Last week the New York Times published an article commenting on recent research that suggests that short, intense training can be as effective as long slow training for improving endurance.
Can You Get Fit in Six Minutes a Week?
But as we contemplate the likelihood of Arthur Lydiard cursing from the grave, let's consider some of this research. In one study....
"...researchers at the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Japan put rats through a series of swim tests with surprising results. They had one group of rodents paddle in a small pool for six hours... a second group of rats were made to stroke furiously through short, intense bouts of swimming, while carrying ballast to increase their workload."
The researchers discovered that the short intense rat workouts were just as effective at improving endurance as the long, slow workouts. The article does not comment on how the rats felt to be tossed in water with ballast tied to them (Training log: Friday, June 26 - thrown into water with weights tied to my feet; paddled furiously for a minute to escape drowning. Finally, my coach took me out of the water, but then threw me in again after a 30-second rest... The other rats say that if training were easy it would be called my mom... How do they know my mom?)
In another study,
"...Martin Gibala's group at the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada... had a group of college students, who were healthy but not athletes, ride a stationary bike at a sustainable pace for between 90 and 120 minutes. Another set of students grunted through a series of short, strenuous intervals: 20 to 30 seconds of cycling at the highest intensity the riders could stand.... 'for a total of two to three minutes of very intense exercise per training session,' Gibala says."
"After two weeks, both groups showed almost identical increases in their endurance (as measured in a stationary bicycle time trial), even though the one group had exercised for six to nine minutes per week, and the other about five hours."
The article does point out that one potential problem with short, intense workouts is that it requires a lot of motivation (even for a drowning rat) to exercise at the highest intensity you can stand. It also could be argued that such exercise might lead to injury, although it seems to me that the same could be said of doing long-distance running, say, instead of sprints.
I have a suspicion there's less in these studies than meets the eye. It sounds like a miracle to be able to exercise for one-tenth the time and get the same benefits. But the extreme forms of exercise used in the comparison are kind of misleading, as most people train with a balance of intense and less intense workouts. And the idea of short, intense work efforts is nothing new. Paavo Nurmi pioneered the use of interval workouts on the track. Emil Zatopek proved you could create a LONG workout from short sprints, regularly running 40 or more 400s a day for days on end. I have a book from the early 50's written by Fred Wilt that recommends that even novice high school runners start with lots of short, fast runs, rather than long jogs.
And even Lydiard thought there was a time and place for 200m sprints.
But I've got another problem with the tone of the article: whether we're talking about novices or experienced athletes, exercise and training aren't only about getting short term gains, they're about building a long-term foundation of health and fitness. It sounds like this focus on intensity is just one more symptom of people looking for a quick solution to achieving fitness. After a while, the overwrought enthusiasm for this or that "perfect" workout sounds to my ears indistinguishable from those late-night commercials hyping Bowflex or some other exercise machine for toning away fat in just minutes a day.
I'm all for being efficient, and I don't believe in training more just because more is always better; it's not. But I'm betting that when all the research is done, fitness will still require more than six minutes a day, no matter how intense those six minutes.
June 28, 2009
June 26, 2009
Zen moment at Fresh Pond
So I was at Fresh Pond in Cambridge last night, getting ready to run a nice little 3M tempo with my buddies.
The rain had stopped, and the sun was out for the first time in a week. With the nice weather, people had come out to enjoy the late afternoon, and the pathways around the Pond were crowded with joggers, dog-walkers, and parents with strollers.
I had already done a warm-up lap with Terry, and I was now off on my own doing my usual pre-workout dynamic drills, my knee-hugging, skipping, bouncing, sliding routine that has taken the place of static stretching. I have been doing these drills for long enough that I now longer feel self-conscious about them, although I suspect that they look faintly ridiculous to the outside observer.
As I was doing one of the more lively drills, I passed a family of four on bikes. The father was rather overweight, and his body teetered unsteadily on the saddle of his bicycle like a dinner roll on a chopstick. Alongside him was a young boy, maybe seven or eight. Behind them the mother rode next to a teenage girl. They seemed like a lovely family out for a little evening recreation.
As I skipped along, the four of them passed me. A few moments later I heard the father say distinctly to the boy. "If you ever catch me doing that..." (and by "that" I knew instantly that he could only be referring to my eccentric warm-up activity) "...just shoot me!"
The rain had stopped, and the sun was out for the first time in a week. With the nice weather, people had come out to enjoy the late afternoon, and the pathways around the Pond were crowded with joggers, dog-walkers, and parents with strollers.
I had already done a warm-up lap with Terry, and I was now off on my own doing my usual pre-workout dynamic drills, my knee-hugging, skipping, bouncing, sliding routine that has taken the place of static stretching. I have been doing these drills for long enough that I now longer feel self-conscious about them, although I suspect that they look faintly ridiculous to the outside observer.
As I was doing one of the more lively drills, I passed a family of four on bikes. The father was rather overweight, and his body teetered unsteadily on the saddle of his bicycle like a dinner roll on a chopstick. Alongside him was a young boy, maybe seven or eight. Behind them the mother rode next to a teenage girl. They seemed like a lovely family out for a little evening recreation.
As I skipped along, the four of them passed me. A few moments later I heard the father say distinctly to the boy. "If you ever catch me doing that..." (and by "that" I knew instantly that he could only be referring to my eccentric warm-up activity) "...just shoot me!"
June 25, 2009
Come On In, the Weather's Fine!
As we slouch towards the end of what might turn out to be "the dreariest June in history" (The Boston Globe's words, not mine), I marvel at how being a runner changes one's perspectives about all sorts of things, not least the weather.
It's true that the constant threat of rain is sometimes a bummer. But by and large, our recent cool spell has been great for running, especially considering the alternative. By this point in the season of a normal year, I've usually done at least one race or long run in high heat and humidity, leaving me wilted and ruined for several days. Not this year. My long run last Sunday -- 14 blissfully overcast miles with a light mist over trails softened by the previous day's rain -- was refreshing. That's not a word I usually apply to long runs, but that's just an indication of how unique June has been.
And it's not just that it has been rainy. I think last year it was rainy in June as well, but all the rain seemed to come down in buckets during heavy storms. By contrast, we've been stuck in a weather pattern for a couple of weeks that has kept the temperature at a near-constant 60-65 degrees, with occasional light rain or mist. I think I know how the cucumbers at Whole Foods feel.
One problem with all this cool, overcast weather is the tendency to gloat about it. When I come to the office in the morning, I can read despair in the faces of my co-workers. "When will it ever end?" they moan. They don't want to hear about the excellent 8-mile run I did last night...
And then there is the problem of managing my growing collection of damp shoes. Over the past ten days, I have had half a dozen pairs of shoes drying in our family room, filling the air with their faintly organic aromas.
Well, I say enjoy it while you can. Soon enough this weather pattern will end and a new one will begin, bringing heat, humidity, hurricanes, or some other challenge. And it won't be long before you'll hear complaints about how hot and dry it is.
But not from me.
According to the Boston Globe, if the month had ended on Tuesday, we'd be only the SECOND-most gloomy month on record. In other words, we need a few more overcast days to secure our place in history.
(Source: Boston Globe)
The sun can wait. Let's go for the record!
It's true that the constant threat of rain is sometimes a bummer. But by and large, our recent cool spell has been great for running, especially considering the alternative. By this point in the season of a normal year, I've usually done at least one race or long run in high heat and humidity, leaving me wilted and ruined for several days. Not this year. My long run last Sunday -- 14 blissfully overcast miles with a light mist over trails softened by the previous day's rain -- was refreshing. That's not a word I usually apply to long runs, but that's just an indication of how unique June has been.
And it's not just that it has been rainy. I think last year it was rainy in June as well, but all the rain seemed to come down in buckets during heavy storms. By contrast, we've been stuck in a weather pattern for a couple of weeks that has kept the temperature at a near-constant 60-65 degrees, with occasional light rain or mist. I think I know how the cucumbers at Whole Foods feel.
One problem with all this cool, overcast weather is the tendency to gloat about it. When I come to the office in the morning, I can read despair in the faces of my co-workers. "When will it ever end?" they moan. They don't want to hear about the excellent 8-mile run I did last night...
And then there is the problem of managing my growing collection of damp shoes. Over the past ten days, I have had half a dozen pairs of shoes drying in our family room, filling the air with their faintly organic aromas.
Well, I say enjoy it while you can. Soon enough this weather pattern will end and a new one will begin, bringing heat, humidity, hurricanes, or some other challenge. And it won't be long before you'll hear complaints about how hot and dry it is.
But not from me.
According to the Boston Globe, if the month had ended on Tuesday, we'd be only the SECOND-most gloomy month on record. In other words, we need a few more overcast days to secure our place in history.
(Source: Boston Globe)
The sun can wait. Let's go for the record!
June 23, 2009
Add this to your training: ZZZZ
Anyone who has heard me talk about training has probably heard me say that I think sleep is the most under-rated component of a good training program.
I don't only mean getting one good night's sleep the night before a race (although that's a good idea!), I mean a strategy that supports a routine for consistently getting enough sleep to recover and consolidate training.
I acknowledge up front that what works for one person might not work for another. It's hard to say exactly what a given person needs, and I'm sure it varies by age, activity level, etc. I also admit that I don't always follow my own advice. I typically get 6-7 hours of sleep a night, and I think I'd do better with 1-2 hours more. What I have noticed is that a slight lack of sleep on a given night doesn't make much difference. It's only when that slight lack of sleep is repeated for several days that I start noticing the signs that I am functioning below par: it takes me longer to wake up, longer to feel productive; I have less patience and am more irritable. Worst of all, I no longer look forward to that track workout or tempo run.
That's a warning sign: when you stop looking forward to the daily challenge of training, you're entering the twilight zone where you run and you run but you don't see any results. Prolonged lack of sleep doesn't stop you from training, but it can prevent you from getting any benefit from your training.
The New York Times had an essay a week ago citing a small study that followed five members of the Stanford women’s tennis team. According to the article, "for two to three weeks, the athletes maintained their regular schedules, sleeping and working out as usual. They took part in sprinting and hitting drills to measure their performance. Then the players were told to extend their sleep to 10 hours a night for five to six weeks." After the period of enforced extra sleep, all the players performed better on all the drills, including sprinting drills.
To Improve Fitness, Try Sleep
I feel like this is an open secret: everyone knows (or should know) that a chronic sleep deficit impairs performance, and catching up on sleep can improve performance. And yet, ask any runner to list their top priorities in their training and sleep will not be on the list. It's wrong-headed to focus on all the workouts and mileage you're going to do if you don't build in the basic recovery your body needs to get stronger and stave off injuries.
For anyone who writes out a training plan, chances are it includes daily runs, track workouts, hill repeats, strength training -- maybe even massage and stretching. Does it include time to sleep?
I don't only mean getting one good night's sleep the night before a race (although that's a good idea!), I mean a strategy that supports a routine for consistently getting enough sleep to recover and consolidate training.
I acknowledge up front that what works for one person might not work for another. It's hard to say exactly what a given person needs, and I'm sure it varies by age, activity level, etc. I also admit that I don't always follow my own advice. I typically get 6-7 hours of sleep a night, and I think I'd do better with 1-2 hours more. What I have noticed is that a slight lack of sleep on a given night doesn't make much difference. It's only when that slight lack of sleep is repeated for several days that I start noticing the signs that I am functioning below par: it takes me longer to wake up, longer to feel productive; I have less patience and am more irritable. Worst of all, I no longer look forward to that track workout or tempo run.
That's a warning sign: when you stop looking forward to the daily challenge of training, you're entering the twilight zone where you run and you run but you don't see any results. Prolonged lack of sleep doesn't stop you from training, but it can prevent you from getting any benefit from your training.
The New York Times had an essay a week ago citing a small study that followed five members of the Stanford women’s tennis team. According to the article, "for two to three weeks, the athletes maintained their regular schedules, sleeping and working out as usual. They took part in sprinting and hitting drills to measure their performance. Then the players were told to extend their sleep to 10 hours a night for five to six weeks." After the period of enforced extra sleep, all the players performed better on all the drills, including sprinting drills.
To Improve Fitness, Try Sleep
I feel like this is an open secret: everyone knows (or should know) that a chronic sleep deficit impairs performance, and catching up on sleep can improve performance. And yet, ask any runner to list their top priorities in their training and sleep will not be on the list. It's wrong-headed to focus on all the workouts and mileage you're going to do if you don't build in the basic recovery your body needs to get stronger and stave off injuries.
For anyone who writes out a training plan, chances are it includes daily runs, track workouts, hill repeats, strength training -- maybe even massage and stretching. Does it include time to sleep?
June 21, 2009
NS Girls Win 4 x 1 Mile at NON
800 meters into the seeded heat of the girls 4 x 1 Mile relay at Nike Outdoor Nationals Saturday morning, Kelsey Karys got tired of holding back. She had run the first two laps cautiously, staying in the middle of things, trying not to trip or be tripped, eventually moving up to second on the outside shoulder of the leader. With two laps to go in the final race of her high school career, Karys made her move.
And what a move! One moment, she was with the pack, and one hundred meters later she was gone, pulling away from the pack on her way to a 2:27 final 800, and a 5:00 split (it was announced as 4:59.99!) that gave Newton South, a.k.a Newton Centre Athletics, a lead that would stand up through the final three legs.
Karys passed the baton to Melanie Fineman, who split 5:11. Kathy O'Keefe ran the third leg in 5:06.9, lengthening the lead to nearly 100 meters, and Bridget Dahlberg ran 5:06.3 to bring the team home in a New England record 20:23.20, fourteen seconds ahead of runner-up Burnt Hills.
Video of the Girls 4 x 1 Mile
The 4 x 1M was early Saturday morning. In the evening, O'Keefe and Dahlberg would return, along with teammates Danielle Pensack and Juliet Ryan-Davis to place 4th in the distance medley in 11:53.35.
The NS boys 4 x 1M team (John Beck, Andrew Wortham, Igal Bubar, and Alex Long) placed 11th out of 28 teams, running 18:10.59.
Lincoln-Sudbury's girls 4x800 team (Claire Arthur, Marika Crowe, Ellie Hylton, Andrea Keklak) earned All-American status, running 9:06.83 to place 6th.
Weymouth's 4x800 team (Carolyn Connolly, Jill Corcoran, Sam Bennett, and Bridget Jaklitsch) ran a school record 9:18.02 to place 13th.
Bromfield's Emily Jones ran a personal best 10:20.62 (is that a Mass. State record?) to finish 3rd in the 2-Mile.
Bedford senior Jon Gault ran 15:11.16 to place 6th in the 5000m, getting the last All-American spot, two places ahead of Nashoba junior Brendon Aylaian (15:13.74).
And what a move! One moment, she was with the pack, and one hundred meters later she was gone, pulling away from the pack on her way to a 2:27 final 800, and a 5:00 split (it was announced as 4:59.99!) that gave Newton South, a.k.a Newton Centre Athletics, a lead that would stand up through the final three legs.
Karys passed the baton to Melanie Fineman, who split 5:11. Kathy O'Keefe ran the third leg in 5:06.9, lengthening the lead to nearly 100 meters, and Bridget Dahlberg ran 5:06.3 to bring the team home in a New England record 20:23.20, fourteen seconds ahead of runner-up Burnt Hills.
Video of the Girls 4 x 1 Mile
The 4 x 1M was early Saturday morning. In the evening, O'Keefe and Dahlberg would return, along with teammates Danielle Pensack and Juliet Ryan-Davis to place 4th in the distance medley in 11:53.35.
The NS boys 4 x 1M team (John Beck, Andrew Wortham, Igal Bubar, and Alex Long) placed 11th out of 28 teams, running 18:10.59.
Lincoln-Sudbury's girls 4x800 team (Claire Arthur, Marika Crowe, Ellie Hylton, Andrea Keklak) earned All-American status, running 9:06.83 to place 6th.
Weymouth's 4x800 team (Carolyn Connolly, Jill Corcoran, Sam Bennett, and Bridget Jaklitsch) ran a school record 9:18.02 to place 13th.
Bromfield's Emily Jones ran a personal best 10:20.62 (is that a Mass. State record?) to finish 3rd in the 2-Mile.
Bedford senior Jon Gault ran 15:11.16 to place 6th in the 5000m, getting the last All-American spot, two places ahead of Nashoba junior Brendon Aylaian (15:13.74).
June 12, 2009
Barnicle 13th in NCAA 10000m
Chris Barnicle returned to Fayetteville, Arkansas and the track where he ran countless interval workouts, competing in the 10000m final at the NCAA Championships Thursday night.
While Galen Rupp toyed with Shawn Forrest and Sam Chelanga at the front of the race, Barnicle held on to a large chase pack and finished well, placing 13th in 29:21.33.
While Galen Rupp toyed with Shawn Forrest and Sam Chelanga at the front of the race, Barnicle held on to a large chase pack and finished well, placing 13th in 29:21.33.
June 11, 2009
2009 State Meet Coverage Page on Flotrack
Thanks to Noah Jampol, all the videos we took at the All-State meet (plus selected photos from the Newton Running Times web site) are now available via an event coverage page on Flotrack.com.
Newly uploaded: Girls 1M, Boys 800m
2009 MIAA Massachusetts All State Meet
There are still some videos to be uploaded, including the boys and girls 400m races, the girls 4x800 relay, and some of the sprint finals.
Newly uploaded: Girls 1M, Boys 800m
2009 MIAA Massachusetts All State Meet
There are still some videos to be uploaded, including the boys and girls 400m races, the girls 4x800 relay, and some of the sprint finals.
June 10, 2009
All-State Girls 800m Video Posted
Margo Gillis wins the state championship with a tremendous stretch run.
June 09, 2009
All-State Boys 2M Video Posted
On Flotrack:
The Jamcast team (Noah, Sam, and Jon) provides commentary for the All-State Boys 2-Mile.
The Jamcast team (Noah, Sam, and Jon) provides commentary for the All-State Boys 2-Mile.
NSRP/Cold Spring Park Run
The first semi-organized group run of the summer from Cold Spring Park in Newton will be this Wednesday, June 10th.
Cold Spring Park entrance on Google maps
Meet at 6:15 to warm-up and talk, start running at 6:30.
There is no set route, distance or pace, but in the past there have been several groups doing anything from 4-5 to 8-10 miles. We try to do as much of the run on trails as possible.
Cold Spring Park entrance on Google maps
Meet at 6:15 to warm-up and talk, start running at 6:30.
There is no set route, distance or pace, but in the past there have been several groups doing anything from 4-5 to 8-10 miles. We try to do as much of the run on trails as possible.
June 08, 2009
2009 Outdoor All-State Video: Boys 4 x 800
One of the best races of the day at All-States was the boys 4x800 relay, with five teams going under 8:00. Noah, Sam, and Jon have the call...
June 07, 2009
NNHS Alumni Results - 6/7/09
At the second NB Twilight meet (Saturday, June 6), Seb Putzeys ran a nice 9:01.79 for 3000m, placing 15th in a strong field.
The meet had other outstanding performances, including a scintillating 800m from ex-Lowell H.S. star Brian Gangon, who ran 1:47.97.
On Sunday, at the vision 5K in Newton, an unlikely NN alumnus ran 21:00 (20:50, if you go by the net time given by his electronic timing chip). Former state and NE shot put champion Mat Frankel (there couldn't be more than one Mat Frankel, could there?) finished 4th in his age group. Very impressive -- maybe more impressive than David Smith's 5-7 high jump.
Which brings to mind the question -- what is the most impressive performance you've ever seen by someone competing outside their usual events? Coach Blackburn's 2:44 marathon as a master comes to mind (How many sprinters do you know who can run a 2:44 marathon. or would want to?)
The meet had other outstanding performances, including a scintillating 800m from ex-Lowell H.S. star Brian Gangon, who ran 1:47.97.
On Sunday, at the vision 5K in Newton, an unlikely NN alumnus ran 21:00 (20:50, if you go by the net time given by his electronic timing chip). Former state and NE shot put champion Mat Frankel (there couldn't be more than one Mat Frankel, could there?) finished 4th in his age group. Very impressive -- maybe more impressive than David Smith's 5-7 high jump.
Which brings to mind the question -- what is the most impressive performance you've ever seen by someone competing outside their usual events? Coach Blackburn's 2:44 marathon as a master comes to mind (How many sprinters do you know who can run a 2:44 marathon. or would want to?)
June 06, 2009
Sam Arsenault Wins All-State Long Jump
It has been a season of moments for Sam Arsenault.
The Newton North senior, was injured at the end of the indoor season and reduced the number of meets and events in which he competed during the spring. As the injury healed, there were flashes of the athlete who could take over a meet by winning four events, but mostly he chose his spots to show that he could still bring it.
On Saturday, Arsenault created another such moment. He won the long jump at the state meet with a personal best and the best long jump in Massachusetts this spring, leaping 23-2 1/4.
It was a fitting way to close out an impressive high school career.
Two other seniors ran their last races for North on Saturday, and they will be sorely missed, as they characterized the hard-working, always improving distance crew that qualified for the state meet in XC, and had six qualifiers for the DI track meet this spring. Dan Hamilton ran 9:42.29 to place 17th in one of the deepest state two-miles in recent memory. Jared Forman ran 4:27.43 in the 1-mile, placing 14th. Dan will be doing his running for Rochester next year, and Jarad will be heading to MIT.
Margo Gillis Wins All-State 800m
In a battle of sophomores (the top four, and five of the top six finishers were in 10th grade), Margo Gillis raced to a surprising victory in the 800m at the All-State meet in Fitchburg Saturday. It was oddly reminiscent of Carolyn Ranti's upset win in the state meet in 2008, but unlike that race, in which Ranti was able to overtake the leaders after biding her time on the first lap, Gillis was determined to dictate the pace.
When the starter fired the gun, Gillis charged to the front and was halfway around the turn when the gun fired again to call the race back. Top seed and pre-race favorite Andrea Keklak had been involved in a collision and had gone down -- hard -- and stayed down for a sickening few moments. Keklak is nothing if not tough, and after a couple of minutes while she and the officials determined that she was ok to run, there was a restart.
On the second go-round, Gillis didn't have quite the jump on the field, but quickly moved to the lead, followed by Keklak and the rest of the field.
At 66-67 seconds, the first lap was not overly fast, and on the backstretch Keklak passed, with Newton South's Kathy O'Keefe and Tewksbury's Leanne Tucker not far off the pace. But Gillis was not done, and stayed on Keklak's shoulder until they came out of the final turn. At that point, it was anyone's race, but Gillis made it hers with one strong move to open a gap and then enough strength and guts to hold her form and hang on in the final few meters.
Gillis finished in a personal best 2:14.13, with Keklak at 2:14.52, and O'Keefe at 2:14.68. Gillis and Ranti would later team up with Emma Kornetsky and Arianna Tabatabaie to place 4th in the 4x400 meters.
Photos and videos to come. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, Michele Kaufman was qualifying for the finals of the 100m hurdles with the fifth best time. She then proceeded to run the best hurdle race of her life, to come within the blink of an eye of running sub-15 seconds for the first time. Her time of 15:01 was a personal best, and her lean earned her third place.
June 03, 2009
Underclassmen in the All-State Boys 2-Mile
As we approach the 2009 Massachusetts All-State meet, I find myself coming back to a single question -- is Chris Allen really that good?
Allen, a freshman from King Philip Regional H.S. in Wrentham (I had to look it up), is seeded sixth in the two-mile with a time of 9:29.85. A couple of weeks ago, he won the Hockomock League Championships in what was then a King Philip school record 9:40.07. In the EMass Div II championships, he improved that record and his personal best to 9:29.85, finishing fourth just a second behind Arlington's Antony Taylor.
Has any freshman in Massachusetts ever run faster?
Outdoor state-record holder Chris Barnicle ran 9:39 as a freshman. But 9:29? That's not far from being one of the top 100 performances all-time in Massachusetts.
Interestingly, the state boys two-mile is dominated by underclassmen. Eight of the top nine seeds are underclassmen, led by Nashoba junior Coby Horowitz at 9:21:
1 Alex Kramer SR No. Andover 9:17.50
2 Coby Horowitz JR Nashoba 9:21.42
3 Patrick McGowan JR Mansfield 9:26.45
4 John Murray SO Shrewsbury 9:27.99
5 Antony Taylor JR Arlington 9:28.64
6 Chris Allen FR King Philip 9:29.85
7 John Bleday JR Xaverian 9:30.83
8 Brendon Aylaian JR Nashoba 9:30.87
9 Jared Reddy JR Methuen 9:32.80
10 Jonathon Gault SR Bedford High Sch 9:33.23
And, somewhat unusually, the Div I winner (Bleday) is only seeded 7th.
Anyway, I can't wait to see Allen run, and wonder about how much faster he'll go in the next three years.
Allen, a freshman from King Philip Regional H.S. in Wrentham (I had to look it up), is seeded sixth in the two-mile with a time of 9:29.85. A couple of weeks ago, he won the Hockomock League Championships in what was then a King Philip school record 9:40.07. In the EMass Div II championships, he improved that record and his personal best to 9:29.85, finishing fourth just a second behind Arlington's Antony Taylor.
Has any freshman in Massachusetts ever run faster?
Outdoor state-record holder Chris Barnicle ran 9:39 as a freshman. But 9:29? That's not far from being one of the top 100 performances all-time in Massachusetts.
Interestingly, the state boys two-mile is dominated by underclassmen. Eight of the top nine seeds are underclassmen, led by Nashoba junior Coby Horowitz at 9:21:
1 Alex Kramer SR No. Andover 9:17.50
2 Coby Horowitz JR Nashoba 9:21.42
3 Patrick McGowan JR Mansfield 9:26.45
4 John Murray SO Shrewsbury 9:27.99
5 Antony Taylor JR Arlington 9:28.64
6 Chris Allen FR King Philip 9:29.85
7 John Bleday JR Xaverian 9:30.83
8 Brendon Aylaian JR Nashoba 9:30.87
9 Jared Reddy JR Methuen 9:32.80
10 Jonathon Gault SR Bedford High Sch 9:33.23
And, somewhat unusually, the Div I winner (Bleday) is only seeded 7th.
Anyway, I can't wait to see Allen run, and wonder about how much faster he'll go in the next three years.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
