The Reebok Boston Indoor Games took place Saturday evening and the results for Illinois athletes was mixed. The most pre-race attention was focused on Benet Academy senior McKinzie Schulz, who ran in the high school girls mile. Despite a strong effort, Schulz couldn’t compete with the blazing early pace, finishing seventh overall in 5:05.67. Going against other top middle distance talent who have raced often this indoor season, Schulz competed well. She’ll be ready this outdoor season when it matters most.
Unfortunately, other Illinois distance runners didn’t have the races they were hoping for either. Olympian Christin Wurth-Thomas (Bloomington, IL) finished a disappointing ninth in the women’s 3,000m run. Wurth-Thomas simply couldn’t match the strength of the top runners, fading over the final laps to a 9:04.75 time. In the men’s mile, Daniel Huling (Geneva, IL) did not finish the race.
In the men’s master’s mile, Naperville Running Company owner Kris Hartner placed 15th overall in 4:44.40.
In the sprint/hurdle events, former Mt. Carmel H.S. standout Eric Mitchum placed a surprising second in the men’s 60 meter hurdles. Mitchum crossed the line in a quick 7.61 seconds, only trailing Olympian Terrence Trammell, who won in 7.49.
Meanwhile, former Wheaton North H.S. state champion Adam Harris placed eighth in the men’s 60 meter dash. Harris ran a solid time of 6.74, showing good signs of early season speed that will hopefully lead him to a successful outdoor season.
Two athletes with Champaign, Illinois connects ran well. Current Champaign-based athlete Bershawn Jackson won the men’s 400 meter dash in an impressive 46.86, while former Illini Perdita Felicien earned a runner-up finish in the women’s 60m hurdles with her 8.01 performance. Damu Cherry outleaned Felicien at the line, winning by .01.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Adam Harris, Bershawn Jackson, christin wurth-thomas, daniel huling, Eric Mitchum, Kris Hartner, mckinzie schulz, Naperville Running Company, Perdita Felicien, Reebok Boston Indoor Games
A lot of great performances were put up by ex-Illinois high school distance runners this weekend. With a few large, and fast, meets around the United States, Illinois distance running fans saw the best results of the collegiate season yet.
NB Collegiate Invitational – Results
She’s back! That’s right, Duke’s Katelyn Bastert (Carthage H.S.) (pictured left) is back in race shape, running a new PR in winning the women’s 3,000m run. Bastert, who’s been hurt off and on since arriving at Duke, finished strong to win the race by over seven seconds, finishing in 9:41.18. After a dominating career at Carthage High School, many wondered if Bastert would ever regain the type of form she showed in high school. Well, it looks like we have our answer.
Bastert wasn’t the only Illinois state champ in attendance. Arkansas senior Dorian Ulrey (Riverdale H.S.) won the men’s 1,000m event by over two seconds, crossing the finish line in 2:21.56. Ulrey’s mark leaves him a mere two seconds off the collegiate record.
Another big time performance came from Duke’s Cory Nanni (Normal West H.S.), who placed sixth in the men’s mile with a 4:05.90 mark. Nanni ran the 4:05 mark after leading off Duke’s distance medley relay the day before, which won the event in 9:45.30.
Also having a magnificent weekend of performances was Regina George (St. Gregory H.S.). George helped guide Arkansas to a fourth place finish in the women’s distance medley relay, setting a new school record in 11:06.56, while running the second fastest leg of 52.53, guiding her team to a first place finish in the women’s 4×400m relay, and a new school record.
George’s teammate Samantha Learch (Barrington H.S.) led off the distance medley relay, nearly falling at one point, but running a strong leg to put the Razorbacks in contention for the win.
Meyo Invitational – Results
Easily the top Illinois performance of the weekend came from Notre Dame sophomore Jack Howard (Libertyville H.S.) (pictured left). Howard, who’s often overlooked by Illinois distance running fans, ran one of the top 800m times in the country this season, running a new PR of 1:48.60, leaving him a mere six-tenths of a second off NCAA automatic qualifying. Howard ran away with the race, crossing the finish line first.
Keep reading →
Categories: College News · Track and Field
Tagged: Cory Nanni, Danny Pawola, dorian ulrey, Jack Howard, Katelyn Bastert, Kyle Brady, moe bahrani, Peter Callahan, Rebecca Tracy, Regina George, sean carlson
The biggest track and field event of the weekend nationally is the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, which takes place Saturday, February 5, starting at 5 p.m. Running through the start lists, there are a handful of Illinois athletes in the field.
For starters, the high school girls mile hosts Benet Academy’s McKinzie Schulz. Schulz, who signed with the University of Notre Dame on Wednesday, is considered one of the favorites in the strong field, but has little racing experience this season thus far. She’ll have her hands full, but the event is a great building block for her season.
In the women’s 3,000m run, Christin Wurth-Thomas (Bloomington, IL) will face a host of talented individuals, as she steps up in distance from her normal 800m/1,500m events, working on early season strength. Meanwhile, in the men’s mile, Daniel Huling (Geneva, IL) is entered and should be eyeing a sub-4:05 performance.
Keep reading →
Categories: High School News · Professional News · Track and Field
Tagged: christin wurth-thomas, mckinzie schulz, University of Illinois, Track and Field, daniel huling, Reebok Boston Indoor Games, Adam Harris, Eric Mitchum, Perdita Felicien, Bershawn Jackson
Last week, Illinois’ Lukas Verzbicas won the Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award. This week, girls Foot Locker champion Megan Goethals (Rochester H.S., MI) won the girls national award. In its third year in existence, the Gatorade Player of the Year Program recognizes the top individuals in their respective sports. In Goethals’ case, the senior dominated state competition, while racking up big wins at Foot Locker Midwest and Foot Locker Nationals. Yesterday, Goethals officially signed with the University of Washington, where she’ll take her talents next fall.
(Photo/Gatorade, Susan Goldman)
Keep reading →
Categories: Article of the Day · Cross Country · High School News
Tagged: Foot Locker, Foot Locker Nationals, Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, Megan Goethals, Michigan, University of Michigan
Track and Field News released an updated version of their sub-4:00 mile list today. After a big weekend of collegiate track action, which saw four Americans break four minutes for the first time, we went through the list and pulled out everyone we recognized that is from Illinois.
Here’s the list:
Tom O’Hara (1963)
Lee LaBadie (1971)
Ken Popejoy (1972)
Rick Wohlhuter (1973)
Mike Durkin (1975)
Jim Spivey (1980)
Eddie Slowikowski (1990)
Mark Deady (1991)
Len Sitko (1992)
Scott Anderson (1998)
Tim Broe (1999)
Don Sage (2002)
Stephen Pifer (2006)
Dorian Ulrey (2009)
Dan Strackeljahn (2009)
Evan Jager (2009)
Who’s next?
The U.S. Sub-4:00 Club (Track & Field News)
(photo courtesy of daveynin)
Categories: College News · Professional News · Track and Field
Tagged: Dan Strackeljahn, Don Sage, dorian ulrey, Eddie Slowikowski, evan jager, Jim Spivey, Ken Popejoy, Lee LaBadie, Len Sitko, Mark Deady, Mike Durkin, mile, Rick Wohlhuter, Scott Anderson, Stephen Pifer, sub-4, Tim Broe, Tom O'Hara, Track and Field News
On Monday, registration opened for the 2010 Chicago Marathon. Over the past few years, registration has closed earlier and earlier due in part to the increasing popularity of road running. Last year the event closed by April.
And this year…well, a mere 24 hours after registration opened, Windy City Running received an email stating that 9,700 runners had already registered. 9,700! That’s over 20% of the registration openings filled in the first day. All we can say is make sure you tell those who are thinking about running the Chicago Marathon this fall to make up their minds quickly.
Keep reading →
Categories: Road Race News
Tagged: American Cancer Society, Chicago, Chicago Marathon, Competitor Group, half-marathon, marathon, road racing, Rock 'n Roll Chicago Half-Marathon
In 2009, Usain Bolt didn’t compete in the United States. Bolt put on a show in 2008 at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York City, setting to tone for his amazing Beijing Olympics performance. Well, it seems as though the fastest man in the world is headed back to the U.S., as the announcement came out Tuesday afternoon that Bolt will race in the 100m dash at the adidas Grand Prix on June 12 (the same day as the 2010 Midwest Distance Gala). This is certainly something all track and field fans need to keep an eye on.
Usain Bolt Storming Into New York
(photo courtesy of Brunel University)
Categories: Article of the Day · In the News · Track and Field
Tagged: adidas Grand Prix, June 12, New York City, Usain Bolt
University of Arkansas freshman Stephanie Brown (Tri-Valley H.S.) is having one heck of an indoor season. Not only is Brown currently ranked in the NCAA top five at 800m (and top frosh), but she also picked up another SEC honor Tuesday, winning the SEC Freshman of the Week after a strong showing at the Texas A&M Challenge. Brown finished second in women’s mile behind Jordan Hasay, running a time of 4:46.40. Her mile performance came the day after she helped Arkansas finish second in the Distance Medley Relay, where she split for 2:07.62 for 800m.
Keep reading →
Categories: College News · Track and Field
Tagged: SEC, SEC Freshman of the Week, stephanie-brown, University of Arkansas
