2013 Utah State Championship: 4a Boys Preview Ryan Waite May 16, 2013

Woods Cross is the heavy favorite for the state meet this weekend. With their power and depth in the sprinting events, it doesn’t appear anyone will be anywhere near them.  Derek Lord, Sean Barton, Jacopo Spano and Cam Dopp lead this sprint corps and should lead them back home with a state championship trophy. The race seems to really be for second place. Herriman has a lot of quality athletes that should be able to score a lot of points and potentially grab that second place trophy.

2013 Utah State Championship: 4a Girls Preview Ryan Waite May 16, 2013

 

Herriman and Orem look to be the favorites heading into the state meet this weekend. While Herriman will rely on Freshman Kayla Love and sophomore Lucy Biles to score big points, Orem will try to match those points with its depth, led by Summer Harper.

 

Advancing Through the Rounds Ryan Waite May 08, 2013

With athletes competing in the Region Championships this week and the State Championships next week, many probably have anxiety about whether or not they will make the Region final, or if they will advance to State or make it into the finals at State. We thought it would be a good idea to have someone who has gone through this process many times give some advice on what he has learned and how he has had success advancing through the rounds of championship meets.

Ryan Waite is a four-time USTFCCCA All-American for BYU. In 2012 he helped the Cougars to a third place finish in the Distance Medley Relay at the NCAA Indoor Championships. His 800m personal best is 1:46.83 and he also runs a leg on the Cougars’ 4x400m relay. Waite has advanced to the national championship meet each season he has run for the Cougars, and is preparing to do so again in his outdoor senior campaign.

Here are some of his thoughts on strategy and preparation for championship meets.

 

Pro-Tips: Charles Jock on Race Strategy Ryan Waite Mar 06, 2013

Charles Jock is famous in the running world for his front-running style. On multiple occasions, Jock has taken the pace out in under 50 seconds on the first lap of the 800 meters. Jock won an NCAA title his senior season at Cal-Irvine and was the runner up his junior year. Jock also qualified for the 2011 World Championships by taking third at the 2011 USA outdoor championships in the 800m. Jock now has an endoresment deal with Nike. We asked him about how he came to his race strategy and also how athletes can push themselves to reach their full potential.

Pro-Tips: Evan Jager on injuries and trying something new Ryan Waite Feb 27, 2013

In 2009 Evan Jager was at the top of U.S distance running. At only 20 years old, he was running at the Track and Field World Championships, representing the United States in the 5000m. Then over the next two years, Evan struggled with Injuries. While battling discouragment, Evan fought his way back on to the track and showed everyone not only could he return to an elite level, but he could do it in a new event. Evan went on to qualify for the Olympics and break the American Record in the 3000m Steeplechase in his first year of running the event. Now Evan has dreams of medaling in the Olympics, only a few years after wondering if he would be able to run at a high level ever again. We asked Evan what it takes to come back after injury, and also asked for advice for those looking to try a new event. He also tells us about what it's like to train with the group he trains with as well as how to stay motivated when you have to train on your own.

Pro-Tips: Erik Sowinski on perseverance Ryan Waite Feb 20, 2013

Erik Sowinski was a five-time first team All-American at the University of Iowa. In 2011, he placed 4th at the NCAA indoor championships in the 800 meters. In 2012, he placed 3rd indoors and 2nd outdoors. He has a personal best of 1:45.90 and was a competitor in the Olympic Trials. While Erik had a lot of success in college, he is currently without a professional endorsement deal. That has not stopped Erik however from continuing to chase his dream. On February 16, Erik ran at the Millrose Games in the 600m and took down Olympians Duane Solomon and Nick Symmonds and broke the American Record by running a 1:15.61. On Sunday, March 3, he took another big step in his career by winning the 800m at the USA Indoor Championships. We talked with Erik and he gave us valuable insight into never giving up on your dream and always believing in what you know you can accomplish. 

Milesplit All-Stars Feature Athlete of the Week: Emily Rich Ryan Waite Feb 07, 2013

 

This week our athlete spotlight features Emily Rich from Bingham High School. Rich won the 5A state championship this fall in cross country. In the 2012 track season she also anchored the winning sprint medley relay team. Rich is coming off of a solid showing at the Olympic Oval, running an indoor personal best in the mile of 5:06. Rich is getting ready for the Simplot Games where she will again run the mile. Next year, she will join her former Bingham teammate Laura Young at BYU. 

Riverton 400m domination; How do they do it? Ryan Waite Jan 21, 2013

What is in the water in Riverton? The school just keeps pumping out solid 400m runners. Coach Mike Hutchings explains some of his philosiphies as a coach and why he thinks the team has found so much success with its quarter milers.

BYU HS Indoor Invite Recap Ryan Waite Jan 19, 2013

Many of the top athletes in Utah opened their seasons at the BYU HS Indoor Invite on Friday and Saturday. Here is a recap of all of the racing action. 

BYU HS Indoor Invite Preview Ryan Waite Jan 17, 2013

After a few athletes opened up their indoor seasons last weekend at Utah State, many others will head to Provo for the BYU Invitational to start their own seasons. We preview some of the races and individuals we are excited to watch.