MileSplit50 Boys Rankings: No. 11 Aidan Puffer

No. 11 Aidan Puffer

School: Manchester (CT)

Year: Senior, Class of 2022

Notable Finishes: 7th at the East Coast Championships in 16:11.70; Puffer ran 4:11.01 in the 1,600m outdoors and 4:08.91 for the full mile at the Danbury Dream Invitational; In the 3,200m, Puffer was second overall at the CIAC State Open Outdoor Championships in 9:03.85.

Analysis: While Puffer ran just one cross country race in 2020, finishing seventh overall at the East Coast Championships, and once over the indoor season, clocking a career best 1,600m, it hardly impacted the blue-chip recruit. 

Sometimes, the absence of familiarity allows a runner to work on the little things. And perhaps that's just what happened with Puffer, who was able to run 4:14.34 indoors for 1,600m and then clock an outdoor 5K time of 14:24.18 at the Big City Invitational at Icahn Stadium. 

Puffer didn't let a full outdoor season go to waste, either. He clocked career best efforts in the 400m (53.12), 800m (2:03.89), 1,600m (4:11.01), mile (4:08.91), 3,200m (9:03.85) and two-mile (8:55.66). 

In fact, Puffer made up big for lost time, executing on 20 races across the outdoor season. He won a CIAC Class LL Championship in the 1,600m with a time of 4:11, while he would go on to finish runner-up at the CIAC State Outdoor Championships, just a few seconds behind in-state rival Gavin Sherry. 

In April, Puffer clocked another outdoor 5K -- perhaps the distance we could see him excel at the collegiate level -- in 14:26.73. 

When it comes to cross country, Puffer is in his wheelhouse. Two years ago, he reached Foot Locker Nationals, finishing 21st overall. He ran a career best time of 15:32.00 for 5K that same year. 

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