Did you run track?

ouchmyknee

All-American
Nov 10, 2006
3,871
6,379
91
After reading the thread on Melton's track results earlier, I thought it would be interesting to see how many of us ran track in high school or college and if any of its were any good. So, if you ran, threw, or jumped, post your best times here.

My bests:
100 - 11.1
200 - 22.4
400 - 51.0
 

srru86

All-Conference
Jul 25, 2001
17,880
4,199
113
"Ran" track, No. On the track team, Yes. My high school football coach was also the track coach. If you weren't playing baseball in the spring it was unofficially expected that all FB players also did track. Different FB players groups roughly lined up with track events. Linemen like me did Discus an Shot put. I was about as bad at that as I was at being an O-Lineman. QBs threw javelin. WR, RB and DBs were sprinters. Linebackers and Ends were hurdlers or jumpers. Long distance runners were a mix.
 

gunboat

Senior
Jan 16, 2007
1,375
416
0
After reading the thread on Melton's track results earlier, I thought it would be interesting to see how many of us ran track in high school or college and if any of its were any good. So, if you ran, threw, or jumped, post your best times here.

My bests:
100 - 11.1
200 - 22.4
400 - 51.0


I was on the track team. Drove the golf cart. Best time in the
400-43.1 Would have done better but the battery went dead!
 

RU#1fan

Heisman
Mar 7, 2003
23,676
12,384
113
Ran both Cross Country and Track (2 mile) back in my high school days in Westchester County , NY
It was all about conditioning and endurance.

You sprinters are at different breed.... super fast.
 

KaKaKen

Sophomore
Apr 21, 2015
332
163
0
After reading the thread on Melton's track results earlier, I thought it would be interesting to see how many of us ran track in high school or college and if any of its were any good. So, if you ran, threw, or jumped, post your best times here.

My bests:
100 - 11.1
200 - 22.4
400 - 51.0
These are really, really good numbers. Did you play football at the collegiate level?
 

BLewis1968

Senior
Feb 3, 2004
700
447
63
400 meters 49.05 auto (48.9 HT)
200 meters 22.4 (fluky 21.9 split)
100 meters 11.2

Ripped my hamstring to shreds during a Millrose time trial my freshman season at Rutgers, so no real times to speak of.
 

_dave_

All-Conference
Aug 16, 2004
4,505
2,704
0
800: 2:09
1600: 4:48
HJ: 5'6"
PV: 9'6"

It would be correct in saying that I didn't score much for the team. That 5 minute mile barrier was really hard to break, too. I was between 5:01-5:06 for several meets before finally breaking through the plateau.
 

BoogieKnight

Heisman
Oct 15, 2007
70,887
17,363
82
400: 51.9 - I was slow but had the 'guts' to run it hard every time out so they doubled me up in the open and 4x4.
 

vkj91

Heisman
Feb 7, 2007
188,417
49,559
98
PV 12'6"(junior year) Not bad for a 200lb kid who had to use a training pole because coaches wouldn't spend money for a pole to support the "fattest pole vaulter in NJ". Similar to someone above, I only ran track because it was required for non baseball playing football players. By senior year, I was just too big to do it and am probably the first non injured captain of any sport to not really "earn" his letter. Lol
 
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RU4Real

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
50,955
30,733
0
Back in my day, if you played soccer at Sayreville you were also "on the cross country team". Meaning we had to run cross country practice before soccer practice actually started.
 
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RUChoppin

Heisman
Dec 1, 2006
19,270
13,695
0
I did track for a year and a half before I dislocated my knee and decided not to continue with it. I did 110M high hurdles, 400M hurdles, and high jump.

Don't remember what my best times were, but my vague memory has me at around the 0:20-0:22 range for the 110M hurdles, the 1:10-1:15 range or so for the 400m hurdles, and I think 6-2 was my highest jump.
 

newell138

Heisman
Aug 1, 2001
37,267
48,159
112
Started running age group track at 9 years old for Denville, I think it was called the Lakeland track League?? Ran in HS and at RU. I still occasionally run some masters races or the occasional 5K
HS, qualified for Foot Locker Nationals in XC in 1980, back then it was called The Kinney Shoe meet though finishing 6th in the regional meet, got sick for nationals and ran horribly. I ran 15:39 at Van Cortlandt for the 3.1 mile course, also ran 16:03 at Holmdel and got 3rd in the meet of champs, won the Non Public A section of states 2x in XC and also indoor 2 mile and outdoor 1500.
HS PR's in track, 52 for 400, 1:57 for 800 and 4:14 mile, 3:58 for 1500 meters and even a 19'11" LJ
PR's at RU all during my sophomore year, not sure what that means.. 51, 1:49, 4:07 and 3:50 for 1500 meters and I also ran 25:25 at Van Cortlandt for the 5 mile course.
Ran my first marathon 2 years ago at age 51 and ran 3:49, died on the last 6 miles.
 
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SHUSource

All-Conference
Jun 3, 2001
41,958
4,202
48
Shot and Disc in HS-56'1/2 in Shot and 176 in Discus, then at Rutgers-56'10 in Shot and I think 155 in Discus
As I was reading the first half of the sentence, I'm thinking, "Jeez, I hope this guy thew in college" ... which you obviously did. That are serious numbers.
 

SHUSource

All-Conference
Jun 3, 2001
41,958
4,202
48
I was just talking about this last week; I wasn't great in any event, but did place in four different events at least once in high school: Shot put, discus, 4x400 relay and the real one-off, the long jump. Bests were:

Discus: 137-4
Shot: 41-8

I can't remember the other two, but we had a really, and our coach always said if we swept the weight events, he would let the weight guys enter a team in the 4x400. I recall three times where I ran in it, and twice, we finished third, after our school's first two 4x400 teams, and ahead of the other school's top entry (once was Millburn, I think Wayne Hills might have been the other, but not sure on that). And then one time coach let me enter the long jump after I said I could place if I did. He said if I didn't, he'd bust my ballz on the bus ride home. But I took third, despite terrible form, saving a little face.

I loved those days - so much fun. The only thing I have a sad recollection of was senior year, we had indoor track for the first time, and I nearly won the Passaic Co. shot title on my third throw, but fouled. I teetered for about five second over the board, which seemed like forever, before I just couldn't get my balance and stepped over. Throw was a 44-something (they didn't measure it after I fouled), which would've been good enough to win (winter track didn't have nearly the participation as spring, where 44-something wouldn't have even placed).
 

RU-Kidding

All-Conference
Nov 6, 2001
11,835
2,333
81
201' in the javelin was my personal best. 1st place in the old Watchung Conference and Union County Championships in the mid-70's when they were held at Williams Field in Elizabeth.
 

BLewis1968

Senior
Feb 3, 2004
700
447
63
Started running age group track at 9 years old for Denville, I think it was called the Lakeland track League?? Ran in HS and at RU. I still occasionally run some masters races or the occasional 5K
HS, qualified for Foot Locker Nationals in XC in 1980, back then it was called The Kinney Shoe meet though finishing 6th in the regional meet, got sick for nationals and ran horribly. I ran 15:39 at Van Cortlandt for the 3.1 mile course, also ran 16:03 at Holmdel and got 3rd in the meet of champs, won the Non Public A section of states 2x in XC and also indoor 2 mile and outdoor 1500.
HS PR's in track, 52 for 400, 1:57 for 800 and 4:14 mile, 3:58 for 1500 meters
PR's at RU all during my sophomore year, not sure what that means.. 51, 1:49, 4:07 and 3:50 for 1500 meters and I also ran 25:25 at Van Cortlandt for the 5 mile course.
Ran my first marathon 2 years ago at age 51 and ran 3:49, died on the last 6 miles.

That 4:14/4:07 is really nice. Just out of curiosity, since you started running in Denville, did you end up running for Morris Hills? If so, I presume by your age you would've been there when Fast Freddy Bronner arrived? I arrived at Morris Knolls in 1983-84, but I recall Hills had a great distance crew with Bronner, Aitken, Livorsi, Eisenberg, McBride, etc, spread out over three years.
At Knolls we ended up winning the Iron Hills more on sprints. I ended up anchoring a 43.40 4x100, and running third leg on a 4x200 that broke the Morris County record and was (for awhile) second in the state at 1:29.7.
 

ouchmyknee

All-American
Nov 10, 2006
3,871
6,379
91
These are really, really good numbers. Did you play football at the collegiate level?
Didn't play football, but the coaches wanted me to play CB. I was a little too small though. I ended up growing 4" in college which is a shame because that put me at avg college CB size.
 

wicker

Senior
Jan 29, 2002
29,914
947
0
was on undefeated 4x800 relay. we ran together once. Didn't break any records in individual events but I lettered
 

patk89

All-Conference
Jul 25, 2001
6,336
2,458
78
Started running age group track at 9 years old for Denville, I think it was called the Lakeland track League?? Ran in HS and at RU. I still occasionally run some masters races or the occasional 5K
HS, qualified for Foot Locker Nationals in XC in 1980, back then it was called The Kinney Shoe meet though finishing 6th in the regional meet, got sick for nationals and ran horribly. I ran 15:39 at Van Cortlandt for the 3.1 mile course, also ran 16:03 at Holmdel and got 3rd in the meet of champs, won the Non Public A section of states 2x in XC and also indoor 2 mile and outdoor 1500.
HS PR's in track, 52 for 400, 1:57 for 800 and 4:14 mile, 3:58 for 1500 meters
PR's at RU all during my sophomore year, not sure what that means.. 51, 1:49, 4:07 and 3:50 for 1500 meters and I also ran 25:25 at Van Cortlandt for the 5 mile course.
Ran my first marathon 2 years ago at age 51 and ran 3:49, died on the last 6 miles.

Newell, what are you running those occasional 5Ks at these days? Given how fast you were when you were in college, I'd guess 18 minutes. My goal has been to break 20 minutes in the 5k (6:27 mile) but I don't do enough training/distance work to get that at my age. Best has been 21:41 (6:59) which is a far cry from my goal. But I keep trying.
 

EastonRU

Redshirt
May 15, 2006
66
24
5
I ran H.S track in the 70's when races were measured in yards:

100: 10.5
220: 23.5
440: around 54

Many of the HS tracks were still cinder. Track runners were called Cindermen. Women's track was just beginning. Some H.S. were just beginning to install all weather tracks.
 

new jersey1_rivals661559

All-Conference
Oct 22, 2005
2,383
2,274
0
Began running as a junior in H.S. Last race as a HS senior, I ran my PB time of 4:36 in the mile. Had the honor of running in H.S. with Anthony Tuffariello who set the national schoolboy record at the time of 46.5 in the 440.
In college between 1976 and 1980, my best times were:
1500 Meters- 4:00
Mile - 4:20
880 (half mile) - 2:00
Also ran cross country. Competed 12 seasons (X-country and indoor & outdoor track).
 
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RC1978

Heisman
Feb 10, 2008
7,821
11,652
113
Ran track and XC 71- 74. I was decent but some of my teammates were some of the top in the nation. We won both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 at Penn relays I think it was 73. One runner had two national records in the hurdles until Nehimiah broke those records. When we got off the bus other teams just stared. John Moon was our coach who ran in the rome olympics and ended up at SH and coaching US ]Olympic teams. I was the guy who got some points here and there but by the time I was a senior all the studs had graduated.

My best times were:

440 - 48.1
880 - 1:57. 3
Mile - 4:19

Won my share of races Counties , conference, sectionals. Got a bunch of offers including RU but ripped my ankle up pretty bad while running and got it caught in a gopher hole. End of career.
 
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RU848789

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
65,227
44,302
113
Played football and baseball my first 2 years of HS, so no track, but the coach was after me to come out for the high jump, as I used to have a ~38" vertical and just goofing around could clear 6'2" or so. I then broke my foot right before football, junior year, then broke my ankle right before baseball my junior year.

Didn't bother with sports my senior year, as I realized I wasn't going to be a star at either sport and spent most of my afternoon time (we were on split sessions, so my school day was done by 1 pm) my last 2 years of HS drinking beer, smoking weed and playing poker. And some homework, too, when necessary...
 
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Njcanesfan

All-Conference
Dec 1, 2005
2,418
2,490
113
1998 BC CO-MVP.

100...11.5
200. 23.7
400. 48.8

Long jump. 6th in SJ. 20 1/2

Was the football star so coaches thought I was fast. I was slow, but fast enough to win most races in the old freedom division.
 

Veiox

All-Conference
Sep 30, 2013
2,404
1,063
0
For those who don't see much improvement in your S.P. when you got to RUTGERS.let me remind them that the H.S. shot is 12 lbs,the Collegiate version is 16Lbs.
Discus also goes from 1.6kg to 2.0kg.
 

Knights 1212

All-American
Sep 9, 2003
27,560
8,500
113
I ran cross country as a junior & senior on the very first team that Linden ever had. We were the 12th best team in NJ my senior year. LHS has never come close again to what our senior year team accomplished in only our 2nd year of having a team. Four of our top 8 runners became cross country coaches. I played baseball in my junior & senior years in the spring and we did not have a winter track team. I ran 13:20 for X_C which was 2.5 miles at that time. In college I ran 20:31 for 4 miles. My twin brother and I had half scholarships our last 2 years and were the first two X-C runners in the history of Bellarmine College in Louisville, Ky. to ever earn 4 varsity letters. We both became high school coaches. My twin coached Trinity H.S. in Louisville and is in Kentucky's State Coaches Hall of Fame for both Baseball & Cross Country. He passed away from cancer in 1998. I coached X-C for 36 years at Edison H.S. and was indicted into the New Jersey State Coaches Hall of Fame (NJSIAA) in 2002 at the Pines. We both had a better coaching career than running. I only tried the NYC Marathon once and ran 3:27.49 with very little training. I know I could have broken 3 hours but at Edison I was the head coach for both the boys and the girls teams and I did not want to train with my runners as I would be neglecting the other runners on my frosh and JV teams and the girls varsity if I trained with the boys. I was coach for everyone. My training was done usually at 9:00-10:00 PM for any marathon training. Now I am 71 and I only walk a lot.
 

TheVictors97

All-Conference
Mar 5, 2008
4,815
1,407
113
Some pretty solid times.
I'm old. I'm fat and ran in yards in the 70's

9.8 100
22.8 220
49.5 440
4.3 40 on a track in spikes. Not apples to Apples to Football players running on grass.
My claim to Fame was getting my *** kicked by Hasley Crawford in the 60 while running a 6.3.
 

newell138

Heisman
Aug 1, 2001
37,267
48,159
112
That 4:14/4:07 is really nice. Just out of curiosity, since you started running in Denville, did you end up running for Morris Hills? If so, I presume by your age you would've been there when Fast Freddy Bronner arrived? I arrived at Morris Knolls in 1983-84, but I recall Hills had a great distance crew with Bronner, Aitken, Livorsi, Eisenberg, McBride, etc, spread out over three years.
At Knolls we ended up winning the Iron Hills more on sprints. I ended up anchoring a 43.40 4x100, and running third leg on a 4x200 that broke the Morris County record and was (for awhile) second in the state at 1:29.7.

No I ran for Morris Catholic when they had some of the best teams in the state until the coach left. Bronner was a couple years after me at Mo Hills, he was a great one.

Newell, what are you running those occasional 5Ks at these days? Given how fast you were when you were in college, I'd guess 18 minutes. My goal has been to break 20 minutes in the 5k (6:27 mile) but I don't do enough training/distance work to get that at my age. Best has been 21:41 (6:59) which is a far cry from my goal. But I keep trying.

I have been running the Thursday night 5K's here in Ocean City during the summer, usually around 21 minutes but 1 of those miles is on the beach so that tends to slow you down.
 
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RUBeta

Sophomore
Aug 5, 2006
196
153
0
Ran for 2 years at Rutgers, XC and track. 5K PB of ~15:40 and 10K PB of ~32:20. Been out of competitive running for years but now trying to get back into trail and ultra races.
 
Jul 25, 2003
2,548
455
0
After reading the thread on Melton's track results earlier, I thought it would be interesting to see how many of us ran track in high school or college and if any of its were any good. So, if you ran, threw, or jumped, post your best times here.

My bests:
100 - 11.1
200 - 22.4
400 - 51.0

You betcha. High School.

400: - 58.8
800 - 2:03.50
Mile: 4:42
2 Mile: 10:28
 

mikefla

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2012
6,450
1,552
0
"Ran" track just one year. Football players werent all expected to run track but we were "welcome". Monroe High won the NYS Section 5 championship 6 years in a row so we had tons of good runners. Our team had Lamonte Jarratt(who later played football and ran track for Fresno St), Willie Roberts(who played for football and track for Houston then the NFL Bears then Chicago Fire), Nate Vickers (U of Alaska of all places then the AFL), Leon Cooper(never went to college I dont think),,,all at 9.9 or under in the 100 and a bunch hugging the low 10s......at 10.9 I might as well have been the water boy but I like to run and stuck with it one year.

I also LOVED running the cross country course at Cobbs Hill and ran it for years after I graduated HS & went to Cornell>>>played football at Cornell........ran scads of 10k's back when it was "the craze"
but my major sport was swimming> I had a 100yd time in the pool at 47.6 which was decent back then
....one year I actually swam on an AAU team with Ryan Lochtes dad...Steve Lochte.....Ryan was actually born in Rochester NY(Canandaigua NY)
 

mean15

Redshirt
Mar 21, 2009
1,073
38
0
Some pretty solid times.
I'm old. I'm fat and ran in yards in the 70's

9.8 100
22.8 220
49.5 440
4.3 40 on a track in spikes. Not apples to Apples to Football players running on grass.
My claim to Fame was getting my *** kicked by Hasley Crawford in the 60 while running a 6.3.

I am also old and fat. I also ran "yards" in the 70's.

120 high hurdles....13.6
330 intermediate hurdles......38.3
My claim to fame? Getting my *** kicked in college by Renaldo Nehemiah
 
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