Run-Down Forums

[Hammer]

Check out the field of HS runners for the Boston Indoor Games. The field is lacking a genuine mile stud in the image of Webb and Ryun but it is deep with solid senior talent. A bunch of guys in the 4:10 range and a couple of them (Acosta and Coe) coming off monster XC seasons. I think in this race the East Coast guys will have an atvantage. Usually in the indoor season the East Coast coaches doe a better job of preparing their athletes for the season. West coast guys (like Cormier last year) usually have to be studs to do well against the East Coast speedsters. I think that Acosta and Coe can run under 4:05 buy the end of the summer and look out for the Taye Bros. (especially Sintayehu) in the future.

Dan-Do you agree that the East Coast runners usually run better @ 800-1600 and the California kids usually run better 3k and above??

I have also noticed that the Texas and Southern kids usually run better at the 1/2 and the mile while midwest kids (BOYS) run better at the longer distances.



AJ Acosta (Calif) - National Cross Country champ - 4:10.08 mile spring 2005
Brian Rhodes-Devey (NY) - 4:13.19 indoors this winter for mile - 25th Nat'l CC Championships
Michael Coe (Calif) - National Cross Country Runner-up - 4:11.11 1600 2005
Ayalew Taye (Mass) - 17th Nat'l CC Championships - 4:10.0 1600 2005
Sintayehu Taye (Mass) - 23rd Nat'l CC Championships - 4:09.69 1600 2005 as frosh
Justin Harbor (Florida)- 4:12.13 1600 2005 - Nat'l CC Finalist
Jacob Cosby (Texas) - 4:11.42 1600 2005
Ben White (NY) - 4:11.50 mile 2005
Ciaran O’Lionaird - (Ireland) - 3:50 1500 last year indoors
Kris Gauson - (Britain) - 1:52.11 800 and 3:52.7 1500 - 2004
Mark Mitchell - (Scotland) - National "under 20" 800 champ at 1:53.12
Greg Kelsey (NY) - 27th Nat'l CC Finalists - 4:17.59 mile this winter
Duncan Phillips (Texas) - 4:10.96 1600 2005 - Nat'l CC Finalist

[Dan]

I'm not sure about regional strengths by distance, but the West kids are definitely at a disadvantage with Indoor, as it's practically a foreign concept around here. Few are training specifically for it (as opposed to general off-season training), and fewer still are doing specific preparation for the smaller venue and surface. I imagine that's the same in your area, too? I know the South and Southeast take Indoor pretty seriously, but I'm guessing not the Southwest.

That does look to be a very competitive field, top to bottom. Let's just hope they don't let it become a tactical affair...

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])

[Indeurr]

Do you think that AJ Acosta "(Calif) - National Cross Country champ - 4:10.08 mile spring 2005" will break 4 minutes for a mile? And I do not mean in these championships, I mean this year.
_________________
http://vincovitanj.tripod.com/Do_not_be_a_victim1/index.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u43o595CARQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x22Alfgv0DY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgcD2akmeJc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB0RcWYMwXU
one hand clapping

[Dan]

I see no reason to predict that he will, other than it sounding cool.

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])

[Hammer]

I would definatly agree with Dan. After seeing AJ run (and looking at his times) he seems to be leaning toward being a dominant runner at 2 miles and above. Improving 10 seconds in the mile from one year to the next (Junior-Senior) is pretty rare. I remember that Chris Solinsky ran in the 4:20s as a Junior and then won The Footlocker Nationals but I have never read about anyone, lets say running 4:13 and then 4:03.

Anyway Here are the results of the race:

1. Michael Coe 4:07.31 US #1 for 2006
2. Cirian O'Lineard (Ireland) 4:09.41
3. AJ Acosta 4:10.32
4. Dan McManamon 4:10.72 (former US #1)
5. Kris Gauson, Scotland 4:11.41
6. Ayalew Taye MA 4:11.44
7. Justin Harbor FL 4:12.68
8. Sintayehu Taye MA 4:12.89

[Hammer]

Although I don't believe that Michael Coe or AJ Acosta will run below 4:00 in the Mile this year it is interesting to see that some HS Boys have made big strides in their senior seasons.

Here are the top 10 US HS Milers and their Progressions.

3:53.43 Alan Webb
Soph 4:06.94
Jr 4:03.15c
Sr 3:59.86i

3:55.3 Jim Ryun
Soph 4:32.4, 4:26.4, 4:21.7, 4:21.3, 4:19.7, 4:16.2, 4:08.2, 4:07.8
Jr 4:01.7, 3:59.0
Sr 3:58.3, 3:58.1, 3:56.8, 3:55.3

3:59.4 Tim Danielson
Jr 4:08.0
Sr 4:07.0, 4:06.0

3:59.8 Marty Liquori
Jr 4:13.2
Sr 4:01.1, 4:00.1

4:00.29 Don Sage
Jr 4:09.64
Sr 4:08.65c, 4:04.32

4:01.02 Steve Magness
Jr 4:17.56
Sr 4:09.85c, 4:03.00c

4:01.5 Gerry Lindgren
Jr 4:12.9
Sr 4:06.0

4:01.8 Galen Rupp
Jr 4:12.26c (1500)
Sr 4:10.95i

4:02.01 Sharif Karie
Soph 4:10.31c
Jr didn't PR (4:12.27)
Sr ran 4:06.82c, 4:07.94 not sure what order

4:02.4 Rich Kimball
Jr 4:12.0
Sr ran 4:02.6, 4:05.8, 4:06.6, 4:07.3 not sure what order

[Dan]

For the most part, I see pretty steady progression there. Yeah, Webb took off 6 seconds in one race, but he also had 3-4 second improvements each of the previous years, and that extra 2-3 seconds in the record run is easily attributable to the level of competition.

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])

[Hammer]

I think that Coe and Acosta might be able to run in the 4:04 range. They don't seem to have the speed that some of the other runners had (Sage, Rupp and Webb come to mind.) I don't see a freak performance comming from one of these two guys. It will be interesting to see what Matt Tebo (Eldorado HS, NM) a HS Junior runs this year. He ran 9:04 as a Soph in the 2 mile and could possibly run under 4:10 at the Golden West in June. He was 3rd at Footlocker West and then 15th at Nationals. He is a guy to watch this year and next.

[Paul]

I believe Acosta is headed for Oregon. They have all the ingredients for a heck of a XC team over the next few years.

Dan, I like your new signature...
_________________
Paul

"Gaunt is Beautiful" Cassidy's T-shirt

[Dan]

They got Acosta, Klotz, Stoutenburgh, and I believe the Mercado twins, plus a very good half miler in Waite. Add that to Rupp and the rest of the Central Catholic crew already there and you've got the beginnings of a national title team within the next two to three years. The Lanana name is pure magic.

As for my sig, I can't decide if that makes me an extremely giving individual ... or extremely greedy.

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])

[Paul]

By the way, did you see how Stoutenburgh and Klotz did in the National Jrs XC. It was in eTN 2 issues ago. It would be interesting to observe their training at this point. Klotz may have gone back to base training mode to gear up for Spring Track. That would be the smart move, in my opinion.
_________________
Paul

"Gaunt is Beautiful" Cassidy's T-shirt

[Dan]

Yeah, they've both taken turns really tearing it up over the past year. I'm torn on which I think will end up being the better collegiate runner... I keep flip flopping back and forth on that one.

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])