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DyeStat 2001 Indoor
March 10-11, 2001
Prince Georges County Sports & Learning Complex, Landover MD
Nike Indoor Classic - Day 2
Endurance Comes in Many Forms
By Stephen ("steveu") Underwood
Endurance is a quality normally associated in track and field with distance runners. But it was clear in Sunday during the second day of Nike Indoor in Landover, MD that the milers and two-milers didn't have the corner on that attribute.
Sure, if you thought of endurance Sunday, you might have thought first of Alan Webb. And well you should have, since he gave everything in a mighty attempt to erase that most durable of marks - Gerry Lindgren's 8:40.0 2-mile. That the South Lakes (Va.) senior didn't get it was less important than the thrill of the 32 to 33-second circuits he pounded out in authoring an 8:45.19 - the fastest deuce in 22 years and the third best ever.
Yes, when you think of endurance, think of Webb and the other distance winners Sunday. But also think of Erica Whipple and Sheena Gordon.
Whipple accomplished the 60/200 double for the second straight year, running heats, semis and the 60 and two rounds of the 200 during the weekend - and finishing with a PR and meet record 23.78 in the 200. And how about Gordon? Not only did she rule the high jump (5-10.75) and Saturday's triple jump, she was also third in the 60 hurdles and fourth in the long jump.
Endurance was also the byword for some more unique doubles - those carried out by athletes competing in the National Scholastics one day, then making the four-hour trek to the Prince George's complex to prove themselves again. For example, pole vaulter Samantha Shepard met the challenge, setting a HSR in New York, then coming to Landover to win again with a 13-0 (and three solid attempts at 13-4).
But even if they weren't testing themselves through multiple laps or events, the prep standouts that performed for a packed house Sunday were special.
The Boys' Two Mile: Webb Masterful
They were hoping to share the pace, America's new sub-4 prep miler Alan Webb and shining Canadian challenger Nate Brannen. The duo are both U. of Michigan recruits and their hyped-up 2-mile was witnessed by their future coach Ron Warhurst. But in the end, it was a solo journey of pain and triumph for the South Lakes (Va.) superstar.
The idea was to try and hit 65-second 400s, shooting for the 36-year-old record, and that Webb and 4:02/8:15 (3K) performer Brannen would take turns leading the first mile before each went for it on his own.
But with a 63-2:09-3:13 start, it was clear no one else would be sharing the lead with Webb. With the crowd roaring every step of the way, he gradually pulled away from Brannen and the clock became his only foe. It was only at 1.75 miles that it finally became clear that Lindgren would stay in the indoor record books another year.
"I'm satisfied, but I wanted to break the record," Webb said afterward. "I was hurting pretty bad. With a lap to go, I was like, I'm not gonna get it, but I've still got to push."
And push he did. The 8:45.19 has been beaten only by Lindgren and Jeff Nelson (8:42.7 in '79). If he had anything to prove beyond a mile, the senior has done that now, smashing his PR by 18 seconds.
Brannen still broke 9 in second at 8:57.28.
Boys' middle distance: Curtis stunner; Sylvester romps
The boys mile was a bizarre story, with a wild start and finish. Shane Stroup set a blistering early pace (28 first 200), but no one went with him - which would have been smart if the pack hadn't laid so far off (32 for first 200).
A little after midrace, Bobby Lockhart (Winchester, Va.) passed Stroup with Bobby Curtis, Joe Thorne and Nick Schneider not far behind. But Lockhart swept around the final turn with a sizable lead and it looked like the junior had the win.
Suddenly, Curtis (Louisville, Ky.) came out of nowhere with a blistering kick over the last 100 meters and caught the Virginian at the tape, 4:12.00 to 4:12.11.
"He seemed to slow a little bit, so I just went for it," said a winded Curtis after the race. The sophomore dropped six monster seconds off his PR from last year. "I had the biggest kick I've ever had in my life."
Meanwhile, Lockhart was incredulous. "I really can't believe I lost, he said. "I had won it. If I had just known he was there. My mom taped it [the race]. I want to see the kick he had, because it must have been tremendous."
Marc Sylvester (Cleveland, OH) - who made headlines last year when he overcame a collapsed lung to get to outdoor nationals - punished the 800 field.
After leading with a crackling 26-second first lap, he laid off the pace as pre-race fave Said Ahmed took over. But in the final lap, the senior laid the hammer down for a meet record 1:52.75 and a 1.92 margin over James Hatch.
"It just happened," said Sylvester of the opening salvo. "Then I just relaxed a little, then went hard on the last 200 to see what I had. I haven't done any speed work yet with the winter we've had in Cleveland."
Girls' Sprints: Whippling the Field
Erica Whipple was the queen of the sprints, repeating her 2000 titles. But she wasn't without tough competition.
In the 60, the West Palm Beach (Fla.) senior was basically matched round-for-round by Denver, Colo. standout and '99 Nike Indoor champ Alexis Joyce - in their first-ever indoor meeting. In the first round, Whipple took heat one in 7.55, but Joyce went .01 better in heat five. In the semis, it was Joyce's turn to get nipped by a hundredth, her 7.44 in heat one compared to Whipple's 7.43 in heat two.
In the final, Whipple prevailed by .04, her 7.36 topping the 7.40 of Joyce. "In the first 60, I just took it easy," said the champ, "but in the semi I had to get a good lane. By the time the 60 final came along, I was tired."
Then it was on to the 200, which saw Whipple clock 24.14 to win her heat Saturday. In Sunday's final, fatigue seemed to have a better chance of stopping her than the field. But motivated to top her achievement of last year, she blazed a 23.78 to win by .32 over Allyson Felix (Santa Clara, Calif.).
"The two events were pretty close � but it was a mind thing," she said. "My goal was to break the national record (23.64) � but I also just wanted to run in the 23s again. I didn't make the record, but I did the best I could."
In the 400, Dominque Darden (Harrisburg, Pa.) was the only runner under 57 in Saturday's heats. Sunday she was pushed somewhat by Christina Smith (Philadelphia), but recorded a 55.31-55.59 victory.
Girls' jumps: Gordon's Everywhere
After claiming Saturday's triple jump Sheena Gordon was all over the track Sunday.
The Erie, Pa. junior competed in a couple of hurdles races and two field events. She first won the high jump, clearing 5-10.5 (1.79) on her third attempt.
That event started at 10 a.m., just over an hour after Gordon qualified for the 60 meter hurdles final with the third-fastest time of the preliminaries. The 12:30 p.m. long jump was next on her list, and while that competition was in progress she took a time out to run the hurdles final around 1:30 p.m.
Gordon took third in 8.82, then rushed back to the long jump pit. As if she didn't have enough on her plate, between Gordon's second and third tries in the long jump she had to hustle over to the awards stand for the high jump medal presentations. She wound up fifth in the long jump with a best of 17-10.25 (5.44).
"Im exhausted," she said after all was said and done. "But it was worth it. I had a great weekend."
Another pair of pre-meet favorites, juniors Samantha Shepard (Weston, Mass.) and Molly Lederman (Newton, Mass.), finished 1-2 in the girls vault, meeting again after their summit in New York.
The Air Time Athletics club teammates have played tag with the national prep indoor record for the past two years, but fell short Saturday. Shepard, who went 13-3 Saturday, cleared a meet record 12-10.25 to Lederman's 12-6.25.
Kierra Foster (West Palm Beach, Fla.) dethroned 2000 winner Porchea Carroll in a long jump competition that saw five finish within 4 inches of one another. Foster's 18-2.25 (5.54) came on her first try. "I started out great," she said. "I usually work my way up, but coach has been working with me on jumping well sooner."
Dana Bethel was second for the second straight year with a best of 18-1.75. Carroll dropped to seventh with a best (17-6.75).
Girls Distances: Back in the winner's circle
Erin Donohue didn't just again show us the brilliance that made her a Foot Locker outdoor mile champion as a sophomore, she displayed a newfound strength. During a winter that saw her give up basketball to concentrate on indoor track, she has suffered some agonizingly tough defeats. But not today in the girls' mile.
The start was inauspicious. Kelly Otstott took the pace when it became clear no one else really wanted it and it moved comfortably through a 2:27 half. At 1200, Alicia Craig surged into the lead, but Donohue covered. With 200 to go, the Haddonfield, N.J. senior made the decisive move.
"It was just a matter of time until I finally just had a great race," she said. "It went out at a perfect pace for me. I never realized I'd miss basketball so much, but it's been a great winter. This race was very satisfying. After winning (outdoors) as a sophomore, I've wanted to get back."
Megan Kaltenbach (Aurora, Colo.) almost didn't get in the fast heat of the girls two mile. But the meet directors are thankful they got her in there. She took Alison Tubbs (Enumclaw, Wash.) in the final 400 to claim the 16-lapper in 10:32.89, with an exhausted (ran two distance relays) Kalin Toedebusch third.
"I decided not to play soccer this year to concentrate on running and it's paying off," Kaltenbach said. "The plan was to do 40-second 200s, then push it with 3 laps to go."
The 800 winner was Nicole Cook (Petersburg, Va.), who improved on last year's fourth-place finish. Cook led through 400 (1:07), but surrendered command at 600. Yet, she seemed to have no problem reassuming the lead on the final lap to win in 2:15.39, just ahead of the 2:15.48 by Theresa Feldcamp (Lorain, Ohio), last years fifth-placer.
"I knew I just had to change gears," Cook said.
Shot Puts
After a slightly sluggish third in Saturday's weight throw, Laura Gerraughty (Nashua, N.H.) moved into first place on her initial heave of 49-11.25 (15.22) and improved to 52-2 (15.90) on her final effort. Both marks were meet records.
"I was looking for a PR," said the high school indoor record holder (53-11), "and this was my last chance to set it."
Nevertheless, Gerraughty was enthused with the triumph and the meet record, especially after an impromptu eight-hour drive (weather reports threatened flight plans) that got her into town in Saturday mornings wee hours.
The boys competition produced another upset - of sorts. Senior Jonathan Reeves, (Sugar Land, Tex.) threw a meet record 66-11.25 (20.40) on his fifth attempt to dislodge 2000 champ Kevin Bookout (Stroud, Okla.). Having thrown nearly 69 feet in a summer meet, however, Stuart knew he had a great chance to win.
"I calmed myself down and worked on technique," he said of his winning throw.
Boys' sprints
In the 60, Jamar Ervin (Camden, N.J.), relegated Duan Barrino (Charlotte, N.C.) to the runner-up spot for the second year in a row. Ervin sped home first in 6.83, with Barrino second in 6.84.
The 200 record fell to Jerome Mathis (Petersburg, Va.), whose winning time of 21.79 broke the year-old meet mark by .12.
Kelly Willie, a third-year man from Houston's Sterling High, claimed the 400 crown in 48.55.
Boys' jumps
Surprising Keith Moffatt (Newport News, Va.), an unheralded junior from Virginia, upped his personal best from 6-8 to 7-0.25 (2.14) to win the high jump. Moffatt shaded Dan Olsen (Albany, N.Y.), the years leading prep indoor jumper, who cleared 2.09 (6-10.25) after winning in New York.
Josh Fournier (Colchester, Conn.) leapt 23-2 (7.06) in the fifth round to take over the long jump lead, but Ray Graves (Romulus, Mich) matched that mark on his final attempt. Fournier, however, won on the countback as his No. 2 jump superceded Graves'. He also won despite the fact that he was almost a foot off his seasonal best.
"It was nice to have some competition," said Fournier. "But most of us didn't jump close to our bests. I thought the surface was fast, but my legs just weren't there."
Hurdles
Jerod Void edged Dwight Ruff by the .01 in the boys 60m hurdles. Void, from nearby Clinton, Md., finished in 7.86 to 7.87 for Ruff, a Camden, N.J.sprinter.
There was a little more breathing room in the girls 60m hurdles final. Ashlee Williams (Dallas, Tex.), runner-up at last years U.S. Junior Championships in the 100m hurdles, won Saturday in 8.47. Second was Keosha Sanders (Stafford, Va.) in 8.74.
Relays
Boys and Girls High (Brooklyn, N.Y.) won handily on the girls 4x800m relay. The Brooklyn squad, consisting of Thomassina Brown (2:19.5), Tameka Johnson(2:19.7), Akilah Vargas (2:19.2) and Stacey Livingston (2:13.4), posted a meet record time of 9:11.82.
The boys 4x800m relay title went to North Penn High School (Lansdale, Pa.) for the second consecutive year. North Penn outran Carmel, Ind., 7:56.55 to 7:58.22. North Penn had splits of 2:03.3 by Brad Maier, 1:59.4 from Dave Atkiss, 1:56.9 by Dan Michael and 1:57.0 from Steve Craig, who ran 400m splits of 60.6 and 56.4.
Dwight Ruff, the runner-up in the 60m hurdles, ran a leg on the victorious Camden, N.J., 4x400m relay team. The Camden squad finished in meet-record time, 3:17.26.
William Penn of Philadelphia won the girls 4x400 in 3:47.53 (No. 8 all-time). William Penn also won the girls 4x200 in 1:41.75, and Camdens boys 4x200 relay squad, featuring Ruff and 60m champ Jamar Ervin, finished first in 1:30.45.
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