3k States Recap

Before I really get into this I want to show you what these times convert to for 3200m using the official milesplit conversion calculator.
1. Max Norris 8:28.93 -> 9:06.34 (PR)
2. Ethan Martin 8:33.63 -> 9:11.38 (PR)
3. Dan Savage 8:39.64 -> 9:17.83 (PR)
4. Conner Quinn 8:40.22 -> 9:18.46 (PR)
5. Brendan Shearn 8:40.53 -> 9:18.79
6. Jon Colwell 8:41.99 -> 9:20.36 (PR)
7. Colin Martin 8:42.61 -> 9:21.02 (PR)
8. Ross Wilson 8:42.63 -> 9:21.04 (PR)


That sounds like an absurdly fast outdoor final, and this was on an indoor track. What makes it more amazing to me is this was group of relative unknowns that grabbed these medal spots in crazy fast times. Only Shearn didn't run the equivalent of outdoor PR and he was coming off a serious injury that held him out of racing for just about all of the year. If you throw in Tony Russell's 8:38 from earlier in the year you have 6 guys who have run the equivalent of sub 9:20 this year indoors. That is crazy. Especially when considering you have 3 more guys knocking at the door.

What makes it perhaps even more surprising is that this above group does not even return the top 4 guys from AAA last season! Mac Emery, who ran 9:11 last year, Dan Jaskowak, who ran 9:14 and is the top returner outdoors, Jack Macauley who ran 9:15 and Connor Harriman who ran 9:18 in a tremendous kick to finish 4th last year outdoors.

Wow. Throw Rico Galassi and Sami Aziz (time trial at Henderson) into that group and we have an astounding 12 guys coming into the outdoor season with PRs already under 9:20! With plenty of guys knocking on the door behind them. This year outdoors has the potential to be the deepest it has ever been. I really hope that all these guys decide to hop in the same race at some point or another whether it is the Henderson meet in mid season or the end of season or somewhere else. States should include a lot of the best but it will split of guys like Galassi and Shearn from the top group (not to mention Sam Williams) and the independent league will take away Aziz and the Ritz brothers.

Amazingly, I still see a few guys beyond this group who can sneak into the sub 9:20 conversation. Austin Pondel immeaditely comes to mind after his break out season in XC. Brent Kenndy, too should be in the conversation. Consider the last few Footlocker Finalists from PA:
Paul Springer: 8:48 PR
Mark Dennin: 9:03
Chris Aldrich: 9:07
Vince McNally: 9:05
Ben Furcht: 9:00 3k conversion, 9:05
Brad Miles: 9:15
Rad Gunzenhauser: 9:07
Ryan Gil: 9:03
Chris Campell: 4:14 (never ran a serious 32)
Zach Hebda: 9:07
Dustin Wilson: not sure what he ran senior year but definitely under 9:20, 9:02 junior year

So moral of the story here is only Campbell never broke the mark out of the last 6 years worth of Foot Locker finalists. Shearn and Norris are already under this year, odds are Pondel and Kennedy will be joining them if healthy.

Kevin James is no slouch to overlook, he can definitely challenge 9:20 this year. So too can Reiny Barchet and Lyle Wistar who were close at the Henderson 2 mile meet this past fall. Luke Jones and Sam Williams from AA could mix it up and go after a sub 9:20 mark as well in the right race. Coyle could definitely do it if he wanted to, but not sure there will be a chance. Should be really sick.

But I'm getting ahead of myself ....


Now talking about the actual indoor 3k itself ....

Big race by Norris. Looked so smooth and comfortable at that fast of pace. Really unbelievable for him to pull away like that and close so fast. After watching that race I gotta believe a well rested Tony Russell can be down around that mark as well. He did all the work and just couldn't hang on after a long day. He will bounce back. Ross Wilson can run a lot faster as well in my mind. Rolling out to the front of the race in 30 was probably a bit of a tactical error in my mind. He is well coached and a good runner and he will fix up that first mile and be ready to mix it up outdoors. Having Emery rolling with him outdoors should help.

Major props to Brendan Shearn for bouncing back off that injury. Really impressive for him to mix it up and run 8:40, a time competitive with the leaders most years. He ran a smart race off the back of the pack and just rolled by people at the end. Very smart racing off that kind of fast early pace. Ethan Martin looked great as well. Outdoors he should continue to be a force. He is just a Junior and is looking up at guys like Kennedy and Russell and trying to prove he belongs. This was a nice step in the right direction. That time wins this race most years.

Jon Colwell had one heck of a breakout season as well. He proved that 8:45 was no fluke with a solid race at states. Major props also to Conner Quinn. He has bounced back really well after what had to be a tough XC season. The guy is adjusting to not having Sam Hibbs and taking a page out of Hibbs' book. Quinn may surprise with a sub 9:10 outdoors. Don't be surprised. He is running better than Hibbs did at this point indoors (arguably).

And of course Dan Savage is always up in the mix. He has made a lot of steps in the right direction this year, proving he isn't just a cross guy, he can do track as well. Sub 8:40 indoors sets him up very nicely for outdoors. He is a grinder who can hang with that tough pace and hold on for a fast time.

Overall this was likely the deepest 3k indoors in state history. Unbelievable.