Below I have combined the national Mile/3200 all time ranking* and the national Mile/1600/1500 all time ranking to determine the greatest high school distance runners of all time. I feel this is a very valid and fair way to determine the nations greatest distance runners because: (1) its objective, not subjective, (2) every state runs both events, (3) both events have been run for the past 60+ years (4) by including both it puts a premium on both the miler’s speed and 2 miler’s endurance, (5) it’s hard to believe that a great distance runner wouldn’t have run both a some time in their career. Using this method we see that Californai has 7 of the greatest 20 distance runners of all time!!!
Name – State – Year – Mile Time (Rank) – 2 Mile Time (Rank) – Point Total
1. Gerry Lindgren WA 64 4:01.5 (10) 8:40 (2) 12
2. Alan Webb VA 01 3:53.43 (1) 8:45.19 (11) 12
3. Don Sage IL 00 4:00.29 (5) 8:45.92 (14) 19
4 Tom Hunt CA 76 4:02.7 (14) 8:45.2 (12) 26
5. Rick Kimball CA 74 4:02.5 (12) 8:46.5 (17) 29
6. Curtis Beck CA 72 4:04.2 (40) 8:48.8(22) 40
6. Dave Merrick IL 4:05.1 (40) 8:43.2 (5) 45
7. Andy Powell MA 99 4:02.7 (15) 8:50.29 (32) 47
8. Craig Virgin IL 73 4:05.5 (45) 8:40.9 (3) 48
9. Rick Riley WA 66 4:04.7 (27) 8:48.3 (22) 49
10 Steve Prefontaine 69 OR 4:06 (57) 8:41.5 (4) 61
11. John Zishka OH 79 4:03.85 (19) 8:52.2 (63) 63
11. Eric Mastalir CA 86 4:05.66 (49) 8:46.47 (16) 65
12. John Gregorek NY 78 4:05.4 (42) 8:50.7 (33) 75
13. Mark Mastalir CA 86 4:05.58 (47) 8:49.66 (29) 76
14. Tim Danielson CA 84 3:58.7 (3) 8:55.4 (84) 87
15. Rudy Chapa IN 76 4:05.8 (52) 8:51 (36) 88
18. Ralph Serna CA 76 4:07 (88) 8:45.9 (13) 101
19. John Trautmann Ny 86 4:07.6 (113) 8:44.53 (9) 113
20. Dathan Ritzenhein MI 00 4:07.33 (106) 8:44.12 (8) 114
By: ESladek