Very nice story by Kenny Cress
of the Santa Maria Times
on wunderkind Jordan Hasay!

 

Hasay's Hustle: Track phenom, 13, among nation's best

By Kenny Cress, Santa Maria Times

DATELINE -- Whether it was for races in yards or meters, Arroyo Grande resident Jordan Hasay's name was a familiar one in several DyeStat listings throughout last school year.

The national online track and field organization had Hasay's name at or near the top of its list for best national times for girls high school runners in the 1,500, 1,600 and 3,200 meters, as well as the mile and two mile.

She was not a senior. She was not an underclassman.

Hasay was a 13-year-old eighth grader at St. Patrick's Catholic School in Arroyo Grande. She has competed against runners her own age and often overwhelmed the opposition. She has also run against the big girls - and beaten most of them.

Hasay finished fifth in the women's mile at the prestigious Golden West Invitational at Folsom High School in the Sacramento area June 11. The race consisted of mainly high school juniors and seniors. Hasay was at least two years younger than anyone else in the race.

"I was nervous," before the race, she said. "I'd run against older girls before, but not that much older."

She conquered her nerves and led the first two laps. Hasay settled for a strong fifth place showing out of 18 runners.

Hasay ran a 4:56.38. Her best mile time is 4:51.46. Defending champion Erin Bedell, a senior from Plano East High School in Texas, won in 4:44.17.

Hasay raced through the first lap in 66 seconds. "That was pretty fast," she acknowledged. Her 880 split was 2:20.1.

The San Luis Distance Club member will attend Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo next school year. "I wanted academics (as well as running)," she said. Hasay was St. Patrick's' valedictorian with a 3.66 grade point average.

She will train with the San Luis Distance Club, which Jim Barodte coaches, this summer. Then it's off to Mission Prep where she will be a sort of pioneer.

The Mission Prep running program is in its infancy. "They just started cross country," said St. Patrick's Catholic School Athletic Director and track coach Rob Burt. "They're starting a track program next year."

At 13, the slender 5-foot-2-inch Hasay already has quite a running resume.

The 4:51.46 mile that she ran in February unofficially broke the 4:55 mark that Mary Decker set in 1972 for a 13-year-old.

Hasay has the 1,500 meter girls national youth record at 4:29, which she ran last May in breaking her old mark of 4:34 that she set at the 2004 Junior Olympics.

The 9:48 3,000 she ran at the Junior Olympics last year is also a national youth record.

She holds the 5,000 meter national record for 12-year-olds (17:06) and 13-year-olds (16:49).

She has already run a 10:33 full two mile.

Hasay said she likes the two mile and 3,200 well enough, but that she prefers the mile and 1,600.

The four-lap race, be it in meters or yards, "Is a good combination of speed and endurance for me," she said.

"I ran the 800 a couple of times, just to get some speed work. My best was 2:18."

She won't exactly run cross country strictly to get in shape for track season but, "I like track best," Hasay said.

The teenager only likes some of the country that comes with cross country. "I like running hills, but I don't like running through mud," she said.

Hasay attended St. Patrick's since kindergarten. "It was when she was in fourth grade," that he first noticed Hasay had a special talent, Burt said.

"They'd be running in p.e., and she was just so far ahead of everybody else. It was easy to see she was fast.

"She won a couple of local races, so when she raced in the (local) Rotary Relays, which is for junior high and St. Patrick's kids, they'd already heard of her.

"She'd come up (chest-high in height) to everybody, and they'd think, 'oh my god, I'm going to get beat by a fourth grader.' And they did."

Many middle and long distance stars have short, efficient strides. Hasay's stride is efficient, but, Burt, said, it is also long.

"She didn't have a long stride to begin with. But as she got bigger, her stride got longer."

Although she's already racing for some high stakes at a young age - she will try to defend her junior olympic age group titles later this summer - Hasay doesn't seem to feel any pressure.

Running is "fun," she said. "If I'm feeling tense, running is a good way to get away from it all." Hasay said that when she's running along the streets of Arroyo Grande, she can feel that she's in her own little world for awhile.

The youngster has a busy time ahead. She will race in qualifying meets in Livermore later this summer and, if she gets past those as expected, she will compete in the USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis July 26-31.

"I'm going to try to beat 4:23," Hasay said. That is the senior (girls 15-16) Junior Olympic 1,500 record.

During the school year she juggled her school work - quite well, obviously - with her training schedule. "I ran 40 to 50 miles a week," she said.

She has maintained that running work load. Hasay also does the cross training thing.

"I swim three miles some days and one mile other days after I run," she said.

"It helps my legs not feel so sore. (I do) an easy stroke, with lots of breaks."

She said she just wants to relax during her after-practice swims at the Kennedy Club in San Luis Obispo. But guys who are there swimming, being competitive guys, want to challenge her to races.

Hasay, being a competitive girl, takes them on.

"Do they beat you?," Burt asked her.

"No," Hasay replied with a smile.

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Above story appeared in the Santa Maria Times, authored by track nut Kenny Cress!