Jack Graffeo at Foot Locker XC Nationals (Photo by Raymond Tran)
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30th to third.
That's the difference a year made for Jack Graffeo.
In 2023, he placed 30th at Foot Locker Nationals, narrowly squeaking through the Northeast regional with an eighth-place finish. Fast forward to 2024, and Graffeo shined in San Diego with a third-place effort at Foot Locker.
So, how did Graffeo improve 27 spots? How did he go from a state runner-up to a national title contender? The proof is in the data - the COROS training data to be exact. We spoke with Graffeo and got an inside look at his training in 2024.
A Crucial Summer Training Block
The Colorado commit isn't new to the national spotlight. During the outdoor track season this year, Graffeo had a breakout campaign. In the two-mile, he broke nine minutes twice and finished second at New Balance Nationals Outdoor to only Daniel Simmons.
And yet, Graffeo still wasn't even considered the best runner in his state. That honor belonged to his teammate, Paul Bergeron.
But over the summer, that narrative quickly changed. Bergeron graduated and moved on to Stanford University, and Graffeo was left without a training partner. However, his training didn't waiver.
Graffeo's COROS training data dates back to August, but he provided additional context. He explained that he averaged 70-75 miles a week with very little cross training.
Over the span of the cross country season, Graffeo logged over 1,000 miles heading into Foot Locker. He logged 230 activities and spent over 500 miles in Zone 2. When you combine his Zone 1 and Zone 2 running, he spent 87% of his training activity in the first two zones of his heart rate distribution.
The easier zone work allowed Graffeo to thrive when he stepped on the gas and to remain steady throughout the 2024 campaign.
But what's even more attention-grabbing is Graffeo's elevation gain stats. He climbed over 36,000 feet during the 2024 cross country season, which is an impressive amount of resistance training for an East Coast runner. It averages out to about 34.5 feet per mile.
By no means is it a world-shattering number, but it suggests that Graffeo didn't shy away from the hills.
Optimizing His Training Load
Graffeo optimized his training. As seen in the chart above, he ramped up his training in October, but also kept his COROS base fitness in the "optimized zone." At times, Graffeo neared the excessive training mark, but maintained his benchmark in a controllable space. His training load suggests that his taper for end-of-season competition was gradual, and he significantly cut his training effort.
In the month leading up to Foot Locker, which was held on Dec. 14, Graffeo averaged 57 miles a week. He also added two-and-a-half hours of cross training within those four weeks due to a foot injury.
Though he decreased the intensity of his workouts earlier, he waited until about a week-out to start dropping his mileage in a meaningful way. He took an off day on Dec. 10 before logging runs of five, four and three miles in the days leading up to the national championship in San Diego.
But perhaps most importantly to his performance in 2024 were Graffeo's sleep metrics. On average, he logged just under eight hours of sleep per night.
And that's how he rolled through his most successful season to date. He collected a Massachusetts State Championship Title, a Massachusetts Meet of Champions title, a Foot Locker Northeast Region title, and placed third at the National Championship.
