NXN---and INdoors is NOW!

The transition from Cross Country to INdoor Track and Field is almost complete!
Footlocker is next week, and the USATF and World XC races are coming later.
But for the most part, XC is done, and INdoor T&F is here!
And Karissa Schweizer--winner of the NCAA Cross race--has straddled the two realms in list-making fashion!!

In the Boston University Season Opener, the Missouri Junior ran 5000 meters in 15:37.40, putting her name on TWO All-Time lists!!
While 5 others dipped under 16 minutes, this was Schweizer's race!
Her time makes her 14th A-T Collegiate (in her first INdoor 5000 ever!!).
It also gets her on the A-T US list--in 22nd place!!

Not bad for this shock winner of the NCAA Cross!!
What's next for her?

Sarah Collins was one of those getting under 16:00, but she finished just 4th with her 15:54.66.
Ryen Frazier ran, but was only 10th, her time being 16:27.74--about 15 seconds slower than she ran in HS in 2015!!

At the Jack Pyrah Invite, Ajee Wilson won the 1000 in 2:42.71, with Charlene Lipsey finishing just 0.05 seconds back!!

On a 300 meter Oversize Track (Grand Valley State, in Michigan), Nicole Sifuentes beat Shannon Osika by over 7 seconds, timed in 9:01.25 over 3000 meters!

Surprisingly, there were no early Weight Throw marks good enough to report!
Then again, today is December 4th--not December 24th, or January!!

Moving OUTdoors for a moment, New Zealand's 16 year old wonderkind PV'er--Olivia McTaggart--did it again!
Having broken fellow NZ'er Eliza McCartney's NZ Age 16 record once already, she added to her record, reaching 14-1.25!!

Let's stay OUTdoors, shall we?
In the Footlocker West Regional, Claudia Lane's 17:20 was completely dominant, as she won by 35 seconds!!
Talon Hull won the Men's race in 15:28, but his nearest competitor was just 3 seconds behiind!
Luis Grivalja--one of the favorites--finished 4th in 15:42!

A battle of titans took place in the Fukuoka Marathon!
Yemane Tsegay outran Patrick Makau, 2:08:48 to 2:08.57.
Reed Coolsaet set out to (again!!) challenge the Canadian National Record, but fell short, ending in 7th with his 2:10:55!

In the California International Marathon in Sacramento this morning, Stephanie Bruce came back after the (separate!) births of TWO babies to finish 2nd in 2:32:36!!
Think about that, folks!
When the going gets tough, think about Stephanie Bruce giving birth (after carrying each of them for 9 months!!) TWICE in TWO years--before making excuses for yourself!
Such a BEAST!!
Dan Tapia was the top American Male finisher, timed in a good 2:12:28!

NXN--or Nike Cross Nationals!!
WOW!!

For the 2nd year in a row, Casey Clinger took the Men's race, gradually breaking away after about half the race, expanding his lead to 7 seconds over Sam Worley at the tape!
Clinger's time was 15:28.4 on the somewhat muddy and beat-up (by the earlier Women's race!) course in Oregon!
Brodey Hasty, bushy ponytail flying, took 3rd in 15:37.1, just ahead of Seth Hirsch!

Ty Brownlow ended in 14th, 27 seconds behind Clinger.
DJ Principe apparently was ill (a cold??), so finished in 21st in 16:01.
Michael Vernau was 23rd, while Casey's younger brother, Carson Clinger, ended in 99th, time of 16:55.

Bozeman (Montana) was the surprise team winner, scoring 105 points to beat American Fork's 141 and Brentwood's 163!

The Women's race was all Brie Oakley--ranked Number One by Mile Split in their pre-meet poll!
This woman is amazing!
She was a star soccer player for years, only turning to running as a sport in late 2014!
Making swift (sic!) advances in both XC and track in 2015 and this year, she EXPLODED on the NATIONAL scene only this year!

Taking the lead at the 1000 meter point, she increased her lead to 50, then 80, then 100, and finally about 160 or more meters at the tape, winning by a massive 28 seconds over some stiff competition!!

In fact, the one who many "experts" saw as the favorite (including yours truly!!)--Kate Murphy--had some sort of problem, and ended in 33rd, a full minute & 17 seconds behind Oakley!
Obviously, no contest!!

Ember Stratton, another relative newcomer--and unknown to me!--finished 2nd. one second ahead of 3rd placer Lauren Gregory!
Kelsey Chmiel was 5th, 31 seconds back, while 13 year old 8th Grader Grace Ping was a fantastic 6th--in a field of High Schoolers from 1 to 5 years older!!
Her time was 17:48.
Katelyn Tuohy was 13th in 17:58, while Lexy Halladay--another youngster--was 16th in 18:00!

As noted, Kate Murphy inexplicably finished 33rd, while another "favorite"--Annie Hill, was 41st.
Olivia O'Keefe, Fiona's younger sister, was 59th!

For the 10th (!!) time, and 3rd consecutively, Fayetteville-Manlius took the team title with a minute 41 points.
Davis's 181 points took 2nd over the 185 of California rivals Great Oak, aka Temecula TC!

The rest of what I have falls under "off-track news & gossip" categories!
But it's some pretty interesting stuff!!

The IAAF chose their AOY's--and once again stirred the crockpot of controversy!
Giving their awards to Almaz Ayana (over Anita Wlodarczyk and Elaine Thompson) didn't sit well to the world's Twitter-folk!
And even worse was the selection of Usain Bolt over Wayde Van Niekirk!!
Clearly a gross error in judgment!!

At the USATF Annual meeting--after Jackie Joyner-Kersee withdrew from the race at the last minute!!--Vin Lananna was overwhelmingly voted the new President of our National ruling body!
Good luck and have fun!
(HA!!)

Okay, folks, stand by for some obnoxious Bragadoccio--and several "I told you so's!".
The good folks at USATF decided to return to the rule that SEPARATES INdoor records from OUTdoor records--something I've ALWAYS done!!

This means that when they refer to, say, Renaud Lavillenie's 20-2.50 WR, they will call it the INdoor WR--leaving Sergey Bubka's 20-1.75 as the OUTdoor WR--no "absolutes" or "comprehensives" about it!!

Yep, I TOLD YOU SO (10000 times over!)!!!!

In a coaching change to move those Colorado Rockies, Emma Coburn has left behind her only coaches since HS--Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs--to be coached by her long-time boyfriend and new fiancee--Joe Bosshard!!
This apparently was a totally amicable move by all parties!
Let's hope her great times in the Steeplechase and some flat events only improve!!

Jasmine Todd, who left her Oregon Ducks squad this past year, has turned Pro!!
She had a year of remaining Collegiate eligibility--now left behind!

In an earlier post, I said that Mary Cain DNF'ed at the 4.748 mile Manchester road race at about the 2.5 mile mark!
Now we know why!
She had some sort of knee ache, so chose to end her race as a precautionary measure!
Smart decision, Mary!

The "injury" is NOT serious, so maybe we can still look forward to her running INdoor track this season!!
In fact, there's talk about her possibly racing the USATF XC 6000 meter course!

Finally, in the first announcement of a World Record attempt, Laura Muir said she'd like to chase Kelly Holmes's British NR in the 1000 at the February 18th Birmingham meet!
If she feels good, she'll also go for the WORLD Record!!
She definitely has the wheels!!

More than likely, I'll be back with more results after the Footlocker race--and hopefully more INdoor T&F stuff!!
Also, as noted in my previous post, I'll do my predictions for which World, US, Collegiate, and HS records might fall this season!!

One more item!
The 2017 edition of HS Track is available!!
(I sent for my copy a couple of days ago!)
This MUST OWN little book--edited by Jack Shepard--costs just $12.00--with postage included in the price!
A better deal you'll never find!!
Here's Jack's address--He accepts checks or money orders!

Jack Shepard
14551 Southfield Drive
Westminster, California
92683

For complete HS coverage--both for 2016 and All-Time--this is your main source!!
(I use Jack's book often!!)