Just 8 days after I hyperventilated about what a fast start we've seen to the 2015-2016 INdoor T&F season, that segment of our sport decides to go into cruise mode!
I'm not saying nothing of note happened.
I'll soon report all the good marks.
It just didn't raise the bar--so to speak.
But not to fear, because action on the macadam & dirt-grass trails was relentless.
Let's begin with the final High School XC meet of the year--Footlocker.
They who were supposed to win--did.
Weini Kelati and Drew Hunter each displayed fearless front-running talent that brought them to seemingly easy victories.
The Women's race was first, and Kelati--just turned 19, even though just an academic sophomore--took off and disappeared.
She opened a 20 meter gap in the first 800, and hit the mile in 5:14.
But a group of 3 or 4, including eventual 2nd placer Maryjeanne Gilbert, soon closed the gap.
After the first loop's uphill stretch, it became Gilbert & Kelati side by side, or one just inches ahead.
Every time one took the lead, the other reeled her in.
But after the 2nd run up the hill, Kelati took off, and moved her short legs (She's barely 5 feet tall!) to the tape, with Gilbert sprinting too, but running out of time!
Kelati won by just 0.90 seconds, with 4:43 Miler Nevada Mareno 3rd some 7 seconds behind Gilbert.
Taylor Werner was 5th, while the 1st Soph, Madison Troy, was 7th.
Hannah DeBalsi was 12th, Stephanie Jenks 16th, and Annie Hill 22nd.
The Men's race was a lot simpler.
It was all Drew Hunter!
Like Kelati, he led from the gun, opening a gap after 400, and widening it all the way to the finish!
His time of 14:55 didn't break the FL record, but wasn't bad for a solo outing.
Phil Rocha finished 12 seconds back, with Ben Veatch 3rd.
The Men's field didn't have as many "name" runners as the female side, but Hunter's run was in the "SUPER" elite class!
The USATF Club XC races were in San Francisco, and had strong fields.
Garrett Heath sprinted past Jonathan Grey in the final 400, his 29:06 topping Grey's 29:10.
Scott Fauble was 3rd, but 16 seconds behind Grey, with Trevor Dunbar in 4th in 29:30.
Ben Bruce ended in 23rd, with AJ Acosta 36th, Tabor Stevens in 64th, and Scott Bauhs in 92nd.
Alan Webb--aka "retired", finished 182nd in 32:45, with 800 guys Nick Symmonds (219th) and Casimir Loxsom (275th) at least not last of the 411 finishers!
Amy Van Alstine surprised some by winning the Women's 6K race in 19:51, with Laura Thweatt 2nd in 19:52, and recent 32:08 Track 10K racer Rochelle Kanuho 3rd another second back.
A woman who I hadn't heard anything from for a year or two--Cally Macumber--finished 4th, running the same 20:02 time as 5th placer Emma Bates.
Ageless Wonder Jen Rhines took 8th in 20:06!
Other familiar names were--Jessica Tonn (10th), Emily Lipari (13th), Bridget Franek (16th), Hillary Holt (20th), Jamie Cheever (21st), Tara (Erdmann) Welling (27th), Juliet Bottorff (31st), Chris Cazzola (64th), Lea Wallace (118th), and Megan Malasarte (162nd) out of 346 finishers!
Sean Dunfee broke the Canadian 50000 Walk Record while winning the Australian (!!) National Championship race, his NR time being 3:43:45!
In the same race, the South Africa National Record went to the 3:54:12 of Marc Mundell.
BTW, this was the best by ANY African, not just a South African!!
The latest Road result to come in opened up a floodgate of speculation!
The question became---after Galen Rupp destroyed the field in a Portland Half-Marathon, running a great 1:01:20!!--Will Rupp run the OT Marathon in February?
And if he does (and finishes Top 3), would he try to double in Rio--as the 26.2 comes 7 or 8 days after the 6.2?
He SAYS he hasn't decided yet.
But his time shows he's capable of at least a 2:08!!
(Keep in mind, too, that his Half was NOT paced (except by a motorcycle!), and he wore more than he normally does when racing, so the talk was that he did it as PART of a workout!!
True, to an extent, as AlSal supposedly put him through the paces AFTER the 13.1.)
Well, let's take a peek at what happened on INdoor Tracks & Fields!
To tell the truth, NONE of the recent marks really stood out from the rest, so I'll just list them as if I'm listing groceries I need to buy!
(Okay, it wasn't BAD---it just wasn't that GREAT!! LOL)
Michelle Lee Ayhe sprinted 60 meters in 7.14, and added a 200 in 23.19, both season leaders.
Some good 5000's came from the Hoosier meet.
William Kincaid and Futsam Zenasellassie both ran 13:44's.
Four others got times of 13:49 or 13:50.
Carly Muscaro ran a decent 500, her time being 1:10.94.
Janay DeLoach took a 60H race in 8.15--after a heat in 8.14!
Mustafa Hassam threw the Shot out 67-1.50.
Cameron Brown had a WT of 72-11.75.
Beckie Famurewa threw the Weight 69-6.25.
Sha'Keela Saunders had a good LJ--measuring 21-6.25.
Tynita Butts has HJ'ed 6-2 already!
Amy Acuff, now 40, HJ'ed 5-10.75.
Texas A&M ran the 4X400 Relay, both Men and Women!
The Men, Donavan Brazier on 3rd leg, and with Richard Rose anchoring--They're both Frosh!!--timed an okay 3:08.38.
The Women, with Shamier Little on 2nd leg, and Aaliyah Brown on anchor, ran 3:39.65.
Brazier, who led the OUTdoor HS 800 list last spring with his 1:47.55, also won the Mile, time of 4:07.36!
Two HS marks came in worth mentioning!
Andrea Willis PV'ed 13-5.25 to become 15th A-T HS, tied with one other!
And Tatiana Marsh, who became the Frosh Class Record holder last year with her TJ of 41-2--opened her season with a solid 40-11 jump, just 3 inches from her PR!
Also, you might be interested in knowing that Nevada Mareno's 4:43.49 Mile from that November 21st JDL meet not only leads the HS list, but if she were a Collegian, would lead THAT list as well!
The fastest Collegiate Miler--Jamie Morrissey of Michigan--has run "just" 4:44.56 so far!!
Sam Watts ran the fastest 200 so far this season, time of 20.95.
And Ronnie Baker has the fastest 60--time of 6.61.
I have a few CORRECTIONS to make before closing!
Two women got married since last Track season!
I already reported about Chelsea Reilly becoming Chelsea Sodaro!
Now it's Jess Herauf becoming Jess LEHMAN!!
In my Age Records Predictions post, under Age 28, I said that Tiffany Porter would have a 60H time of 7.63 as her target!
Well, Porter will be 28 this INdoor season, but that 7.63?
That was the time run by Lyudmila Engqvist in 1993, which was (then) called the World Record!
Turns out that her time was taken off the books because of a retroactive drug ban!
It was MY fault, as I should have remembered that the WR is now Susan Kallur's 7.68!!
The last "correction" I need to make might not NEED a correction!!
I reported the 15:31.62 5000 time by Courtney Frerichs as a Collegiate list-reaching mark!
Well, in today's eTN, she's listed as "unattached" for that race!
She DID run on (In fact, LEAD!) New Mexico's team to the NCAA XC title just 3 weeks ago!
I checked around, and found out she's starting her 1st semester as a Grad student.
But I don't know if her eligibility ended with XC, or whether it extends to INdoor Track!
(I tweeted her to ask her status, but no reply as yet.)
For the time being, I've removed her time from my Collegiate DDD--though she remains on my US list, of course!
Will let you know if I find out she's still eligible as a Collegiate athlete!
ADDED Minutes later!!
Just heard from Ms Frerichs!!
She tweeted that she does NOT have INdoor eligibility, and that's why she ran as unattached!
BUT---she WILL have OUTdoor eligibility in the 2016 OUTdoor season!
Thanks, Courtney, for replying so quickly!
See you all soon!
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