Was Verzbicas the greatest HSer of all time?

For boys distance running he was the GOAT

He was great among high school runners.

But Ryun and Lindgren were competing internationally as high schoolers. That seems to be of greater significance.

No. Dwayne Evans won an olympic bronze medal as a HS senior.

thegreatest? wrote:

Won NXN and footlocker then broke 4 in the mile and 8:30 in the two mile.

Those were some pretty big wins.

No, he wasn't the greatest. He couldn't beat Craig Virgin's IL course record in XC.

Mary Decker set her first world record at age of 15

Bib #1 wrote:

Mary Decker set her first world record at age of 15

It's kinda funny but as soon as I hear her name I dismiss her entire career as a doper. She probably wasn't doping at 15, but nevertheless.

thegreatest? wrote:

Was Verzbicas the greatest HSer of all time?

Not only the greatest HSer of all time but quite possibly the greatest human being of all time!

Not wrote:

thegreatest? wrote:

Won NXN and footlocker then broke 4 in the mile and 8:30 in the two mile.

Those were some pretty big wins.

No, he wasn't the greatest. He couldn't beat Craig Virgin's IL course record in XC.

Had to dig up a post I saw here before, but they aren't running on the same course. They're VERY similar, but the course is now longer than it was before. Apparently, up until 2003, the IL state meet course was only 2.96 miles, and as of 2003, it was remeasured to be an even 3.0 miles along the midline:

The measurement requirements have changed since then so that courses are measured along the tangent, so now the official distance is 2.97 (but that also means the original 2.96 would now be even shorter). Given a change from 2.96 --> 3.0 (2.93 --> 2.97), it's actually Chris Derrick's course record that Verzbicas failed to break.

That course record is such a sham. Course was about 5-10 seconds faster back then. Chris Derrick is the real record holder.

Phenom Man wrote:

That course record is such a sham. Course was about 5-10 seconds faster back then. Chris Derrick is the real record holder.

A course that keeps changing is what is a sham. It is idiotic to keep changing a course and still claim a course record.

Al Oerter won the Olympic Decathlon as a prep.

Not Nomar wrote:

Al Oerter won the Olympic Decathlon as a prep.

That would be Bob Mathias.

dismissed wrote:

Bib #1 wrote:

Mary Decker set her first world record at age of 15

It's kinda funny but as soon as I hear her name I dismiss her entire career as a doper. She probably wasn't doping at 15, but nevertheless.

That is funny because I always thought Lucas was doping in HS.

Allan Webb

Slopenguinrunner wrote:

He was great among high school runners.

But Ryun and Lindgren were competing internationally as high schoolers. That seems to be of greater significance.

Much easier to compete internationally as a high schooler when there are NO paid professionals, almost NO African participation, and everyone beyond college age is forced to balance training life with a full-time job. You may as well compare Ryun and Lindgren's international performances to Verzbicas' World Jr. Duathlon and World Jr. Triathlon victories, because that's how pitiful the depth of running was back then.

Seyta wrote:

Slopenguinrunner wrote:

He was great among high school runners.

But Ryun and Lindgren were competing internationally as high schoolers. That seems to be of greater significance.

Much easier to compete internationally as a high schooler when there are NO paid professionals, almost NO African participation, and everyone beyond college age is forced to balance training life with a full-time job. You may as well compare Ryun and Lindgren's international performances to Verzbicas' World Jr. Duathlon and World Jr. Triathlon victories, because that's how pitiful the depth of running was back then.

Seyta wrote:

Slopenguinrunner wrote:

He was great among high school runners.

But Ryun and Lindgren were competing internationally as high schoolers. That seems to be of greater significance.

Much easier to compete internationally as a high schooler when there are NO paid professionals, almost NO African participation, and everyone beyond college age is forced to balance training life with a full-time job. You may as well compare Ryun and Lindgren's international performances to Verzbicas' World Jr. Duathlon and World Jr. Triathlon victories, because that's how pitiful the depth of running was back then.

Forget the competition. Ryun was sub-4:00 and an Olympian as a junior. Ran 3:55 as a senior. The distance is the same. Time is measured the same way in 1964 and 1965 as it is today.

And Ryun ran those time on cinders.

Ryun was simply faster, and thus greater, than Verzbicas.

And I would contend that Ryun’s 3:55 on cinders is a greater performance than Webb’s 3:53 on an all-weather track.

And Webb is greater than Verzbicas.

Has he officially retired?

bleu wrote:

Has he officially retired?

He is gunnin for 2020