The heat is coming this weekend to Southlake, Texas in the form of the Texas Distance Festival (TDF). Last year's event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has returned this year and looks as strong and as good as ever.
There could be meet records and even national records to watch out for in a race or two. Here is what you should be on the look out for.
Boys 5,000m
According to MileSplit's Cory Mull, the boy's field could be one of the best 5K fields assembled and could produce some solid times, "You have the kind of talent that might be able to break 14:13"
Cherry Creek HS (Greenwood Village, CO) senior Parker Wolfe was the top rated runner at the end of the 2020 cross country season. Wolfe ran 14:26.94 at the RunningLane National Cross Country Championships last November to finish No.1 in the MileSplit 50 rankings. The University of North Carolina signee had two 14:30 and under 5Ks and could challenge the 14:13.26 meet record set in 2017 by Cooper Teare Notre Dame HS (CA).
Justin Wachtel of Mary Persons (Forsyth, GA) also ran a sub 15 minute 5K when he went 14:36.08 also at the RunningLane National Cross Country Championships. The University of Virginia signee was one of the top 5K runners in the fall cross country season nationally.
Another UNC signee and sub 15 minute 5K guy to watch this weekend is Crawford Hope (Homewood, AL). Hope was second at the Alabama state meet and ran 14:41.63 at the The Southern Showcase, in the fall.
Another runner to watch out for is Nathan Mountain from St. Xavier HS (Cincinnati, OH). Yet, another University of Virginia signee, he has also dipped under 15 minutes two times for the 5K and was second at the Ohio state cross country meet. Mountain recently ran an indoor 8:56.96 3,200m at the OATCCC D1 Indoor Finale
There will be several Texas boys in the race who could also push for the meet record. Melissa senior Judson Greer has yet to race in the 5K at TDF. This could be his big shot to cement himself in distance running lore like several other top runners in the past. The three time UIL 4A state cross country champion has several sub 15 minute 5K performances; this season, perhaps his most impressive run was a 8:49.29 3,200m at the Sundown Track Series #2 on February 27th.
David Martin-Chavez, the 2019 UIL 6A runner-up will be looking to cash in a big opportunity on the national stage. Last year, he was primed and ready to race in this event before the shutdown; after a strong cross country season, he could be as fit as ever. The Duncanville produce and University of Texas signee has a couple of 14 minute 5Ks including one on the track from last year.
Walker St. John is another one to watch for as he will be looking to break out on the national scene. The Grapevine junior won the UIL 5A cross country championship in the fall running 14:20.20 to do so.
Coppell senior Evan Caswell has a 14:58 from cross country season on record. He hasn't signed yet and could be looking to make a big impression with an excellent performance this weekend. Speaking of 14:58, Boerne Champion senior Foster Wilfong ran it at the UIL 5A state meet and recently ran 9:04 in the two mile at the adidas Indoor Nationals where he was third overall. Caswell and Wilfong are two runners who haven't won state titles but could be very sleepers in an already hyped field.
Boys 1,600m
The boys 1,600m will be a barn burner and we could see several runner go under 4:10. The field is loaded top to bottom, and 4:15 milers in this field seems as common as a pair of shoes.
Ben Shearer from The Woodlands Christian will be the one to watch. The University of Arkansas signee chose to run the shorter distance with the intent of getting a fast mile time. He has already gone 4:09.09 at the Trials of Miles Texas.
Lining up with he TAPPS state cross country champion will be the UIL 6A cross country state champ Luke Lambert. The Wylie product and University of Tulsa signee is much like Shearer in that he has very fast intentions for this race; he would like to go sub 4:10 himself.
Also entered with a 4:15 on the season is Houston St. John's Emmanuel Sgouros. Sgouros has some impressive times this year dating back to cross country. He isn't a house hold name in the state just yet, but he just might be when this weekend is over.
Add that group with a ton of other speedy Texans and some out of state studs from Arkansas, Maryland, and more makes the boy's 1,600 a must see.
Girls 5K
Brynn Brown will be the headliner of this event and for good reason; she is having quite the high school career at Denton Guyer. She set the 16:25.47 meet record two years ago and has run a plethora of sub 17 minute 5Ks this past cross country season.
The question is, does Brown have the ability to crack the 16:00 barrier?
In mid January, Brown ran an indoor 9:51 3,200m at the The VA Showcase. Since then, the University of North Carolina signee has displayed her leg speed with a 2:13.60 800m PR and 4:43.96 , which is also a PR. The future Tar Heel can hammer out an early pace on par with going under 16 minutes, but will she have the push or inner clock her to keep her on target pace will be the question in the latter stages of the race.
Cedar Park freshman Isabel Conde De Frankenberg won the UIL 5A state cross country championship last fall. The youngster clocked a 17:10 65 to capture that title and has added some impressive early with her 5:07.65 and 10:45.63 SBs. The only race she didn't win this year was the first cross country race of her high school career when she finished third.
Colleen Stegmann is one of the most decorated runners in all of Texas. The Frisco Reedy senior is currently No. 6 in the 3,200m with her 10:50.36 SB, but let's not forget she is a state champion. Her 16:50.09 from 2019 is the fifth fastest all-time at TDF.
Also in the field and will be factors in the end will be Joy Gill, the Texas Homeschool cross country champion and a host of girls like Eva Jess, Allie Love, Allison Buemi, Aubrey O'Connell, and Kaycee Keller who have all run 11:00 and under in he 3,200m this outdoor season.
