Is there a list of fastest XC times ever recorded for OH runners?

Ram On

Member
I realize all courses are different. Some may actually be inaccurate. And that isn’t always bad as XC meets are not track meets after all. It is a totally different sport. Additionally, XC is a sport where time is not as high on a runners priority list as in track. Beating runners and getting that low number take precedence over the time on the watch.

But having said all that …still… all XC meets are timed. Most invitationals boast accurate courses. All meets keep meet records. So my question is…is there an historical list of fastest 5k XC times for OH boys and girls?
 
 
I believe that there have been efforts in the past to do something like this, so you might want to do some in depth internet searches into old t&f forums.

I suggest someone as nutty as myself needs to start by compiling historical listings from each cross country course around the state. It would be easier if interested parties from each respective county to compile their own county's historical results, then have someone combine all those into a state list. Start with times of:

Boys - All sub-14:50
Girls - All sub-17:30

List them with data similar to the format I've established that is as comprehensive as possible for each performer/performance. That ensures that the information is traceable for future historians.
 
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This is straight from Ohio Milesplit. I'm sure some are missing, but here's a place to start.
 
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Here are the girls.

There are a few very old times on here, makes me thing MileSplit has gone back and done some historical digging for us.
 
I vaguely recall Brittany Tinsley from Indian Lake ran sub-17:00 sometime during the regular season of her senior XC campaign (2004), but I don't know where and when the race occurred. Tinsley was 1 of many fine Ohio distance runners who took her talents to Raleigh, NC.

UPDATE:
Tinsley was clocked at 16:57.3 at the Anna Invitational on Oct. 9, 2004.
 

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This is straight from Ohio Milesplit. I'm sure some are missing, but here's a place to start.
No idea if it was his career best, but Bob Mau ran 14:58.6 en route to winning the Class AAA state meet individual qualifiers' race in 1982.

I see a few other females from past years whose state championship times would crack milesplit's top 30 list for girls:

We got Patty Metzler of Jackson-Milton winning the Class A individual qualifiers' race in 17:17.8 in 1982.
Kristy Orre of Northmont won the Class AAA individual qualifiers' race in 17:15.6 in 1982.
Tina Cheney of Lima Shawnee won the AAA team qualifiers' race in 17:28.7 in 1982.
Anne Densmore of Elyria won the AAA individual qualifiers' race in 17:26.6 in 1983.
I also spy a 17:15.3 for 1992 DI state champion Jenni Brown from Salem.

Again. those are just their state meet times. Whether or not they recorded faster times elsewhere during their HS careers, I do not know.
 
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I thought Kristi Orre of Clayton Northmont snuck a sub-17:00 in during her amazing career.
I think you're correct about that, but I haven't dug that deep yet. Regardless, she wasn't anywhere on milesplit's list.

UPDATE:
Found a 16:51 for Orre at the GVMC Meet held at Sidney on October 6, 1984.
 

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Christi Orre ran her best time at the state meet in 1982, her sophomore year, at the OSU golf course (17:15.6) which was the state meet record until 1992 when Jenny Brown barely beat Orre's time running 17:15.3 on a different course at Scioto Downs
 
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This thread came up years and years ago. I thought Fry, Kennedy and Smith had all run times faster than their Kinney times. Kennedy dropped a 14:41 somewhere, if I recall.
 
Wow. Good stuff. Katie Clute and Westlake’s Sarah Peer could threaten the 17:00 barrier this year. They have had a very nice rivalry going for the past two years. Last year in track, Clute established herself on the national level, earning HS All-American indoors (2 mile) and outdoors (mile) and I think both Clute and Peer will establish themselves on the national level in XC this season.
 
Javman83 is on the job. The compilation begins today. Keep the info coming & I'll throw them into a structured compilation. I also have access to extensive XC info, but always assumed that someone else would've cranked on this by now.

I will be correctly identify manual timing (MT) vs. auto-timing (FAT) - something MS is not doing by the results listed earlier in the thread.
 
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Wow. Good stuff. Katie Clute and Westlake’s Sarah Peer could threaten the 17:00 barrier this year. They have had a very nice rivalry going for the past two years. Last year in track, Clute established herself on the national level, earning HS All-American indoors (2 mile) and outdoors (mile) and I think both Clute and Peer will establish themselves on the national level in XC this season.
I didn’t realize my comment on Clute would be prophetic so soon! She ran a 17:02 yesterday, beating last year’s 8th place finisher at D1 State XC by over a minute. Wow!
 
The beginnings of the girls' 5K list.

Sub-17:20 after a day of compilation. Another project to fill-in for the future.

Note: List updated to sub-17:30 - see later in thread.
 
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Girls' listing updated with additions of Jenni Brown & Patty Metzler, respectively, into positions #13 & #16.
 
Christi Orre ran her best time at the state meet in 1982, her sophomore year, at the OSU golf course (17:15.6) which was the state meet record until 1992 when Jenny Brown barely beat Orre's time running 17:15.3 on a different course at Scioto Downs
Kristi Orre's HS PR is 16:51 did it at the GMVC meet in 1984.
 
Ackley goes under 15:00 for the 2nd time this season in the Spartan Elite Division race at Michigan State. 14:56.96 was his winning time.
 
In reviewing/compiling XC results (boys' sub-15 / girls sub-18) from past Kinney/Foot Locker nationals and midwest championships, it has opened my eyes into just how rare it is for boys to go sub-15 and for girls to go sub-17. I hadn't realized how rare that is until now. While courses differ, especially given conditions, it does give you an appreciation of just how difficult it is, and just how impressive those performances are. CJ Robinson's 16:40.4 win in 1981, while definitely on a flat, fast course, is still damned impressive 41 years later!
 
In reviewing/compiling XC results (boys' sub-15 / girls sub-18) from past Kinney/Foot Locker nationals and midwest championships, it has opened my eyes into just how rare it is for boys to go sub-15 and for girls to go sub-17. I hadn't realized how rare that is until now. While courses differ, especially given conditions, it does give you an appreciation of just how difficult it is, and just how impressive those performances are. CJ Robinson's 16:40.4 win in 1981, while definitely on a flat, fast course, is still damned impressive 41 years later!
If you want to make a more select list, look at how many times they go fast.

Not that you should, but look at their top 3 fastest times.

Like Zach Kreft for example, great runner but only one really fast time in HS.
 
If you want to make a more select list, look at how many times they go fast.

Not that you should, but look at their top 3 fastest times.

Like Zach Kreft for example, great runner but only one really fast time in HS.
I compile both top performers AND performances. I've already seen that example a few times.
 
Clute just ran a 17:10 today at Strongsville. Looks like her third time on the All-Time list...17:02, 17:10, and 17:14...
 
I've updated the girls' all-time XC list to sub-17:30 performers and sub-17:20 performances.

Update (30 Sep): List expanded to sub-17:35 performers

Update (9 Oct): List additions of Kaylee Wingate & Megan Hipple

Update (11 Oct): Paige Steinke (Anna) has been added to the list with her performance at the Rocket Invite @ Anna this weekend.

The girls' list has been updated and now at end of the thread (16 Oct)
 
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Here is my initial list of sub-15:00 boys' performers and performances.

As always, additions, corrections, edits welcome.

The boys' list has been updated and now near the end of the thread (16 Oct)
 
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