15 year old state champ in elite field of Twin cities marathon

tritimes wrote:

This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Where are the parents? This girl is on a HS XC team. She foresaked her team for personal selfish glory?

who let her do this?

I would not want her on my college team.

YOU are the one who's being selfish, you pompous idiot. Mind your own freaking business.

400s don't lie wrote:

an impressive effort, especially if the early splits are accurate.

What were the splits?

"Why is non-school-affiliated running prior to one's mid-20s considered so wrong in the court of public opinion?"

Because coaches are control freaks, and most athletes are sheep.

Columbo wrote:

For perspective, Alana Hadley made a splash running nearly two minutes slower at age 16, and peaked less than 90 seconds faster at age 17. Tierney seems to have done this on a much more low-key basis, she honestly could be a Schiro/O'Brein-level talent.

Hadley ran 95-100 mpw as a sophomore. Does anyone know what Wolfgram is doing?

400s don't lie wrote:

Columbo wrote:

For perspective, Alana Hadley made a splash running nearly two minutes slower at age 16, and peaked less than 90 seconds faster at age 17. Tierney seems to have done this on a much more low-key basis, she honestly could be a Schiro/O'Brein-level talent.

She's got 66-67 400 speed. She's nearly maxed out aerobically already. Still an impressive effort, especially if the early splits are accurate.

Based off my splits in the same race I'd say they're accurate.

65-70 at most for peak week

From June:

“This summer, I’m in a training system that I did a couple years ago and I loved it,” Wolfgram said. “It’ll help me with my endurance and strategies for running longer distances.”

http://www.woodburybulletin.com/sports/track-and-field/4463809-one-foot-front-other-tierney-wolfgram-loves-sport-running

That article is not a bad synopsis. The truth of the matter is, that if her parents okay'd the idea and the coach okay'd it as well (at least in the sense he didn't make her make a choice between remaining on the team or doing the marathon) then she really doesn't have to answer to anyone else.

Was it a good idea? Doubtful, at least if her goal was to race at the highest level at the state meet and FL/NTN. Maybe they had some inkling that she would perform as well as she did and decided that it was worth the risk. She may run just fine at those XC meets, she may also have a stress reaction or fracture next week too or struggle in all those meets. All are possibilities but with doing the marathon it is pretty likely that the potential for the later 2 went up significantly after the race.

It really makes no difference in her long term development if this was a one off thing to do. That also means it did nothing to help her potential in the marathon either as she is still way too young to do the training necessary to maximize that potential. The odds are stacked against anyone trying to be a world class runner at any distance no matter how talented and I would think that if she continues to dabble in the marathon or worse yet focus on it - those small odds get worse. But in the end it's her choice - hopefully everything works out the way she wants.

Didn’t Geb run a marathon as a teenager? He went to have a decent career I’d say #sarcasm

DYph wrote:

Didn’t Geb run a marathon as a teenager? He went to have a decent career I’d say #sarcasm

Guardian:

ran his first marathon at 15