Information on tob boys high school two mile ( 3200m or 3000meters) top
track and distance running times.
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.... OM - Olympic Medal
OF " final
OQ qualified for Olympics
OT " for Olympic trials
WM - World Champ. medal
WF final
WQ qualified for world champ.
WT " for Nationals...
NM ncaa's medal
NF " final
NT qualified for Ncaa's
1 8:36.3 Jeff Nelson(Burbank.Ca) 79
he enrolled at the University of Oregon, but did not last a
year--academic problems I believe. He went to school at a jc in Calif. but
then disappeared from the running scene...Dave Castle ?
2 8:40.0 (i) Gerry Lindgren (Rogers, Spokane, Wa) 64
OF 9'th, 6 NM 1sts.
3 8:40.9 Craig Virgin (Lebanon. Il) 73
I agree that Shorter and Salazar were great runners, but what about
Craig Virgin ? Not only is he the only American male to WIN the
toughest footrace in the world...the World Cross Country (which did
TWICE) but he was also a force on the road and track. The
way Virgin raced also is a big factor .Not only could he use his
head, but he could lead, surge like an African (succesfully!), or
even kick (occasionally & not as succesful). He was a great high
school runner -8:40 2M prep record .He was a great college runner who
was overshadowed by older foregin runners, but made no excuses & won
a NCAA title. He also made 3 U.S. Olympic teams at 10,000m .
He was still in college when he made the '76 team. 1980 is still one
of the best 10K battles ever (vs. Lindsay) and he certainly would
have medaled in Moscow. Mentally he was as tough as they come. His
1st U.S. record at 10,000 was at a very windy U.S. championships. He
asked Shorter & Robbie Perkins to help but they would not or could
not. He sucked it up and broke Pre's record alone in a performance
probably superior to his P.R. or any other U.S .10,000 time so far.
His marathoning was not the very best, but he didn't focus on it
solely. It took all Seko had to break him at Boston & Virgin had just
come off his 2nd WXC title & an American road 10,000 the previous
weeks. Remember he did this with all the physical problems (the
Kidney situation that he was not suppose to live through). His
accomplishments are to numerous to list, but he has definately NOT
recived the recognition he deserves.
John Erickson
#3 US all time 10k 27:29.16
4 8:41.5 Steve Prefontaine (Marshfield. Coos Bay, Or) 69
OF 4'th ... The Head God still #7 US all time 10k
8 8:44.53 (8:05.8 -3k) John Trautmann (Monroe-Woodbury. Central Valley. NY) 86
qualified for the Olympic 92 5k
was beating Bob Kennedy..then got hurt.. too bad.
24 8:50.7 John Gregorek (St Anthony. Smilhtowo, NY) 78
2 OQ ...#10 US all time 5k #8 US 3k SC
25 8:50.9 Bill McChesney (South Eugcoc. Eugcnc. Or) 76
#6 US 5k His brother Steve also did a 9:04.4 that year
27 8:51.0 Rudy Chapa (Hammond. In) 75
NM
38 8:54.67 (8:15.17-3k) Dan Middleman (Clarte, Westbury. NY) 87
in olympics 92?&96? 10k
49 8:57.4 (i) Alberto Salazar (Wayland. Ma) 75
OQ marathon ? 76 ?
71 8:57.4? John Tuttle (Penn Relays) '77
1984 Olympic trials 3rd place
65 9:00.40+(8:57.0-3.2k) Todd Williams
OL 96
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Billy Convey, Brian Jaeger
2 Mile: Florida Relasys 1983 1.Billy Convey -
Ransom-Eveglades, Miami FL 8:57.5 2.Brian Jaeger - Winter Park, FL
8:57.8 (But Brian later ran 8:56.98 at Joe Newton's International Prep
that same year, ahead of Eric Reynolds and others).
1 Mile Golden West 1983: 1.John Carlotti - New jersey 4:08.1
2.Billy Convey - Ransom-Everglades Miami, FL 4:08.3 3.Brian Jaeger -
Winter Park, FL 4:08.7 (but Brian had run 4:07 point something earlier
in the season. Also, he lost the State Mile that year to Ken Cheeseman
of Lake Howell FL - right near Winter Park - in, as I recall 4:08.8 -
4:09.6. I'll check to be sure. Cheeseman was a junior but never ran
faster. Both he and Convey - I coached Billy - went to U. of Virginia
but neither developed as they should have. Both were young physically,
and not over-trained in highschool. Billy did about 50 miles a week his
senior year. In college they immediately jumped him to 80-90 miles over
hills, and to prove he deserved his full ride - and jusat because he was
so competitive - Billy ran with Colin Peddie and the other mature 10k on
the 15 milers then ran with Ray Brown the 1:45 guy and John Hinton 3:41
on the track. They broke him down - and Dennis Craddock andf the three
or four other coaches Billy had in 5 years never held him back. He also
sprained his ankle twice which hindered him greatly. He ran 3:45 twice -
the first time as a freshman - but that was it Jaeger went to Auburn,
as I recall, and did break 4:00 by a little in college and rean 13:38,
as I recall, for 5K. Super kids, both of them).
...Geoff Pietsch
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Jeff Warrick
Jeff was also the National sophomore-class record holder
for 800 (or it may have been 880y back then), breaking Jim Ryun's
class record for 10th-graders.
His coach at Bradenton Bayshore was Rollie Geiger, now head at NC State-
and Jeff's HS teammate was national 2-mile record holder Betty Springs-
who also went to NC State on a coach/athlete 'package deal'-
and ended up marrying Rollie after college graduation.
Jeff didn't have the grades, and went to junior college up in
Michigan- but got into trouble with the law and ended up in
the Michigan state prison on a murder rap- or that's the story I heard.
I think Jeff was one of the greatest natural running talents that
I've ever seen, and many Florida observers agreed at the time.
What he achieved was often with very little base.
Coach Geiger had to personally give him rides home after practice,
to a very bad, drug-infested neighborhood.
But Geiger wasn't up in Michigan to keep Jeff away from the bad elements.
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Ronnie Treadway
ran 4:10 and 9:07 in 1979
for Palmetto HS in Florida.
The 4:10 was at a small invitational meet in central Florida,
and he beat future Olympian Keith Brantley (I think it may
have been Brantley's only HS loss)
The 9:07 was at the Atlanta Classic.
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Eric Henry
Scott Cramer
Coach, Danny Green, of The Woodlands H.S.
in Texas. He was the McCullough H.S. coach of the teams that own the national
relay records for 4x1600 and the distance medley. He has had at least 4
milers that would be on your list, the most prominent is Eric Henry who ran a
4.03.1 relay leg on the national record d.m. in '87. He had some fast
individual 1600 runs that would qualify. Also on that record d.m. team was
Scott Cramer who ran under 4.10 at the Golden West that year. Danny could
also help you with any other Texas milers that might be included.
Tom Sherwood
4.15.66 mile, HS Sr year, April 1977 (Your list would have to expand quite a
bit to run up to my name!)
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Rich Kimball
There was once a distance running legend that ran at my high school but
due to a series of unfortunate injuries didn't amount to anything after
high school. This man's name was Rich Kimball. Rich was the 1973 world
Cross Country Champion. In 1974 he nearly eclipsed Steve Prefontaine's
outstanding high school 2 mile mark of 8:41 by running an 8:43. He also
ran the outstanding mile time of 4:01. Please give this distance
champion from De La Salle High School in Concord, CA the respect that he
deserves on your all time list.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Tim Layden