Seriously why wrote:
There is no such thing as the eyeball test when it comes to running. Why are you having a kid who can only run the 400 in 57 train with the sprinters? That is not even enough speed to put him in the 1600. You should be training someone that slow for the 3200, not the 4 and 8.
I think half the time these stories are made up by bench warmers who like to spin yarns to get attention.
Even if the story is legit, what would he have done pre-internet?