Borah’s Nathan Green runs the nation’s fastest mile (again). But he’s not done yet.
The high school career of Borah’s Nathan Green may be over. But that doesn’t mean the elite distance runner is done turning heads.
Green ran the fastest mile in the nation among all high school runners this season, according to athletic.net, crossing the finish line in 4 minutes, 0.97 seconds at the YMCA Invitational on Saturday at Centennial High.
That time puts him well ahead of the pack nationally. The next closest time in the country trails Green by 3.89 seconds. And Green threatened the 4-minute mark with little competition Saturday, finishing 23.87 seconds ahead of Alex Wright from Central Valley High near Spokane.
Saturday marks the first time Green has vaulted to the top of the overall national leaderboard for all high school athletes. But he also ran the nation’s fastest mile among freshmen in 2018, and he ran the fastest mile among sophomores in 2019.
He did not have a chance to contend for the fastest mile among juniors last season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The top mile time for an Idaho high schooler belongs to Rocky Mountain grad Michael Slagowski, who ran a time of 3:59.53 in 2016. At the time, he was only the ninth high schooler to break the 4-minute mark.
Green, whom his high school coach called an “Olympic hopeful,” will gun for that record on the summer circuit before running for the University of Washington in the fall. Idaho high schools do not run the mile at traditional meets. The event is largely run at club events in the offseason.
Green wrapped up his high school career two weeks ago as one of Idaho’s most decorated distance runners. He shattered overall state meet records in the 1,600 meters (4:07.90) and the 3,200 (8:53.47) at the 5A state meet. He then led Borah’s 4x400 team to a state championship, giving him six track state championships in his career.
He’s also won three straight state cross country titles.
