The 98th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays delivered exactly what you’d expect from one of the country’s most storied invitational meets: fast times, out-of-state visitors testing themselves against Texas talent, and a few performances that will carry weight well into the championship season as district meets begin this week. Here’s a look at the high school distance action across all six events.

Boys 1600m

Holliday’s Noah Strohman added another chapter to what is already a historically decorated prep career, crossing in 4:10.22 to claim the win in extremely windy conditions. A four-time UIL 3A cross country state champion and three-time state champion in both the 1600m and 3200m on the track, Strohman signed with Oklahoma State University in February and is hunting a fourth state track title this spring. The race at Texas Relays was tight at the top: Austin Anderson’s Colby Huntress ran 4:10.69 for second, and IMG Academy’s Matthew Dodds — one of several out-of-state entrants — took third in 4:10.91. The entire podium was separated by less than a second, and the field as a whole showed impressive depth, with seven athletes finishing under 4:15.

The Texas Distance Festival has long been one of the premier early-season distance meets in the country, and the 2026 edition — presented by HOKA and hosted at Carroll High School in Southlake — lived up to every bit of that billing across two nights of racing. With events split across the two days — the 800m and 3200m on Friday, and the 1600m and 5K on Saturday — the new format gave runners a genuine shot at the double, and several of the state’s elite took full advantage.

The indoor national championship season wrapped up this weekend with Texas athletes making their presence felt across both the 2026 Nike Indoor Nationals in New York and the 2026 New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston. From freshman breakthroughs to a historic relay performance and one remarkable kid who seemingly never sat down, it was a weekend worth cataloguing.

2026 Nike Indoor Nationals

Boys Freshman 1 Mile

San Antonio’s Cyril Girgis led Texas freshmen in the Boys Freshman Mile at Nike, finishing 14th in 4:36.88. The two Southlake entries — Aadi Ghanchi (28th, 4:41.75) and Cameron Perez (32nd, 4:43.80) — ran well, and Denton’s Logan Smith rounded out the Texas contingent in 68th at 4:56.37.

Every generation of Texas distance running has a “next one.” That runner who shows up before anyone expects them, does things that shouldn’t be possible at their age, and forces the conversation to shift from the present to the future. For this generation, that runner is Ruel Newberry of Denton Guyer High School.

He is a sophomore. He is already one of the most talked-about distance runners in the country. And he has spent the last two years living in the shadow of Caden Leonard — a shadow that, rather than diminishing him, seems to be making him stronger.

Race Preview: Boys Distance Events at the 2026 Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational

Follow us on Instagram @texas_distance_project and X @tx_distance_pr

The boys distance races at the 2026 Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational are loaded with talent, intrigue, and the kind of early-season uncertainty that makes these meets so fun to watch. Whether you’re here for tactical 800m racing, a loaded mile field, or the wide-open 3200, there’s something worth staying for in every event. Here’s what to watch.