Here’s our discussion on Ruthe’s mile performance and what he took away from it. (The following transcript has been edited lightly for clarity):

Kyle Merber: In retrospect, the small minority trying to frame a Cole Hocker versus Sam Ruthe battle looks pretty silly now.

Chris Chavez: What we saw from Sam Ruthe was a reality check and a learning moment. He ended up running 3:52, which is massively impressive for a 16-year-old. Two weeks ago, before his breakout run at BU, we would have been so thrilled by that time.

But, he spent the first 500 meters just fighting for position, trying to get in behind Cole. The other pros, Vince Ciattei and Cooper Teare, were not giving him that space. This isn't a race where previously running a fast time gets you automatically slotted in toward the front; you have to fight for your spot. He ended up running extra distance in Lane 2, trying to move up. Cooper Teare ran a smart race to finish second. Kudos to Vince Ciattei for competing hard. Sam Ruthe did run this one like a high schooler—a very good high schooler, all things considered. It was a big learning moment and not something he should get too hung up on.

Kyle Merber: I think this actually highlights the problem with BU-style time trials. It's just not racing. A 3:52 is obviously fantastic for a 16-year-old and a 3:48 is mind-blowing. But, this was a race and this is the learning experience that comes with moving over to the U.S. Back in New Zealand, it's usually just him and his training partner, Sam Tanner, battling in races. He'll be better for this.

His dad did a full analysis and breakdown on Instagram after the race. That race was exactly what you need at this stage: putting yourself in uncomfortable positions and analyzing what went wrong. If he had to run that race again, he's not making those same mistakes. You can't be fighting in lane two. If you're not getting the rail, settle in and wait for your moment, which probably comes when the rabbit steps off.

Chris Chavez: The fitness is clearly there. It just wasn't executed tactically.

Kyle Merber: 100%

Preet Majithia: For a first race at this level, it was still hugely impressive and you have to give him credit for trying to stick his nose in it. If he'd had a clear path to second place and been able to sit behind Cole, he might have run 3:49 or 3:50 again. Instead, he burned a lot of energy fighting for position, which probably cost him a couple of seconds by the end. That's racing and it's a skill he still has to develop. But, he clearly has the confidence and the ability. Who knows what he'll do at Pre-Classic.

Kyle Merber: Is he doing World Indoors?

Preet Majithia: I think he's going back to school, isn't he? He's already missing some school, so I think this was a specific four-week racing block.

Kyle Merber: Vince Ciattei seems to be teaching him plenty, so maybe staying a little longer isn't the worst thing.

These opportunities are just so valuable. Indoors exaggerates everything even more than the outdoor circuit. I was also impressed that he kept fighting back to the front despite a rough first couple of laps. It didn't take the wind out of his sails in terms of his belief that he belonged up there with Cole.

Listen to more analysis from the ASICS Sound Invite on the latest episode of The CITIUS MAG Podcast, here.