The 3000m run has been one of the most unpredictable races over the last four seasons in high school track and field.
Just five boys have broken a standard of 8:30 in the race over the 2017 season, though performances at that time or better since 2013 have been uneven at best. While 32 athletes notched times under 8:30 a year ago, it fluctuated to 13 in 2015 and 36 in 2014 and back to 14 in 2013.
The girls field is just as imbalanced. Only two girls have raced under 9:45 this year, including a top time of 9:29.01 by Saratoga Springs (NY) High's Kelsey Chmiel in April.
But that's far behind the 27 girls who are able to accomplish that mark in 2016. However, the trend is uneven in the stretch before our most recent season, too. Girls race under 9:45 12 times in 2013, 16 times in 2014 and just eight times in 2015.
The girls national-leader over the past two seasons, Kate Murphy of Lake Braddock (Va.) High, has not raced for any of the 2017 spring season.
Air Academy (CO) High's Katie Rain...
