MIDEWST DISTANCE GALA NATIONAL COVERAGE PAGE

Tales From the Track

Bob Geiger

Will He, Won't He, and Where?

Since coming onto the High School scene, Lukas Verzbicas has been an instant legend.  In his first major cross country invitational, the Peoria Woodruff Invitational, he soundly defeated All-Americans Danny Pawola of Nequa Valley and Drew Shields of Fishers, Indiana.  His second invitational, the Argo Invitational, saw Lukas take down the 22 year old meet record.  It was short lived, as his season ended early due to an injury.  We never got to see him live up to his elite billing on the national scene. 
Fast forward to January and the Arkansas Invite.  Verzbicas was silent until this day, as he smashed the national Freshman record in the mile with a time of 4:21.20.  He wasn't done yet, as he came back to win the 300 meters with a time of 8:29.16, another freshman mark.  His name was once again stirring amongst the high school track faithful. 
It was also at this time that we found out that Verzbicas was not going to be competing for his high school during the IHSA season.  An elite triathlete, Verzbicas would forego the season to focus on his pursuit of a National Junior Title in the Triathlon, which he later won in May.
Verzibicas ran once more, setting a new national record in the 5000 meters at the Nike Indoor Nationals, 14:18.42, before setting in to his triathlon training.
In May, he won the Junior National Triathlon, qualifying for the Pan American and World Championships.  The World Championships will be held this September in Australia. 
Chapter two in the Verzbicas story will have a new setting.  Verzbicas and his family recently moved to Orland Park, and rather than transfer to the new Lincoln Way West, Lukas will be attending Sandburg.  In terms of running cross country, Verzbicas has told us that he is currently planning to take some time off after his triathlon season, and there is some uncertainty if he will run during the IHSA Cross Country season.  "Last year I went right into cross country from triathlons, and I feel that it contributed to my injury.  I don't want to repeat that this season." 
Although unsure about post season cross country (Nike, Foot Locker), Verzbicas stated that he will remain open to those meets. 

Like Father Like Son

For Connor Martin, winning the Steeplechase wasn't the thing that stood out the most.  It wasn't the way he took control in the last 800 meters, it wasn't the meet record he set, or even the fact that he was running in his first Steeple ever.  It was his singlet.  Martin was sporting a 1984 Kinney Cross Country Finalist singlet.  The navy blue singlet was the same worn by his father, Andy Martin, as he placed 19th.  The elder Martin went on to be a fine steeplechaser in his own right. 
So, how did Dad help Connor prepare for his first Steeple?  "We just went out to IUPUI twice this week to get ready.  We did a couple of workouts just to get used to it.  If I did something wrong, he'd tell me." 
Besides the pedigre, Connor boasts some pretty good times for himself, having run a 1:56 leg on the Westfield, Indiana 4 x 800 relay.  He also qualified for the Indiana State finals in the 1600, having run a 4:18, but was disqualified at the finals when he accidentally tripped another competitor. 
In tonights race, he sat back in the race early, letting Lake Zurich's Gerardo Perez lead through the early part of the race.  With 800 meters to go, Martin pulled into the lead and never relinquished, finishing with an eleven second victory and the meet record.  The previous record was held by Ben Steavenson of Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2008.
His time also has him ranked 3rd nationally in the steeple.  And while he has no plans to run in next weeks Nike Outdoor Nationals, he said he might run USATF Junior Olympics, where he would be a favorite to win the intermediate boys steeple.  Looks like the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

In and Out of a Box
As the fast heat of the girls 800 meters took off, something looked wrong right off the bat.  The races designated rabbit wasn't going to the lead.  Perhaps the races participants weren't used to running with a rabbit, or the rabbit wasn't used to rabbitting.  Either way, as the runners broke off the turn, the rabbit was back in its cage.  Also stuck in that cage was Katie Hill of Onalaska High School, Wisconsin.  For those who had attended the 2008 GALA, she may have looked familiar.  Katie's twin sister Jami won the 800 at the 2008 GALA.  Unable to run at the 2009 GALA, Jami was relegated to the press box where she helped with the commentary.  Back to the box, Katie claimed  "I was really trying to get out fast, but that happened to me at state so I didn't panic."  At the Wisconsin State Championships, the box collapsed, litterally as two runners fell to the floor.  Hill avoided that collision and went on to win the Wisconsin State Championship.  There was no collision at the GALA, and Hill was able to focus during the final 200 as she sprinted home to win only her second competitive 800. 
Katie will be bringing her newly found 800 talent to the University of Minnesota where she will square off against her twin sister Jami, who will be attending Michigan. 

Event summaries- Tony Jones
Boys 800
Danny Neff (Vandalia, OH) 1:50.02 Meet record
Alex Muntefering (Parkston, SD) 1:51.34 
Nick Kaiser (Lambertville, MI) 1:51.83  
Evan Ross  (Port Washington) 1:51.87 
Summary:  this event was not as high profiled as last year but the results were equally as exciting the field going through the first 400m in a swift 53.4.  Kaiser, a sophomore from Michigan, took command on the backstretch with Neff and several others in tow.  Neff exploded on the homestretch and caught Kaiser who tied up badly.  Neff maintained his momentum to the finish and the win.  Muntefering passed Kaiser as well for second.  Neff asserts, “my plan was to follow the rabbit’s pace and see what I had the last 200m.”  The top eight finishers broke 1:53.5 compared to the six for the more stellar 2008 field.

Girls Mile
Stephanie Brown (Tri-Valley HS; Downs, IL) 4:50.12 PB #4 USA [73.3, 2:26.7, 3:40.7, 4:50.12]         
Lizzy Hynes (St. Charles East HS; St. Charles, IL) 4:51.91 PB #5 USA [74.0, 2:26.7, 3:40.2, 4:51. 91]          
Chelsea Pettit (Holy Angels HS; Savage, MN) 5:04.54
Summary: the opening line of this race preview stated: “the class of the field here is Brown vs. Hynes.”  That’s exactly how things played out for Brown and Hynes.  Yes, there were eight other girls in the field but, there might as well had been two.  And that goes for the pace setter too.  The opening pace asked for 2:20 in an attempt to run 4:45 for the winner.  The precocious Brown said she had words during the race to the pacesetter: “let me lead!”  Those very words took fold during the third 440y when Brown and Hynes picked up the pace and totally accelerated from the field.  Hynes grabbed the lead during the backstretch but it Brown was comfortable in being a tad back.  She has tremendous all around speed and Hynes knew this.  Hynes picked up the pace but could not drop Brown.  Hynes was cautiously in commend on the gun lap, but Brown made her closing move from 250m out with Hynes in tow.  Finally, with 100m left Brown prevailed in the most thrilling girls duo race in Illinois history.  “I stayed calm and used what was available to me,” said a recovered Brown.  Hynes added that she had plans to peak at this time of the year being that it’s her senior year.  Both young women have Nike Outdoor Nationals on their radar next weekend in Greensboro, NC.
 

 PREVIEWS

The Midwest Distance Gala keeps growing and growing in stature. This year’s event at Benedictine University in Lisle should be the best yet. Meet Director Scott Bush has put together some great fields in 4 distance disciplines. Here is a brief outlook on what to watch, with focus on Illinois athletes.

2 Mile Run

A matchup that many in the United States have been looking for comes true…and it’s the first final of the evening!  Maryland’s Solomon Haile ran a then indoor record for 5000 meters at the NSIC in New York. A few hours later, super frosh Lukas Verzbicas one upped Haile by running 4 seconds faster, 14:18 at the Nike Indoor Nationals.

This could be an interesting battle in several aspects. Haile has shown he is fit for this battle, winning the 4A state championships in Maryland in the 1600 and the 3200. Even though Haile has not gone under 9 for 3200, he will here. Many things to look out for here. Verzbicas is in shape, as shown from his recent performance at the Pan Am triathlon in Oklahoma City. He is in triathlon shape, but what about track fitness? People questioned what Lukas could run in January and he blew the minds of every on looker by setting the 5000 record and then coming back the next day and running 8:54 for 2 miles. I think we will see the same thing here. Verzbicas will want a fast, consistent pace and will be willing to take it out. Those who want a fast time will be with him.

Two that should be with Verzbicas and Haile are Steve Sulkin and Jordan Hebert of Elmhurst York IL. Sulkin has run 9:01 for 3200 this season and is the 3A champ for the distance in Illinois. Teammate Hebert was runner up to Sulkin at the state meet and is ready to stay with the pack. Sulkin wanted that state championship that missed him in Cross Country…he got that. Now he wants to go under 9:00. He and Hebert should be able to do it here.

Two Illinois runners to also watch for are Phil Fairleigh, a junior from Cary Grove High School and Andrew Larsen from Marmion Academy in Aurora. Fairleigh is looking for redemption in this event after not finishing at the Illinois state meet. Larsen is a veteran in the Gala…he ran 9:27 last year. He has run 9:08 for 3200 earlier in the season and is primed for a great run here.

Who will survive here? It will be a fast pace…could we see 8:45 on Saturday night? It’s a good possibility.

800 Meter Run

There is only one entrant from Illinois in the fastest section of the 800. Max Clink of St. Charles North High School peaked at the right time, earning all state honors in this event while running 1:54.3. We could see Clink running close to 1:53 fresh here. The main runner to watch here is Ohio’s Danny Neff. This Vandalia Butler High School Senior won the 1600 in the Class 1 State meet in Ohio running 4:11, then came back 45 minutes later to win the 800 in 1:51. Running fresh here at Gala should see Neff going into the 1:49 range here.

1 Mile Run

Is the 4:00 minute barrier going down in this race? Jeff Thode of Conant High School hopes so. Thode ran the fastest 1600 in the nation this season by running 4:05 in winning the 3A Illinois crown…and this was Thode’s 4th race of the weekend.
 
Thode has amazed the Illinois fans all season with what he has been able to do. Running a fresh Mile for the first time all outdoor season is what everyone has been waiting to see from this champion. The Meet Director Scott Bush has veteran runner and former York coach Charlie Kern to pace this field through 1000 meters in 2:28. After that, it should be fun to see what happens.
 
Bush getting Andrew Springer of Rhode Island in this race is a big bonus. Springer amazed people at the Rhode Island state meet last weekend by winning the 800, 1500, and 3000.  Springer has run the fastest split for this season in 4:03 and is the one runner who will push Thode here. Thode mentioned after his state meet performance that he needed someone to push him here…Springer is the guy.

This field is loaded. Patrick McGregor of Hoover AL ran 4:09 at Arcadia earlier in the season and is primed for this race. Michael Atchoo, a junior from Troy MI, broke the Michigan state record in the 1600 by running 4:07 last weekend and is ready for the challenge. Gala veteran Drew Shields of Fishers IN has run 4:09 and will be in the mix.

The Illinois runners in this race should make a statement here. Zach Dahleen of Sandburg was the runner up to Thode at the State meet in running 4:10. He looks forward to going after his school record set by Bob Hicks 32 years ago. Peter Callahan of North Shore Country Day wowed people in Charleston by running a 1:53 split in the 3200 relay and then coming back and running 1:51 and 4:15 in winning the 800 and 1600 1A titles. He has a great kick and will be in the front pack.

Andrew Nelson of Geneva’s best 1600 this season was 4:11 indoors. But running this race fresh for the first time this season should get Nelson under that 4:08 plateau. Chris Hayek of Prospect has run 4:13 off a double and should be ready to flirt with 4:10 here. Sophomore Anthony Manfrin is anxious to run this race after being DQ’ed at the Illinois State Meet.

And there’s Lukas Verzbicas…he will be coming back from the 2 mile and will have around 40 minutes of rest. Never say never for this outstanding freshman. He could steal the show here.

With the pace being set to go by the 800 meters in 1:58, anything could happen here. Thode ran basically 31’s by himself at the Illinois State meet. With Springer and Atchoo pushing him here, we could again see something special here from Thode. The meet record should go down…by 2 seconds.

4:00 senarios:

Scenario #1-
It’s sometimes laughable to read or hear folk talk about a high school boy break 4:00.  When it does happen, does it really matter how it’s achieved?  Only four prep runners have ever accomplished the feat: Jim Ryun, Tim Danielson, Marty Liquori, and of course Alan Webb.  Will Jeff Thode’s name be added to the famed list? Only time will tell

It seems all along the Thode team had 4:00 in the plans.  In early March, in fact, at the York Invite, Coach Dahl and coach Powers felt the goal could be accomplished with precision and the right training.  For example, at the IPTT championship, Thode went out in 2:09.9 for the first half and ran sub 2:00 the second half.  How about the Gene Armer Invite in Champaign a week later when Thode went out a scorching 2:02 the first half.  Then at the outdoor state final on dead legs from competing all weekend in a variety of races, Thode went out and set the state meet record of 4:05.17 in last race.  The indications on how to attack the feat has been crafted and sealed.  It’s now runner against the clock.

The final analysis says most elite high school runners can run the first 880y 2:00 fairly well.  That’s not the issue. The problem is the last 660y.  That’s where pain and running alone becomes tougher.  Even world class athletes don’t like to set the pace themselves, most would rather float behind the leader until the last lap, so how could a high school runner be expected to effectively run by himself?  The bottom line is this: breaking 4:00 is still a huge accomplishment, even at the collegiate level.  If running 4:00 without help was easily done, there would be more guys breaking the barrier.  Stayed tuned Saturday.

Scenario #2-
A perspective from the eyes of former York runner and alum John Fleckles.

The Case of Donald Sage.

To even understand what it takes to be in a class to run sub 4:00, is to perhaps see things from one of the greatest ever milers to come out of Illinois in Elmhurst York’s Donald Sage.

In 2000, Donald Sage had impressed people with his 8:42.89/4:07.58 double state wins.  His finishing 3200m win was especially sweet with the final 400m clocked in 59 seconds.  But he still was overshadowed by Dathan Ritzenhein of Michigan in the 3200m and Alan Webb (Virginia) in the mile.  But Webb got hurt late in the track season and all the talk of a sub 4:00 mile was somewhat forgotten. 

It wasn’t until the Golden West Invitational that Sage ran 4:04.32.  This created some interest, but the next week Sage ran poorly in the two-mile at the Adidas Outdoor Nationals, and he was once again sort of forgotten about.

Sage entered the Prefontaine Classic late but there wasn’t much talk of a sub 4:00 attempt.  As the race played out, he stayed near the rear for the entire race and drafted off the field and his future Stanford teammate, Gabe Jennings.  The meet announcers made no mention of Sage at all during the race, but as the race ended, you could hear the Hayward Field crowd reacting loudly as Sage neared the finish, knowing he was close to running 4:00.  It was only after the final results were posted on the telecast did the announcers mention that Sage ran 4:00.29, the fastest time since Marty Liquori in 1967. 

There is no doubt that Sage benefited from being somewhat under the radar that year, and his race at Pre was under no pressure.  Post race reactions on Dyestat were mostly along the lines of “if Sage ran 4:00, what could Webb run?”

There are a good number of high school runners that could close in on 4:00, but it would have to be in a race where the runners are pulled along by faster runners the entire race.  In essence, the runners need help from the field.  Remember that every sub 4:00 plus Sage’s effort was run in an elite/college field.  Only one runner has ever broken 4:00 in a non-rabbited high race.  His name? The great Jim Ryun in his state championship.  The runner (s) would have to be of that caliber to that and guys like don’t come along too often. 

Girls-

Young women’s 800m—

Katie Hill Sr. Onalaska, WI
Annette Eichenberger Jr. West Chicago HS; West Chicago, IL
Jamie Burr So.  WI
Nyala Eddings Jr. Morgan Park HS; Chicago, IL
Andrea Sielicki Jr.  WI
Breonna Green So. Morgan Park HS; Chicago, IL
Michelle Stratton Sr. Naperville North HS; Naperville, IL
Grace Magliola Jr. Downers Grove South HS; Downers Grove, IL
Lauren Holtz Fr.  WI
Sydni Meunier Fr. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley; Gibson City, IL
Michelle Dobbs  IL
Jackie Groshek So. WI
Emily Sell So.  WI
Outlook: Not a great field and certainly not as star powered as the mile, but Katie Hill of Wisconsin won 800m at her state champion in the big classification.  Her 2:14 is tops here.  Morgan Park’s Eddings and Green sport 2:16 and 2:18 marks and like to start fast.  Eichenberger enjoyed another strong finish to her regular season with a 2:15 and 3rd place in 3A state championship.

                                 

Women 's One Mile-      
      
Stephanie Brown Sr. Tri-Valley HS; Downs, IL
Lizzy Hynes Sr. St. Charles East HS; St. Charles, IL
Chelsea Pettit Jr. Holy Angels, MN
Michaela Carnegie So. MI
Valerie Burns Jr. Mishawaka Penn, IN
Katherin Rehn Jr. Lyons HS; LaGrange, IL
Maddie Hibshman So.  WI
Courtney Siefert Jr. KY
Kaley Ummel  Fr. Lexington HS, Lexington, IL
Elisha Overpeck Jr. KY
Outlook: the class of the field here is Brown vs. Hynes.  Brown excels at whatever she’s in with virtual success in this and the 800m.  Her tremendous speed, experience, and prowess makes her the favorite.  She has run 4:52i but wants to crack 4:50 and possibly the 4:47 (converted all-time best).  Hynes will not go down easily though as she ranks #3 in Illinois for 1600 (4:54.13).  She will be running fresh in this one.