Power Struggle

I'll admit, we're in a really tough spot when it comes to content. There have literally been 10 meets since the middle of December and maybe three of those meets produced anything halfway interesting in terms of results. Still, it's on us to give you something to read after your long run, work day, classes, etc.

After all, that's what you're here for...right?

Don't worry, we know the performance list for the UW Preview has been released (and we certainly plan on bringing you a preview or two for that meet). Yet, outside of a meet preview, these awkward lulls between cross country and indoor track can occasionally leave us sitting at our laptops scratching our heads, wondering what we're going to write about next.

Sometimes, the hardest part is just sitting down and putting pen on paper. Not necessarily because we don't know what to write about, but because we are still so uncertain about what the next three months will bring. When you consider the evolution of the NCAA's best over the past few years, our job doesn't get any easier...

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If we're being honest, I'm not sure what to think about this indoor track season. On the men's side, the distance events seem to lack a spark when it comes to the elites. We no longer have overwhelming favorites like Michael Saruni, Justyn Knight, or Josh Kerr dominating their respective events with ease. In other words, we can't safely predict every distance event anymore...but isn't that what we wanted?

Ever since the Cheserek era, we've been yearning for some ambiguity when it came to contenders for the long distance national titles. Now we have that long-sought uncertainty and to be honest, I'm not sure if I like it.

I'll happily make the argument that last year's Outdoor National Championship was the most exciting we have ever seen, at least on the men's side. With the possible exception of the steeplechase, every distance event held massive upsets which made for one of the most thrilling championships I can remember.

Now, in 2019, I'm not sure if that will be the case.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that McDonald or Fisher are somehow less talented than the top runners from years past. However, they do lack the same level disparity over the NCAA that Cheserek and Knight held during the peak of their collegiate careers.

Heck, what about the 800? Can you remember a time when this event was as wide-open as it is now? It feels like almost anyone could walk away with the half-mile crown in March, especially with guys like Joe White, Robert Heppenstall, and Marco Arop in the mix.

I don't know, I'm rambling. I'm essentially saying the same thing that Ben Weisel did in his article, but doing a far worse job.

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The 2019 women's field is somehow exactly the same, yet completely opposite of the men. I'm not sure I can remember a year when so many collegiate women have been so good. Just look at the BU Season Opener where Kurgat, Kelati, Ostrander, and Lokedi posted four Top 10 NCAA All-Time 5k's. Say what you will, but seeing four Top 10 times in the same race isn't just lucky or a fluke. Those women are the real deal...

And the crazy part? None of those four won the national title in cross country. In fact, three of those four women didn't earn gold, silver, or bronze. Instead, two mile-oriented stars in Dani Jones and Jessica Hull took home 1st and 3rd (respectively) while Kelati finished 2nd.

Here's a hot take: We are somehow in the greatest era of women's collegiate distance running ever without an overwhelming favorite for the national title (if we disregard Sammy Watson in the 800).

Both Dani Jones and Jessica Hull could win the mile and/or the 3000 meters on the right day this year. Still, I don't think that you can clearly say that one is better than the other. Luckily, I think we will see these two go head-to-head in the mile this year. If either of them opt out of the mile and choose to run the 3000 at Nationals, they would likely have to deal with the long-distance titans of Kurgat, Kelati, Lokedi, and Ostrander. It probably makes more sense to deal with just one superstar in the mile than four or five in the 3000.

Not only that, but we haven't even mentioned Erin Finn who might be the greatest woman runner in NCAA history to never win a national title. That could easily change over the next six months, even with these elites scattered throughout the NCAA.

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I think it's fair to say that the top-tier of women in the NCAA are noticeably better than the top-tier men. When you consider personal bests and the spread of national titles, it's not a ridiculous thing to say. However, the lack of a single standout runner is a far greater debate with the women than it is with the men who only have to argue between Fisher and McDonald (for now). When you look to the ladies of the NCAA, there are at least seven different names in that conversation.

Whether we like it or not, there is a far more complex and unclear power struggle that now surrounds the NCAA and anyone could come out on top.

Welcome to the new era of collegiate distance running.