Being a pro in college permits time for a more normal college experience than participating on an NCAA team because they are travelling nearly every week from Wednesday through Saturday while as a pro she could run just a few meets.
That doesn’t happen if you pick the right spot. You hit a qualifier early, run at conference and then nationals. Ask Nick Willis or Ritz.
There is indoor and outdoor and also cross country. How many meets will Tuohy run throughout the schoolyear, 20?, amd even conference and regiinals and nationals during track, involve many days away from school.
The differentiation was made way up the thread, injecting sprints into this is a red herring. Efraimson didn’t race sprints and never developed well in 8 years trying as a pro distance runner. I definitely agree sprinters have shown less dependence on the NCAA, though through the ‘80s and ‘90s that wasn’t the story at all. Yet that provides no useful perspective on Efraimson’s career just like Felix’s career doesn’t. That’s a fact, Jack.
A better comparison is Cranny. Cranny took 2nd at NXN that year and went to Stanford. Alexa was a year younger and passed on Stanford to go pro. Now Cranny has a Stanford degree AND is one of the top US distance runners.
The same Cranny who didn't progress at Stanford? Seems like the only difference between them is what progroup they joined. Give Alexa some thyroid meds and a burrito truck and maybe we are looking at a different career.
And of course you should talk about the other runners who picked the NCAA. How was Kate Murphy's career? Katie Rainsberger?
The odds of being a pro runner are so bad they aren't worth talking about. People need to pick schools based on what they want to do with your life. Not many people can make the couple of jumps needed to make it to the next level. How many of the HS sub 4 milers broke 351?
Bottom line, she just peaked early. It's very frequent, regardless of US college athletics. If anything the highly competitive US High school sports might be the cause producing a considerable number of teen phenoms that don't get (much) better later on.
But they occur also in other countries. A striking recentish example is Delia Sclabas from Switzerland who got two bronze medals in the u20 worlds (and several European u18 u20 titles) a few years ago but at almost 22 now has not beaten her 2:01 4:10 she ran before she turned 18.
How many of the HS sub four milers improved on their HS mile PB?
Most of them. Off the top of my head LV, Danielson, and Slagwoski didn't. Hall never improved on his 3:42.x 1500m. Maton hasn't run a faster mile but his 1500m is better. Leo Daschbach hasn't but is young enough to give a pass. Same thing for Kessler. The rest got better or just ran it like last year...
But again compare her to her peers not some guys. How many of the Cain, cranny, Kate murphy, Aragon, Rainsbeger, Donaghue group improved in the collage years? It is hard to say college worked out for any of them. BTC did work for cranny.
. . . Meanwhile, can anyone name someone who's even made a USA team for Olys or WC who didn't compete in college?
Allyson Felix . . . Ajee Wilson . . . so, it can be done . . . but for 1500m on up, college development, at least for a couple years, is an absolute must . . .
yup-it would have helped Drew Hunter to be a Duck for a few years in my opinion. Look at how Cooper Teare has developed...it took him a few years in college to figure it out..
The same Cranny who didn't progress at Stanford? Seems like the only difference between them is what progroup they joined. Give Alexa some thyroid meds and a burrito truck and maybe we are looking at a different career.
And of course you should talk about the other runners who picked the NCAA. How was Kate Murphy's career? Katie Rainsberger?
The odds of being a pro runner are so bad they aren't worth talking about. People need to pick schools based on what they want to do with your life. Not many people can make the couple of jumps needed to make it to the next level. How many of the HS sub 4 milers broke 351?
This post and fkkfkfk's next, 3 down from this one, really made sense to me. Here's what I was reminded of:
Meb was talking once about all the guys in Kenya. The best of the best seem to come out of there, everyone says. Some from Ethiopia, too. But he points out that the percentage of them that are great, and household names in the distance world, isn't big since so many are trying to be. At the time this was said, the top of the heap might have been the 2 Mutais and Makau. Where are the other thousand that were in Eldoret, Kaptagat, wherever, that also hoped to run 2:03? In Iten alone, I have read you can join a group run a hundred strong. There will be someone that many of us have heard of that is sort of the leader. This is a guy who might win Boston next year. And 99 who won't. Meb suggested it was somewhat unremarkable that unbelievable runners emerge from this world given the sheer numbers who are in the talent pool. One in a hundred will become somebody worth mentioning. One in a thousand will be Kipchoge. He emerged in the marathon shortly after Meb spoke about this scene. The rest remain nobodys.
Funny thing is, I really don't agree with Meb about the 'American way' of doing things or the NCAA. I apply what he said about Kenya, the training camps and groups, etc. to Americans too. A lot are trying to become Rupp and Shalane. Few do. Fkkfkfk realizes that an army of good teenagers join the NCAA every year. There's about 1 - maybe a little more - per graduating class that the Brojos and Gault are talking about post-collegiately, when breaking down odds at USATF or a bid road race a couple years later.
Sure, Fisher and Cranny have made it happen. They were like Deena or Hall in that their collegiate careers were far from embarrassing, but not exactly King Chez. They made it big after college, proving that the NCAA didn't ruin them, but it's certainly not responsible for their current success. Nor was it the key for Sisson. She's unimpeachably good now (and hopefully better yet the next few years), but all we can say is that college didn't ruin her. It also didn't make her.
So where are the other 99 of the top hundred kids whatever year Fisher and Cranny signed up for school? If you throw enough spaghetti at the wall, some will stick. That's what Meb said about the Iten training mob. Few will be Kipchohe or Keitany. It's also true of the 'American system' including the NCAA. Occasional greatest will come out of it. So will a whole bunch of mediocracy and obscurity.
She in way is everything that is wrong with the sport . signs a nice contract out of HS and does absolutely nothing but still makes money for 8 years .
not trying to mean but this continues to happen and it wonders why sponsors still sponsor some of these types .
I have to agree with Ryun. Name a WR holder who's ever even watched an NCAA race. Even the multi events, the disciplines for which it could be argued it is worthwhile, seem populated by athletes unaware that the NCAA exists. It apparently is not just unnecessary but an impediment to success.
Mondo Duplantis
Meanwhile, can anyone name someone who's even made a USA team for Olys or WC who didn't compete in college?
She seems to be retiring on good terms with the sport. It’s very tough to bow out when so much of your life has revolved around it. She seems very mature about it all. Hopefully she sticks to running and maybe the competitive juices will come back. She’s only 25 so if she wanted to move up in distance at some point in the future, I think she could do it. Wishing her peace and happiness in whatever she pursues.
She ran on a very solid level 2015-19 but 1500/mile seems clearly to have been her best event; I think she would have at least seriously tried 5000m within 6-7 years as a professional if there had been indications she would fare better at these distances.