Nico Young is a changed man

CopperRunner wrote:

SDSU Aztec wrote:

I saw his NXN XC race; there was nothing wrong with his stride and it was a tremendous performance. He was talented then and he's talented now. There are other elite HS rumners that train just as hard as he did.

I think the main problem with Nicos form in high school wasn’t his stride, it was everything else. Everything going on with his upper body screamed inefficient. You’ll notice a huge difference if you look at the then vs now.

He lowered his arms. Good grief does this site ever over-analyze everything to the nth level? Yes, you guys are whacked.

Truck Stop wrote:

ebethbrgthyh wrote:

What weight training is NAU doing? Anybody have any insight?

This is from 4 years ago

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXOnsT8zPo

Watching skinny XC runners lift weights is like watching offensive linemen on the football team run distance.

Why are they squatting so little?

I have read and hear interviews where they talk about the NAU guys doing treadmill hills. I believe Smith said he used treadmill hills to help Galen after his Achilles surgery when he was having trouble with his mechanics.

Does anybody know specifics regarding the treadmill hills?

So much talk about form makes it tough to know if Nico is a good runner or not. I am so confused! If only there were a way of measuring running performance that were more objective.

bip bop pop wrote:

Truck Stop wrote:

This is from 4 years ago

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXOnsT8zPo

Watching skinny XC runners lift weights is like watching offensive linemen on the football team run distance.

You think distance runners lift to look ripped or buff?

Maybe some. But I was sort of careful to do mostly multiple reps and lighter weights, when I was in a mood to improve a bit. Going for the strong light frame big engine thing.

I wouldn't read too much into Young being 36 seconds behind Isai Rodriguez. NAU had three guys very close to each other in the 23:40s, Nur, Young, and Bosley, and 7 guys within 36 seconds. Mike Smith wanted his guys to run tempo pace and not push too much. The workout shows him again wanting them to not push. They still got in 6600m of work (10k including 200m jogs in 75) at 4:10, 4:16, and 4:30 pace, all ahead of 8k race pace but felt easy to them. He wants them pushing hard only at nationals.

I'm reading into it. Rodriguez was tempo'ing out there. He even did a workout after. Rodriguez is Top 3 material right now, Nico is not.

xczvzxcv wrote:

I wouldn't read too much into Young being 36 seconds behind Isai Rodriguez. NAU had three guys very close to each other in the 23:40s, Nur, Young, and Bosley, and 7 guys within 36 seconds. Mike Smith wanted his guys to run tempo pace and not push too much. The workout shows him again wanting them to not push. They still got in 6600m of work (10k including 200m jogs in 75) at 4:10, 4:16, and 4:30 pace, all ahead of 8k race pace but felt easy to them. He wants them pushing hard only at nationals.

Charlatan wrote:

I'm reading into it. Rodriguez was tempo'ing out there. He even did a workout after. Rodriguez is Top 3 material right now, Nico is not.

xczvzxcv wrote:

I wouldn't read too much into Young being 36 seconds behind Isai Rodriguez. NAU had three guys very close to each other in the 23:40s, Nur, Young, and Bosley, and 7 guys within 36 seconds. Mike Smith wanted his guys to run tempo pace and not push too much. The workout shows him again wanting them to not push. They still got in 6600m of work (10k including 200m jogs in 75) at 4:10, 4:16, and 4:30 pace, all ahead of 8k race pace but felt easy to them. He wants them pushing hard only at nationals.

These care about winning TEAM XC titles. They aren’t as concerned with individual performances. If they were they would of went to Oregon. Also it’s still September for goodness sakes. The goal is to be in peak shape in November.

Charlatan wrote:

I'm reading into it. Rodriguez was tempo'ing out there. He even did a workout after. Rodriguez is Top 3 material right now, Nico is not.

xczvzxcv wrote:

I wouldn't read too much into Young being 36 seconds behind Isai Rodriguez. NAU had three guys very close to each other in the 23:40s, Nur, Young, and Bosley, and 7 guys within 36 seconds. Mike Smith wanted his guys to run tempo pace and not push too much. The workout shows him again wanting them to not push. They still got in 6600m of work (10k including 200m jogs in 75) at 4:10, 4:16, and 4:30 pace, all ahead of 8k race pace but felt easy to them. He wants them pushing hard only at nationals.

LOL, don't want to be peaking now, these races are meaningless. Peak for nationals, Nico will beat Rodriguez when it matters. AGAIN.