USATF Junior Nationals

June 21-25 , 2006
IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, IUPUI
Indianapolis, IN

DyeStat On-Site with Steve Underwood, Marc Davis, Pat Davey

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Jim Spier's Junior Lists (eligibles for Beijing; updated 6/20)

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Mel Makes the Biggest Splash

Distance Runners Found Indy Heat Daunting; But a Mid-Race Bath Helps

By SteveU

Most of the long distance races were warped by excessive heat, debilitating the athletes and slowing times. Jordan Hasay and Diego Mercado survived fairly well; Landon Peacock, Danny Mercado, and Nichole Jones not so well.

But surviving best was a competitor in Friday’s girls’ 3000 steeplechase. She was able to cool off with an unexpected bath. She wound up winning in USR time. Maybe it helped.

Or maybe it was just that Reno NV jr Marie Lawrence was tougher than anyone else.

It may have looked like Marie Lawrence was in trouble when she took a dive into the water pit,
but at the end she was along in first.
Photos by Davey, Runmichigan.com

In a career that has featured greatness and dominance, but a string of second-place finishes at the highest level, “Mel” has certainly shown toughness (even if it’s kind of a casual, bubble-gum blowing toughness). But there has also been an underlying sweetness that might have been linked to an acceptance of that runner-up spot. Her freshman year, it running behind her older sister. More recently, it has been taking seconds to Aislinn Ryan and Jordan Hasay at Foot Locker championships, or to Colorado freshman Katie Vanatta at Golden West a few weeks ago.

But at NON, her coach told her to stop running for second. She responded with a USR 2k Steeple triumph over the event’s reigning queen, Lindsey Ferguson. Now here, she would have had a perfect reason to run for second. On the race’s third lap, she stumbled over the water barrier and took a nasty tumble into the drink. Almost full immersion.

But Marie’s determination level is now higher than ever. She bounced back up, almost as if it hadn’t happened, and quickly caught back up to BYU’s Amy Fowler. She was seemingly running freely again before you could say, “She almost drowned.” The recovery was remarkable.

About four laps later, when it was kicking time again, Mel again responded. She pulled away from Fowler and crossed the line in a USR 10:15.26 (Fowler 10:18.88).

“I’m really happy,” she said. “I didn’t know how well I could do after that fall. I don’t know what happened there.”

Was she again motivated by her coach telling her not to settle for 2nd? “He just told me to go for it,” she said. But she added that racing “feels different” now.

Hasay also survived, but while she could run and win (9:50.66) here Thursday, one cannot have a birthdate any later than 1990 to run at World Juniors. She will have to go for World Youth next year, or the 2008 World Juniors, despite having exceeded the WJ qualifier (9:35) by more than 8 seconds with her early-season 9:26.

“I wasn’t supposed to lead, but no one would take the pace, so I had to,” said Hasay. “It was really hot and I just ran to win. I wasn’t feeling too good at the end.”

Unfortunately, on this day, Jordan could not tow anyone under the qualifier. Mantua Crestwood OH sr Bridget Franek gave it the best shot, almost catching her at the tape with a 9:51.04. Unlike NON, where she had “a weird urge to go out fast,” she wisely held back. “My plan was to sit back and wait. The first part, I was really tired anyway and just hoping to finish.”

In a change from what was originally posted on the USATF site, there is no longer a chance for athletes to chase qualifiers in the weeks before World Juniors. Also, 3k runners can’t use converted 3200 or 2-mile times; Franek’s 10:16.4 3200 PR would have rendered her a second short.

Victories for Jordan Hasay and Diego Mercado. Victah Sailer, photorun.net

Wednesday’s distance runs were especially brutal, with near-90-degree temps and a strong wind. The 5000 meter runs spelled disaster for a number of runners. West Covina CA sr Danny Mercado and Pendleton Heights IN sr. Brock Hagerman zipped out in the men’s race, hitting 2:19 and 4:38 at the first two 800 intervals, only to be swallowed up by more conservative collegians. Georgetown fr Andrew Bumbalough would win in 14:46.01, more than 30 seconds off his best, while Hagerman struggled in 7th (16:33.93) and Mercado DNF.

The preps in the women’s 5k fared little better. Though she set what would seem like a conservative 80-second pace, Spring Valley SC sr Kate Niehaus faded to 17:37.43 and Westfield Texas jr Nichole Jones to 18:13.85, behind another Georgetown runner, Natasha LaBeaud (17:12.63). No China qualifiers here.

Finally, some considerable pacing wisdom developed in the men’s 10k, popping up in the person of none other than Diego Mercado, who like his brother is given to ferocious starts. Mercado was at the lead from the start, but everyone was running cautiously at 77-79 per lap.

After a kilo in just 3:16.94, Cedar Springs MI sr Landon Peacock, a 9:01 3200 runner and Foot Locker top ten performer, showed his impetuous side and sprang loose, covering the next 1000 in 3:02.51.

No one went with him and he led by as much as 10 seconds. But his laps started slowing and Mercado and others picked it up a bit. By about halfway, the West Covina sr took over and strode to an even-split 31:36.

Mercado said early on he was struck between those slow early laps feeling faster than they were (and plenty fast at that) and his legs telling him otherwise. “They were like, ‘Dude, just go!’

“But patience really IS a virtue,” he added, eliciting laughs. Diego Mercado, a patient guy on the track? Who knew? “Finally with 14 to go, I said, ‘Oh heck, I’m going.’ With 10 laps to go, I thought it might have been a mistake. Then I said, ‘Be a man, dude.’”

The 10k evokes a lot of internal dialogue, that’s for sure. Jeremy Criscione of Florida wound up 2nd in 31:40.67 and Peacock 3rd in 32:06.02.

USATF Juniors Index