Top 25 High School Distance Boys Runners of All Time

You’d be better to not rank them. Because some of these are out of wack. I have a problem with much of them.

But … Casey Clinger isn’t top 100. Every dude in your honorable mention is better by far.

too many mistakes with this, I am not even going to bother

Would like some feedback if you have any but I doubt you do!

how long have you been following the sport? You can get a general idea of how good the runners are compared to each other if you follow it each year.

A more accurate list from someone who has been following HS since 2013:

1) Jim Ryun

2) Gerry Lindgren

3) Hobbs Kessler

4) Alan Webb

5) Dathan Ritzenheim

6) Simeon Burnbaum

7) German Fernandez

8) Edward Cheserek

9) Chris Solinsky

10) Chris Derrick

top 5 are in their own league. bottom 5 are relatively close in skill level. I put Birnbaum in 5th because I believe he can go 3:36.

After top 10 there is a drop off. 10) Chris Derrick / Adam Goucher

Great names on your list, but why no Lukas Verzbicas in Top 10? And Colin Sahlman and Nico Young have the national pedigree that Simeon lacks. They've all got the times, but cross country goes to Sahlman and Nico, with track going to Simeon, but not by as big of a gap as there would be in cross country.

Most of this comes down to understanding how talented a runner is. The truth is the runners you mention don't compare and would lose badly to the guys listed below. Especially Colin Sahlman.

-Edward Cheserek would never go all out unless someone pushed him, but he is a lot better than his times says he was (he ended up winning ncaa his freshman year). The only time he was pushed was his junior year footlocker he and Futsum could have ran low 14:40s at footlocker if it wasn't such a tactical race.

-German Fernandez would run crazy times solo. Running 4:00 then 8:35 two hours later by yourself in fresno winds and heat. German ran 14:25 at woodward park by himself. German was only 40s behind the top kenyan runners at U20 world xc championships (Leo Young was 1:30s behind top kenyan in a less competitive field)

- Simeon ran 8:34 two mile (55 second last lap) then runs 3:37 1500 2 days later, then wins a all-caliber field 2 days later 4:02 (55 second last lap). This just screams that he can run so much faster than these times. He continues to beat guys who have broken 4 minutes, and 8:35 for the 3200.

-Chris Derrick was also 45s behind top kenyan runners at U20 world xc champinoships (far more impressive performance). He soloed a 13:55 at Arcadia by himself (before super shoes).

Chris Solinksy / Adam Goucher - 14:40 at footlocker.

I may want to replace Chris Derrick with Lukas V. Those two are interchangeable. Lukas's 8:29 2 mile, Derrick's performance at U20 XC.

Where is Jakob Ingebrigtsen? Hello???

You’re not the expert you see yourself as. OP’s list was much better informed. Webb is easily ahead of Kessler. Verzbicas was better than half your list. Colin Sahlman had a better overall career than Birnbaum, and Hunter’s in the same tier as those two. Jeff Nelson held the 2 mile record of 8:36.3 for 29 years and placed 4th in World XC juniors. Eric Hulst won World XC juniors in 1976 and ran 8:44y twice. It’s Ritzenhein, not Ritzenheim. There is no drop off after the top 10.

I’d replace Casey Clinger with Reed Brown

1 National Cross Country title + sub 4 > 2 national cross country titles

Both of them should be behind Gary Martin through

Maybe throw Tim Danielson in there as controversial as he is. Sub 4 in the 60’s has to count for something

On that same note, I’m not sure I agree with Leo being the number three Young brother on this list. Junior year onward, Leo has a head to head record of like 20-2 against Lex so he should be bumped ahead of him

You can even make an argument for Leo over Nico. The only thing Nico has that Leo doesn’t is the NXN title and the 3k record. But Leo more than made up for NXN by trouncing the field at US JRs and finishing top 20 at world junior cross.

Plus Leo would have a good shot at his brothers 3k and 5k records if he raced those distances but neither of his brothers are running 3:39/1:50 in high school, super shoes or not

He might be top 100. Two NXN wins, 8:44 3200, 4:02.9 mile, Arcadia 3200 win as a jr. actually seems pretty good. He didn’t separate himself from his contemporaries on the track though or lay down any historically great times, so yeah he’s not top 25.

Dyrol Burleson? Don Sage?

And if we're really talking about distance runners, Chapa should be higher.

Stop slighting, Clinger went undefeated on the grass for two full seasons including two NXN titles. The only high school runner to have accomplished that feat.

Sorry. I was being hyperbolic. He *may* be top 100. But top 25 no way.

Centro by the way was a 4:03 / 8:41 full 2 mile. Also I believe Pan Am champ in the 1500. Probably not 25 now but honorable mention maybe.

You are not the expert you think you are either. You have a better understanding of the older runner than I do (I wasn't around watching them run at the time) and some of the things you say are correct others are just plain wrong.

Colin Sahlman would have been wrecked by Birnbaum his track season.

Most of these guys could have run faster than Lukas in a 2 mile if they were put in a pro field.

I’d put everyone 11-15 over him. Galen and grant probably have arguments too

I’m not so sure about that bucko. Sahlman had way better speed (1:48.07 vs 1:50) and a way faster mile PR despite going out in 1:55 through 800 and blowing up. Birnbaum might have him over 2 miles though.