Cooper Lutkenhaus recalls his first trip to the Brooks PR Invitational as a “nerve-racking” experience.

 

“Anytime I talked to my dad, he says that’s the most nervous he’s ever seen me,” Lutkenhaus said.

 

Lutkenhaus, an eighth grader at the time, was one of seven middle schoolers invited to race in the Junior Boys 800 meters at the 2023 invitational.

 

 

The 14-year-old from Texas, who went into that race with so many nerves that his shoulders were “so high and tense” as he described, ended up running a middle school national record 1 minute, 54.20 seconds.

 

A star was born in Renton, Wash., that day.

 

Now a sophomore at Northwest High in Fort Worth, Lutkenhaus has accomplished so much in such a short span of time, including a North American U18 best and a high school indoor record of 1:46.86 at the 117th Millrose Games.

 

This year’s Brooks PR Invitational, which will be his third consecutive appearance, is another opportunity for Lutkenhaus to continue building his resume.

 

“I think just the atmosphere that the meet brings (makes it special),” Lutkenhaus said. “The people, they show out; it’s loud. Then just the competition, it’s the best of the best. Everything kind of plays a role into why that meet is so good.”

 

Lutkenhaus’ athletic ability was a natural gift at a young age because of his family’s background in sports. His dad, George, ran at the University of North Texas; older brother, George Jr., swims for Adams State University; and middle brother, Andrew, runs for the University of Tulsa.

 

However, Cooper Lutkenhaus played quarterback in football, center in basketball and wrestled a bit, too, up through middle school. He didn’t take on running till seventh grade.

 

“I was still pretty new to running,” Lutkenhaus said. “In middle school, I did every sport. Running was just kind of continuing the season after basketball.”

 

Lutkenhaus’ success came early as a seventh grader. He won every race in the 400, 800 and 4x400 relay, leading him to winning three middle school “Meet of Champions” titles in his district’s end-of-season meet.

 

As an eighth grader, he fulfilled another undefeated season in those same events, along with breaking two minutes for the first time in the 800 at the Texas Distance Festival, wth 1:57.83. Two months later, he ran even faster in 1:56.40 at another meet in Texas. That helped him earn an invitation to the Brooks PR Invitational for the first time.

 

“I knew what the Brooks meet was, but I didn’t realize how special that was to be able to receive that,” Lutkenhaus said.

 

“I ran 1:56 before that, but also didn’t realize how fast that was for a middle schooler. So the goal was just go up there and win; I think winning’s one of the best things you can do.”

 

Lutkenhaus won comfortably. He beat the rest of the field by almost four seconds at Renton Memorial Stadium that day.

 

“I didn’t realize how fast it was until I talked to my dad and my brother,” Lutkenhaus said. “They were like, ‘you just ran 1:54; yeah, that’s good,’. They had to break it all down for me, so that whole trip was just a learning experience.”

 

Lutkenhaus’ success on the track led him to step away from his other sports once he entered high school to solely focus on running.

 

“I learned that I love to just run; I love to race,” Lutkenhaus said. “That’s always been my favorite thing. Not just at the Brooks middle school meet, but just seventh grade, eighth grade for my actual school. I love to race. I love to go out there, give everything I have, leave it all on the track.”

 

In first season of high school, he went undefeated in the 800 in the state of Texas. He became a state champion at the UIL 5A meet and broke the freshman class record with 1:49.84, besting Brandon Miller’s time of 1:49.87.

 

Lutkenhaus earned another invite to race the 800 at the Brooks PR Invitational, but this time against high school competition.

 

The 2024 field included elite talent such as Patrick Hilby and Tyler Mathews. On paper, those were the two favorites.  

 

“The plan going into Brooks was just to run as fast as possible, but I always think, ‘you should aim to win,’,” Lutkenhaus said. “My goal going into that meet was to win and I think that’s what was everybody’s goal.”

 

Lutkenhaus tucked right in with the rest of the field to let Mathews and Hilby do all the work. Through the first 400 meters, Lutkenhaus came through in 53.22 seconds in fifth place. Mathew was first in 52.24; Hilby second in 52.73.

 

With under 200 meters, taking on a strong headwind, Lutkenhaus began his attack.

 

Hilby went right past Mathews first, then came Lutkenhaus right by Hilby in the final 50 meters to ultimately win the race in 1:47.58, shattering his own freshman class record and finishing within three-hundredths-of-a-second from Donavan Brazier’s meet record.

 

“I think it was kind of a blackout once I came across the line,” Lutkenhaus said. “I didn’t know what I ran for about five to 10 minutes. I was looking at everybody else’s time. I saw a few 1:49s, I think a 1:48, and I was like, “where’s my time?’ I just walked off the track and didn’t find out until I ran into somebody and told me when I was on the turf about to get my medal.”

 

Lutkenhaus’ time was also the seventh-fastest in high school history.

 

“That race was a 1:47 type of race with the talent that was there and how fast it went out and how fast everybody ran,” Lutkenhaus said.

 

“That was a special race. In my opinion, one of the best high school 800 fields that has ever been around.”

 

With another successful Brooks PR Invitational completed, Lutkenhaus’ momentum carried him through yet another year of improvement, highlighted by his Millrose Games run when broke the national record.

 

His outdoor season in the state of Texas was also capped off by a second consecutive state title in the 800, which was run in a US#1 1:47.01. It’s also the fifth-fastest time in high school history.

 

Back for another Brooks PR Invitational, Lutkenhaus will face one of the best high school boys 800 fields in meet history.

 

US#2 Joseph Socarras (1:47.66), Canadian#1 Robin Lefebvre (1:48.63), US#3 Bryson Nielsen (1:48.91) and US#4 Will Cuicchi (1:49.16) are among other top entries. Sub-4 miler Owen Powell, who’s gone 1:48.60 last year, is entered, too.

 

“I think that’ll make this meet even better,” Lutkenhaus said. “Just knowing a lot of the other guys are either really strong or also have a great kick. I think you expect anything at this meet.”

 

The defending champion Lutkenhaus will take another crack at Brazier’s meet record. Maybe even the high school record of 1:46.45 by Michael Granville, which has stood since 1996.

 

“I think everybody wants that record that goes to that meet,” Lutkenhaus said. “Everybody wants their name on any record board, especially Brooks PR. It may go down this year, it might not. It may not be me, it may be me, you just never know.”