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.

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.

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

Follow us on Instagram @texas_distance_project and X @tx_distance_pr

The Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational is shaping up to be one of the more compelling early-season distance meets on the Texas calendar. With some serious talent entered across the 800, 1600, and 3200 meters, there’s plenty to watch — and at this point in the season, even the seed times undersell what some of these athletes are capable of. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect in each event.

Holliday, Texas is a small town of roughly 2,000 people sitting in the rolling plains of North Texas, just a stone’s throw from the Oklahoma border. It’s the kind of place where Friday night football fills the bleachers and everyone knows everyone. But in recent years, Holliday has become known for something a little different — and a little faster. For four straight years, a lanky kid named Noah Strohman laced up his racing shoes and did something no boy in the history of Texas high school cross country had ever done.

There’s a particular kind of excellence that’s easy to overlook. It lives in the silver medals, the third-place finishes, the podium appearances that don’t quite reach the top step. When you’re watching Macy Wingard race cross country, it’s easy to forget that version of her exists at all. On a grass course, she’s untouchable — a front-runner who doesn’t so much race her competition as leave them behind. But switch the surface to a track, and the story gets more complicated, and far more interesting.

It was a historic day for the Austin Independent School District (AISD) , as two of its runners, Eva Cragnolino of Austin LASA and Colby Huntress of Austin Anderson, claimed state cross country titles in less than an hour at Old Settlers Park. Remarkably, this marked the first time an AISD runner had won a state title in almost 40 years.

Cragnolino’s Record-Breaking Victory

The girls’ race began at a solid clip, with the expected front-runners hitting the first mile in 5:35. By the two-mile mark (11:18/5:43), the field began to stretch out, with a lead group of about eight girls establishing a small gap.

Defending champ Wingard is the favorite but the addition of Laney Barnes could make this interesting. Of course Easterwood could also play into the mix. I am curious how the Bridgeland girls will fit in. Will this be the race they dominate

The team race looks like a slam dunk for Bridgeland but you can never count out the experience of Flower Mound. The way it looks though is that it won’t get interesting until after the top-3 podium spots.

I went with a baker’s dozen runner here because my simulated times had a bunch of runners grouped together along 8-13. What initially stands out is the fact the top-3 runners from Region 3 sit at the top. They also happen to be the top-3 returners from a year ago. Fitzgerald (2nd), Huntress (6th) and Asbill (5th) have shown they belong and their performances a week ago at the regional meet only emphasize that fact. Malan was 12th a year ago and Arceneau was 9th.