The Distance Runners will look for one more PR at the Kearns Ice Oval tonight - Photo by Kyle Perry
It's Back to the Oval! With Simplot looming on the horizon, many athletes are using this weekend as an opportunity to post one more PR before its off to the 200m banked track of pocatello. The Olympic Oval has wide turns and long straightaways that makes it ideal for very fast times. All that combined with great air circulation and great temperature result in state records and state leading times in most of the meets hosted on the Oval. Last week alone, Athletes posted state-leading marks in 23 events at the oval.
What to watch for this weekend: The Utah Distance Challenge
The meet will Kick off at 5:00 pm with the Girls 1600m. the fastest heats are first so don't be late or you could miss what has proven to be one of the most exciting events of the season so far. Last week, at the UHSTCA Indoor Championship meet, against a very stacked field, Sarah Feeny of Ogden made a strong move about halfway and no one came close to reeling her back in. If she is back this week, expect the girls to watch her more closely. Feeny is also the only girl in the state so far to dip under the 5 minute mark this season, so loook for others to join her there. Also note the meet record below, as it could very well be in danger tonight.
Next on the track at 5:45 pm is the Boys 1600m. Last weekend in the UHSTCA Championship meet the boys let the race crawl along for the first half, and then used blazing speed to fight for the finish. This weekend you can be sure that their coaches will be urging them to be a little more consistent in the pace, and maybe they can notch a few Pr's this go round. The meet record in the boys 1600m is 4:21.36 by Clayton Young of American Falls.
After the 1600 will be the Girls 400m Dash. An event that Lauren Baxter of Timpview has dominated so far this season. With the meet being open entry there is no word if Lauren will be running tonight but if she does it is something you are not going to want to miss. She has run a bit faster every week so far and this weekend she could have a shot at the Indoor State record. The meet record most definately could go down this weekend as anyone who can creep under the 60 second mark would walk away with the record.
The Boys 400m is slated to go off at 7:05 pm. Early in the season, the Boys 400m Dash looked to be dominated by Riverton, and we asked if anyone could break up their top 3. Cam Dopp did just that, moving up from the 60h to win the 400m dash by the narrowest of margins. his time of 49.43 is the fastest in the state, but you can be assured that the Riverton trio will not give up just yet. If it is a rematch from last week, look for the winning time to be even faster this week as school pride can be a great motivator.
The 800m Run will follow the 400's, and the Girls go off first. Currently Shea Martinez is the state leader in that event. she is ranked nationally and with big meets coming over the next few weeks, look for the newest BYU Cougar to work on some of her other events again, much like she did last weekend.
Last week in the Boys 800m Jackson Sagers set the states top time at 1:55.16. This early in the indoor season he has set himself up for a great season. look for him to challenge records as the season progresses. Issac Faux of Maple Mountain and Kramer Morton of Alta were not far behind, as Faux ran 1:55.47 and Morton was 1:56.81. look for these boys to battle it out a few more times this season, though tonight they may all work on another distance as they prepare for next weeks Simplot Games. If they all did show up and run the same times from last week they would take over the meet record from Brad Nye, who in 2011 ran 1:55.76.
In the final event of the day, the boys and the girls will take to the track in the 3200m run. Brad Nye posted a meet record of 9:23.33 in this event in 2012, and that mark is pretty solid. If anyone is going to challege that mark they are going to need some help from a good pack.
Meet Records
Girls 400m - 1:00.32, Ashleigh Warner, Mt. View, 2012
Girls 800m - 2:16.74, Shea Martinez, Davis, 2012
Girls 1600m - 5:05.01, Ashleigh Warner, Mt. View 2012
Girls 3200m - 11:27.23, Carrie Jube, Timpview, 2012
Boys 400m - 49.50, Andy Rounds, Skyline, 2011
Boys 800m - 1:55.76, Brad Nye, Davis 2011
Boys 1600m - 4:21.36, Clayton Young, American Falls, 2011
Boys 3200m - 9:23.33, Brad Nye, Davis, 2012
Schedule of Events:
5:00 pm Girls 1600m
5:45 pm Boys 1600m
6:45 pm Girls 400m
7:05 pm Boys 400m
7:30 pm Girls 800m
7:45 pm Boys 800m
8:00 pm Girls 3200m
8:15 pm Boys 3200m