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DyeStat 2000 Outdoor
"It's what I always
dreamed of"
Donald Sage Talks about sub-4
and running in the Prefontaine Classic
TV and webcast information on the PRE Classic
by John Dye
After his last race in Raleigh June 17, Donald Sage looked ahead to the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene OR June 24 -- going against older runners - a chance for a sub-4 minute mile.
"It's what I always dreamed of," said the soft-spoken Stanford-bound senior from York Elmhurst IL.
When all the furor arose in May over the possibility of the fourth High School runner to break 4 minutes in the mile, it was centered on South Lakes Reston VA jr Alan Webb. Sage was making headlines with startling 3200 meter times and was headed for a 2-mile showdown at Foot Locker Outdoor against Dathan Ritzenhein.
Things changed quickly June 10 on opposite coasts. Webb had a sub-par Virginia State Meet and limped off the track, soon to declare his season over. Sage made an unannounced go at sub-4 in the Golden West Invitational in Sacramento CA and got 4:04.2, less than a second behind Webb's ballyhooed 4:03.33 at the Herbster Classic.
Sage said he first thought about sub-4 when he ran a 57 second last lap in the Illinois State Meet in May. At Golden West he ran alone after a one-lap rabbit by Erik Heinonen, but he didn't have his customary finishing kick. "If someone were with me I think I would have had a shot," Sage said.
Sage has already thought of the splits he wants to go sub-4. It is 60, 2:00, and 3:01. At the PRE Classic, "With a big crowd and great guys in the race, I may be able to get it in the last lap."
"I'll give it my best shot."
PRE Classic Mile entries:
William Chirchir (Kenya)
Hailu Mekonnen (Ethiopia)
Mark Carroll (Ireland)
Gabe Jennings
Jason Pyrah
Jason Lunn
Seneca Lassiter
John Kosgei (Kenya)
Sammy Mutai (Kenya)
Hudson da Souza (Brazil)
Kevin Sullivan (Canada)
Donald Sage
Merritt McDole
