In this week's edition of Colorado Future Stars we'll be taking a look at recent sophomore performances.
(And there were quite a few stellar runs to recap...)
Colorado - the last name might be familiar, and it should - meet Aiden Le Roux
The Cheyenne Mountain sophomore recently finished fourth at the Pat Patten Invitational, running 15:29 - that's the No. 5 time on the course over the past decade.
A week earlier he finished fourth at the Rim Rock Classic in Lawrence, Kan., and he's run a personal best of 15:27 at Liberty Bell.
Let's take another look at that last line...
Le Roux ran 15:27 at LB - arguably the fastest course in Colorado. Then two weeks later he runs 15:29 at Pat Patten, which isn't exactly known to be an insanely fast course.
This means Le Roux has made The Jump.
Further proof - Rock Canyon's Owen Whitney ran 15:01 at LB, and 15:27 at Pat Patten.
Editor's Note: LB and Pat Patten victor Benjamin Anderson ran 14:48 at LB, and 15:13 at Pat Patten - so it looks like LB runs about 25-seconds faster than Pat Patten.
As a freshman Le Roux ran PRs of 4:34 in the 1,600, and 9:34 in the 3,200.
Backtracking to the third line above, Le Roux is the younger brother of Cheyenne Mountain star Erik Le Roux.
And in sticking with the theme of younger brothers...
Quick Takes
Rocco Culpepper - Niwot - He recently finished second at the Desert Twilight XC Invite in Arizona, running a PR of 15:11. Culpepper is the younger brother of four-time state champion Cruz Culpepper.
Ben Lee - ThunderRidge - He recently finished ninth at Desert Twilight XC Invite in 15:23.
Payton Meineke - Riverdale Ridge - She recently won the Mead Stampede in a course record of 17:48.
Avalon Beltran - Niwot - She recently finished third at the Desert Twilight XC Invite in 17:38.
Addison Ritzenhein - Niwot - She picked up her third-consecutive victory of the season at Desert Twilight XC Invite, running a US No. 5 of 16:44.