John Ratliff '18 Recruiting Profile

I'm John Ratliff and I love running. I run because I love the great feeling of satisfaction in lowering my pr's and becoming a better, more fit version of myself. I started running in middle school and ran 4.58 in the mile in 8th grade, setting the record at my middle school. Freshman year of high school I proceeded to run 4.26.06 in the 1600 meters, getting 3rd in the varsity race at the SCCAL league championships, setting the SCCAL county record for freshman as well as running the 6th fastest freshman time in the state. I also ran 9.55 in the 3200 meters in the one 3200 meter race I raced. In the summer between freshman and sophomore year I ran probably my best race at Wharf to Wharf, a high end 6 mile road race held every year in Santa Cruz that attracts elite athletes from all over the country and world. I proceeded to run a time of 32.23, placing 45th overall, averaging 5.23 per mile and running the last mile in 4.58. For my entire sophomore year I was out with injuries, only able to race once during cross country and not at all during track. Being out injured for my entire sophomore year was definitely the toughest thing I've been through, watching my teammates and former competitors surpass me, it just seemed like I was never going to get better. As of now, the beginning of my junior year I am still struggling with a few injuries but I am working with a good physical therapist and improving, maintaining my fitness with at least 2 hours of cross training a day with hopes of savaging the end of this cross country season. Although it has been very hard being out injured for so long I know that in the long term it is only making me mentally tougher and more determined and hungry to achieve my goals on the track and in cross country and greatness as a runner in general. My goals for the rest of this year are to get completely healthy by November and to get in good training for my junior track season so I can achieve my goals of running 1.57 in the 800 meters, 4.12 in the 1600 meters, and 9.08 in the 3200 meters. For my senior year my goals for cross country are to win the division 4 state cross country championships in a sub 15 minute 5k and to make it to Footlocker nationals for cross country. My goals for track for my senior year are to run 4.07 in the 1600 meters and 8.56 in the 3200 meters. I definitely want to run for a team in college where I hope to break 4 minutes in the mile and even continue my running career after college and I would just like to let all colleges know, I love running more than anything else and have had to deal with the struggles of being injured which hasn't phased me in my determination to be the absolute best I can be and realize my full potential as a runner, so any college that can help me do that, I would love to run for you and win for you. Also, my sister Cate Ratliff who is now a freshman at Cal Poly and runs on their team ran 4.54 in the 1600 meters and 10.25 in the 3200 meters won the division 4 state cross country championships in a time of 17.02 at woodward park, running the fastest time of all divisions for the day and setting a division 4 course record. She went on to place 11th overall at Nike Cross Nationals and was the first finisher from California.