The Case For Jane
Jane Hedengren (Timpview UT) was no stranger to the MileSplit50 on the Track. That's because she was our #1 pick to close out the 2024 XC MileSplit50, after a dominating showing at Nike Cross Nationals, christening a new course record at Glendoveer Golf Course. But even then, we didn't know. We didn't know the onslaught of Record after Record that would be coming from the Timpview Senior. Partly because the build-up in Junior Year had been sidelined by injury breaks. Partly because we already had long-standing names who were top of mind on the track. But either way, Hedengren persisted undeterred, and put together one of the greatest prep seasons of All-Time.
Indoor Season
We got our first glimpse of greatness in early February. After a well-earned break in December, and a slow ramp-up in January, Jane opened her season at home in Utah, which also means at elevation. The result was shocking. She opened with a 4:36.23 for the 1600m at 4,500ft above sea level. The mark sent shockwaves through the sport, as fans went to the NCAA Conversion tables to guess what that might mean.
Two weeks later, she proved elevation was no deterrent. At the Simplot Games, also at 4,500 ft, she clawed her way up the All-Time Ranks, running the 3200m in 9:37.50, good for US #2 All-Time, and only behind professional Mary Cain. Converted to 2-Miles, it was a then-staggering 9:40.85 mark. Did we mention this was also after running the same event in the trials the day before?
Greatness was only a matter of time.
Indoor Nationals
Much to the shock of everyone, Jane wouldn't enter the 2-Mile at Nike Indoor Nationals, where she was required to run as part of Nike's Elite NIL Program. She opted for the 5k/Mile double, which would allow a rest day in between. The 5K is rarely run indoors, but has produced impressive results in recent years, as athletes have found breaking 16mins easier and easier. It would be Jane's first event of the weekend.
Jane separated early from the pack, but the field wasn't ready to let her go. Rylee Blade (Corona, CA) was determined to put pressure on the Senior, and spent much of the first 4000m right on her tail. At 400m, the lead changes, and Blade makes her move to inflict an increase in pace. The move wakes Hedengren up, and turns on the accelerator. She pulls back into the lead for the penultimate time, and creates an opening gap, one that would expand until she crossed the line in 15:13.26, with Blade at 15:16.27.
Both marks were well under the old National Record by Elizabeth Leachman in 15:28. For Jane, it was a new U20 American Record, and 13th in the year globally indoors, at the time.
But it was only the start to her weekend.
Jane returned in the Mile, chasing a National Leader set by Sadie Engelhardt at Millrose, when she ran 4:27.97. The time was faster than Mary Cain's 4:28.25 run as an unattached HS Junior, but not faster than her Pro time of 4:24.11 run as a Senior. There is still debate on what counts as a National Record in the new world of NIL.
Still, the Armory was electric in anticipation. What could Hedengren do? She wasted no time. By 800m, she had an eleven-second gap on the field, splitting 2:12.15. She was in a class of her own. She came through 1006m in 2:45.62, which would have ranked US #4 in the event. Clicking away the laps, to great acclaim in the stadium, she would sprint through the finish, and stop the clock.
4:26.14.
A new Meet Record, National Lead, and National Record for those considering HS-Only Races. A near solo effort time trial, to boot.
Even still, the best was yet to come. Utah doesn't field an Indoor Season. It was time for Outdoors.
Spring Dominance At States
It would be another month before Hendegren put some serious racing on her schedule. Of course, that would kick off with the fabled Arcadia Invite in California, at the 2-Mile distance. It had been since February since she got the full distance under her legs, but what could she produce after all that training.
Like Simplot, and Indoor Nationals after, it soon became a solo-effort. 4:46.47 through the Mile, and she was on pace for another outstanding effort. Clicking away 70sec laps, bumping up to 72secs in the concluding, she came across the line in 9:34.12, for a new All-Time Record, bettering Cain's mark from Indoors. She was almost 30-seconds ahead of the next best finisher. And even still, this was only her debut. More was yet to come.
Jane would go into team-mode for much of May. She'd drop a casual 4:32.61 for the 1600m at BYU, her future home, before returning to the same track once again for the Utah State Meet. The 1600m time would be a State Record, at the time. Her State Meet performance saw points scored in the 800m, with wins in the 1600m, 3200m, and two relays (even a 4x400m where she lost a shoe). The results would help their Girls team socre 87 points, for the win. It was back to solo efforts.
Hendegren received an invite to the HOKA Festival of Miles. It would be her last effort at the distance in High School, and would be done in an all-HS Race.
The gun goes off, and Hendegren is on a mission. She goes out in 2:11.26, a full second faster than Indoors. Incredibly, she began to accelerate, dropping a 65sec split over the next lap. Pushing through the line, she crossed in 4:23.50, shattering the old Outdoor National Record of 4:28.46, and again bettering a time from Cain's Indoor Senior campaign.
The mark is two seconds faster than any athlete in the NCAA currently. It ranks 15th in the World among Senior competitors.
Spring Nationals - Future USATF Sr plans
The Records had been run. What more could Jane do to cement herself as the Greatest Female Distance Athlete of All-Time?
How about do it again? And again? And do it better.
First up was Brooks PR, which runs the full 2-Mile. It had been two months since she had smashed the National Record in the event, but her fitness has defiantly improved since then. Just what was capable?
Much like Indoors, Brooks PR quickly turned into a time-trial. So much so that the live stream had to dedicate a separate window just for the rest of the field they were so far back. Clicking away the laps, she was 6 seconds ahead of pace at the mile, running 4:41.16. The separation from her Arcadia pacing only began to widen. She had a ten second gap with 400m to go. Sprinting away, she crossed the line in an astonishing 9:17.75 for 2-Miles, splitting 8:40.99 for 3000m.
Two weeks later, she did it again. This time, at Nike Outdoor Nationals, running the true-3000m, she lowered her own National Record down to 8:40.03.
To put these two performances in perspective, she time trialed a race that would put her faster than anyone in the NCAA. She's currently ranked 49th in the World, 10th fastest American. That's among all age groups.
She shut her Season down after Nike Nationals, ready to transition to her time at BYU, where she is set to become a force to be reckoned with.