The Fastest High School Milers in History

It is interesting to see that the fastest high school miler ever, Jim Ryun, was, according to these numbers, the earliest.  And he did it just about the time our Saskatchewan high school runners group was peaking (1965).  I most definitely do not believe there is some sort of reason for everything in a universe so obviously built on the product of amazing essentially mathematical coincidences, but it sure does make you think.

The Fastest Miles In High School-Only Competition

compiled by Jack Shepard 

There are 5 U.S. high school boys who have broken 4:00 in the mile. Legends Jim Ryun, Tim Danielson, Marty Liquori, Alan Webb & Lukas Verzbicas combined to do it 9 times. But only 2 of those marks didn’t come without the help of older competition.

If you want to talk about high schoolers competing against high schoolers, the feat has still been turned only twice, by Ryun and Verzbicas.

The all-time list of prep-only milers through May 27, 2013:

3:58.3........ Jim Ryun (East, Wichita, Kansas), State, 5/15/65
3:59.71...... Lukas Verzbicas' (Sandburg, Orland Park, Ilinois), Dream, 6/11/11
4:01.32...... Bernie Montoya (Cibola, Yuma, Arizona), Dream, 6/09/12
4:01.69+.... German Fernandez (Riverbank, California), State, 5/31/08
4:01.81...... Alan Webb (South Lakes, Reston, Virginia), Arcadia, 4/14/01
4:01.83...... Austin Mudd (Center Grove, Greenwood, Ind), Dream, 6/11/11
4:02.01...... Sharif Karie (West, Springfield, Virginia), National Scholastic, 6/14/97
4:02.08...... Elias Gedyon (Loyola, Los Angeles, California), Dream, 6/11/11
4:02.0........ Ryun, Invitational, 4/23/65
4:02.23+.... Jantzen Oshier (Trabuco Hills, Mission Viejo, Ca), State, 6/04/11

(10)

4:02.4........ Richard Kimball (DLS, Concord, California), Section, 5/25/74
4:02.6........ Kimball, San José Inv, 5/04/74
4:02.72...... Ben Saarel (Park City, Utah), Dream, 5/25/13
4:02.73...... Jacob Burcham (Cabell-Midland, Ona, WVa), Dream, 6/09/12
4:02.90...... Mac Fleet (University City, San Diego, California), Portland Festival, 6/13/09
4:02.98...... Josh Lampron (Mansfield, Massachusetts), Dream, 6/09/12
4:02.99+.... Steve Magness (Klein Oak, Houston, Texas), District, 4/11/03
4:03.12...... Brandon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio), Dream, 6/09/12
4:03.18...... Marcus Dixon (White River, Buckley, Wash), Dream, 6/09/12
4:03.27...... Gabe Jennings (East, Madison, Wisconsin), National Scholastic, 6/14/97

 (20)

 4:03.29...... Edward Cheserek’ (St Benedict’s, Newark, NJ), Dream, 6/11/11
 4:03.33...... Webb, Invitational, 5/20/00
 .................. Sam Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio), NON, 6/16/07
 4:03.85...... John Zishka (Lancaster, Ohio), Golden West, 6/14/80
 4:03.87...... Sam Vazquez (Flagler-Palm Coast, Bunnell, Fla), AOC, 6/14/03

 ** 25 performances by 22 performers **

 + = 1600-meter time multiplied by 1.0058 (converted 1500s are not considered here);
* = junior; AOC = adidas Outdoor Classic; NON = Nike Outdoor Nationals
 copyright © 2013 Track & Field News

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Canada's New Track and Field League

Starting this Saturday, June 14, there will finally be a Canadian track league.  I don't know a great deal about it but it appears to have been announced by Athletics Canada,  which I gather is a type of federal (?) government-involved agency which plays a role analogous to the old AAU of our day.    To run in Saskatchewan I had to join the AAU in the sixties, the days of strongly enforced amateurism.  You  all know  the story--shamateurism followed and today every government and many corporations try to visibly support their athletes.  The new league will actually give prize money for selected events, up to $800 for first place.  By the way I heard Carleton U. finally got a track team, too.  I hope these are signs of great things to come across Canada, especially for those of you who have children or grandchildren who might have  a serious interest in track in Canadian communities or universities. Click on:  Canada Gets New Track and Field League .  If you get the suggestive banner, please ignore it.  These things are hard to avoid today,