are a handful of guys who beat him almost every time it counts.
Considering he finished 8th in xc as a freshman and 3rd in the 3k indoors (behind Cheserek and I believe Lawi), after coming out of high school with a windy 4:02 and an 8:45, each with 55 second last laps, I thought it was a fair descriptor. His intestinal issues and poor sleep habits keeping a 3.98 GPA in a very tough major have meant he hasn't realized his talent. I should have said "one of the," true.
Parody of itself wrote:
Considering he finished 8th in xc as a freshman and 3rd in the 3k indoors (behind Cheserek and I believe Lawi), after coming out of high school with a windy 4:02 and an 8:45, each with 55 second last laps, I thought it was a fair descriptor. His intestinal issues and poor sleep habits keeping a 3.98 GPA in a very tough major have meant he hasn't realized his talent. I should have said "one of the," true.
Tinman?