Development is the name of the game.
But how much did athletes improve this spring compared to their fall?
Today, we're pulling back the blinds and digging deep into a comparison of the nation's top returners in the 5K when compared to their spring track seasons. Note: Eligible athletes must have run the 800, 1600 and 3200 in 2018 on the track.
Let's look at some examples.
The top 5K returner heading into 2018 is Valor Christian (CO) junior Cole Sprout. If we compare his freshman season in 2017 to his sophomore campaign in 2018, we see some very obvious points. He dropped major time in each race.
| Cole Sprout | 5k | 800 | 1600 | 3200 |
| 2018 | 14:48.60 | 1:55.46 | 4:12.75 | 9:01.53 |
| 2017 | 16:01.00 | 2:00.32 | 4:22.01 | 9:28.57 |
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The nation's second fastest returner, though, has more nuanced improvement. There's no doubt New Jersey's Devin Hart had a banner year in cross country.
While the following spring saw him regress slightly in the 1600m, he pumped in a remarkable year in the 3200m--with multiple sub-9 performances, in...
