Well, I agree with:
Tell him they don't hand out the medals at the one mile mark
I coached HS distance years ago. I used to say that and that they don't take the places at the mile mark. I also trained them in intervals to do negative splits. Carefully choosing goal times for them. They were allowed to go faster and faster during the workout if they started at the pace I set for them. Too quick at the start and I would send them to the showers.
In the Frosh Soph final, my runner from Menlo Atherton HS went out on the pace we had picked. The others rushed out, and at one point my runner was down nearly 200m. He caught the first place runner with a lap to go and, despite not being a known kicker, won the race, 2 miles, in a PR time. He got the place we had hoped at two miles, not at the one mile mark. My other line--run smart, not necessarily hard.
As for Pre, the famous race at the start is worth noting. The HS coach turns to the UO visiting coach and says oh, you'll know which one he is. The point was not that he went out fast, but that he was that much better than all the others. Brave, and better. And on pace for his talent level Which is why we applaud him so many years later.