The end of the regular season means the times are starting to really pick up. This past weekend saw numerous U.S. top three performances, including a U.S. record by New York’s Shelby Greany in the 2,000m steeplechase. As the times start to pick up across the country, we start counting down the top ten performances from each weekend, as we unveil a new segment called "Top Ten Countdown".

From now until the end of the season, we’re going to do a Top Ten Countdown, where we’ll list the top ten best athlete performances of the week. Here’s this week’s countdown:

10. Chelsey Sveinsson (So., Greenhill, TX) - Running at a small, private school in Texas doesn’t allow Sveinsson many opportunities to get competition at the same ability levels, however, that didn’t stop her from running a U.S. #4 time at the SPC T&F Championships (TX) over the weekend. Sveinsson easily topped the 800m field at the championship event, running away to a great time of 2:08.55. Sveinsson also won the 1,600m (5:23.64) and 3,200m (11:03.90) events, while helping her team place third in the 4×400m relay.

9. Emily Lipari (Jr., Roslyn, NY) - Seemingly overlooked for much of the season thus far, Lipari jumped back into the national spotlight Saturday at the Loucks Games (NY). Lipari beat an incredibly strong field to win the 3,200m run in a U.S. #3 time of 10:21.32. Lipari used her superior speed to hold off sophomore Aisling Cuffe (So., Cornwall Central, NY) and freshman Samantha Nadal (Fr., North Shore, NY), who ran 10:23.08 and 10:24.03 respectively.

8. Stephanie Morgan (Sr., Barnesville, OH) - The Ohio standout continues to show why she’s one of the best, if not the best, miler in the country this spring. Morgan won the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m events at the OVAC 3A/4A Championships over the weekend, improving her U.S. #3 time in the 1,600m event to 4:49.52. Morgan’s winning times in the 800m and 3,200m races were 2:18.67 and 11:12.44 respectively.

7. Nathan Mathabane (Sr., Lincoln, OR) - While being overshadowed a bit this year by middle-distance standout Elijah Greer, Mathabane is quickly putting together one of the most impressive resumes in the nation this spring. The Princeton-bound senior won the 1,500m run at the Oregon Twilight Saturday in a new U.S. #1 time of 3:50.48.

6. Trevor Dunbar (Sr., Kodiak, AK) - While the harsh Alaskan winter slowed his season down a bit, Dunbar is starting to really hit his stride. After breaking the Alaskan state 1,600m record last weekend with a 4:10.78, Dunbar followed that up with a U.S. #2 performance at 3,200m in 8:51.5 at the Kodiak Tri-Invitational. With many weeks left to go until Nike Outdoor Nationals, many are wondering how low Dunbar can go in the 3,200m run.

5. Elijah Greer (Sr., Lake Oswego, OR) - It was only a matter of time before Greer started dipping under the 1:49 barrier again. At the Oregon Relays Saturday, Greer came up big by earning a U.S. #1 mark of 1:48.97, showing that he’s starting to really round into great shape. Greer finished fourth overall in the fast heat of the men’s 800m dash, finishing behind professional runners Kevin Hicks, Mark Wieczorek and Ryan Brown.

4. Jeff Thode (Sr., Conant, IL) - He’s run great times across the board since the indoor season, but Thode had yet to really strike big in the 3,200m this spring. The AAA Illinois State Cross Country Champion, won the 3,200m run at the Cougar Classic over the weekend in a new U.S. #1 time of 8:51.3h. Thode easily led from start to finish, passing through the 1,600m mark in 4:22. Thode has some big expectations for the rest of the season, including a stab at the four-minute barrier, so the 3,200m performance is a great stepping stone towards the rest of the season.

3. Tyler Stutzman (Sr., Western Albemarle, VA) - Two great performances over the weekend give Stutzman the nod for number three on this week’s countdown. At the Loucks Games (NY), Stutzman helped his team finish second in the DMR on Thursday, splitting a 4:07.0 anchor leg, as the squad finished with a U.S. #2 time of 10:01.87. Stutzman then came back on Saturday to earn the win in the 1,600m run with a 4:09.86 performance. Running two sub-4:10 1,600m performances in a three day span makes a top three ranking this week incredibly easy.

2. Andrew Springer (Sr., Westerly, RI) - Springer jump started his week by leading his Westerly team to a dramatic win in the DMR with a 10:01.13-10:01.87 victory over Western Albemarle (VA) at the Loucks Games (NY). Springer got the baton in second, worked his way up to Tyler Stutzman, the in the final meters of the race, overtook Stutzman and clinched his team the victory in a U.S. #1 time. Springer’s 1,600m split was clocked at 4:03.5. Springer then helped his team win the 4×800m relay with a 1:55 split at the Hartford Public Invitational, while winning the mile (4:08.79) and two mile (9:09.14) as well.

1. Shelby Greany (Sr., Suffern, NY) - What an amazing week it was for the Providence-bound senior. On Monday, Greany set a national record in the 2,000m steeplechase, running 6:33.7h at the Cornwall Steeplefest. Greany then came back on Thursday to guider her team to victory in the DMR at the Loucks Games (NY), running a 4:47.6 anchor leg, as the Suffern squad set a U.S. #3 mark in the event with their 11:49.46. On Saturday, Greany won the 1,600m run in 4:48.25, a U.S. #2 mark. What a week!

* At the Upstate 8 Conference Championships (IL), Lizzy Hynes (Sr., St. Charles East, IL) beat Illinois state cross country champion and Foot Locker all-American Lindsay Flanagan (Sr., Lake Park, IL) to win the 3,200m run. The Boston College-bound Hynes, who’s having a splendid spring campaign, sealed up the victory by crossing the line in 10:32.20. Flanagan was second in 10:41.72.

* Danny Neff (Sr., Vandalia-Butler, OH) and Zach Wills (So., Mason, OH) put on quite the show at the Mason Invitational over the weekend. Neff edged Wills in a blazing 1,600m run, which saw the two runners earn the top two times in the state. Neff closed hard to win in 4:12.20, while Wills ran the top sophomore time in the nation with his 4:14.30 runner-up effort. Neff also won the 800m dash in 1:53.10, the top time in Ohio this season.

* At the Mississippi State Track and Field Championships, junior distance standout Cory McGee (Jr., Pass Christian, MS) won the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m events, helping her team pick up the outdoor team trophy. McGee won the 800m event in 2:13.61, the 1,600m event in 5:06.17 and the 3,200m event in 10:58.43.

* Skyler Wallon (Sr., Northwestern, FL) continued her outstanding season by winning the 800m dash at the Florida State Track and Field Championships. Wallon beat the strong field with ease, cruising to a 2:09.44 victory. Elsewhere at the Florida Champs., Sickles (FL) beat Flagler Palm Coast (FL) in an exciting boys 4×800m relay, as Sickles bested their in-state rival 7:46.87-7:47.03.

University of Oregon Breaks 4xMile Collegiate Record (Runnerspace)

Interview with U.S. Distance Star Abdi Abdirahman (Runner’s World)

David Torrence & Shannon Rowbury Win U.S. 1 Mile Road Championships (Run the Roads)

Dan Browne & Sally Meyerhoff Win U.S. 25k Road Championships (Run the Roads)

Kara Goucher to Run the IAAF World Championship Marathon (The Oregonian)

While a few meets were rescheduled due to the swine flu scare, and many states started to shift towards their state meet series’, the first weekend in May did not disappoint with fast results from around the country pouring in. This week, we wrap up the Prospect Invitational in Illinois, while highlighting many other top national performances.

Every year the Prospect Invitational is widely regarded as the top track and field meet for distance runners in the state of Illinois outside of the state meet. Often is the case, the top male runners in Illinois go head-to-head, with the end results often showing numerous Illinois #1 times by the end of the evening.

The evening started on an exciting note, as York (IL) battled a strong field of competition in the 4×800m relay, taking home the title in an IL #1 time of 7:50.83. York used a strong third leg to pull away from the pack, showing that they will once again contend for the state title in the event. Meanwhile, Prospect (IL) finished second in 7:53.37, despite running without one of their top 800m runners.

As usual, the 3,200m run was the top individual race of the evening. Senior Steve Sulkin (York, IL) pushed the pace from the gun, running right on 9-flat pace for nearly the entire race. Sulkin was trailed by Phil Fairleigh (Cary-Grove, IL), who sat right off of Sulkin’s left shoulder lap after lap. With two laps to go Sulkin started to gap Fairleigh, and then the York star took off with 300m to go and went on to win in 9:01.11. Fairleigh finished with a huge personal best of 9:05.13. Sulkin’s senior teammate Jordan Herbert (York, IL) finished third in 9:10.38, while junior Pat Lesiewicz (Schaumburg, IL) finished fourth in 9:14.52.

The 800m dash was won from the start, as senior Ryan Mangone (Barrington, IL) seemed to be shot out of a cannon, torching a first 400m in 52 seconds, then coming home in a very respectable and top Illinois time of 1:53.56. Senior Pat Morgan (York, IL) finished second in 1:55.64, while fellow senior David Way (York, IL) finished third in 1:55.83.

As the meet wound down, the 1,600m run was the last distance event of the evening. With many of the top ranked runners in the state in the race, this race promised to be exciting. From the gun, Peter Callahan (North Shore Co. Day, IL) took the lead, pushing the pace through the first 400m in 62 seconds. Callahan then relinquished the lead to others in the pack and the race slowed dramatically for two laps. At the bell lap Callahan shot to the lead once again, dragging out the rest of the field, sprinting away from the field in the final 200m to win in 4:16.00. Alex Lyons (Lyons Twp., IL) finished second in 4:16.90, while Steve Sulkin finished third in 4:19.23.

Prospect Invitational Meet Results

Despite missing valuable training time in past weeks due to illness, Jordan Hasay (Mission Prep, CA) showed fine form Saturday evening at the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford University. Competing against many of the top professional and collegiate athletes in the U.S., Hasay finished eleventh overall in 4:16.80. Her time is the fourth fastest all-time at the prep level, giving her six of the top eleven best all-time performances, including her U.S. #1 mark of 4:14.50 set at the Olympic Trials last summer.

Payton Jordan Invitational Results

New U.S. #1 Times in 3,200m, mile and 800m

In addition to Hasay’s U.S. #1 time in the girls 1,500m, new U.S. #1 performances were earned in the boys 3,200m and mile event, while the girls 800m dash has a new leader in the rankings.

At the CNY Coaches Association Meet in New York, Chris Stogsdill (Marcellus, NY) ran a new U.S. #1 time in the boys’ mile, taking home the race win in 4:07.93. The senior, who’s committed to Iona College, outran junior Alex Hatz (Fayetteville-Manlius, NY), who finished second in a great time of 4:10.80. CNY Coaches Asso. Meet Results

In the boys 3,200m, Erik Olson (Novato, CA) lowered his U.S. #1 time in the event, as he won by just over 20 seconds at the Sacramento Meet of Champions. Olson, who’s only a junior, has shown this outdoor season thus far that he is the man to beat in the event, dipping under nine minutes for the second time. Sacramento Meet of Champions Results

Beating her personal best by over 1.5 seconds, Charlene Lipsey (Hampstead, NY) ran to a new U.S. #1 time in the girls 800m dash Saturday at the St. Anthony’s Invitational. The junior showed why she might just be the best 800m runner in the country this season, as she blazed to a 2:05.83 finish. St. Anthony’s Invitational Results

* 2008 Midwest Distance Gala 800m champion Tommy Brinn (Otsego, MI), ran quite the speedy double over the weekend. Brinn won over the span of 30 minutes the 400m dash and 800m dash at the Allegan Invitational Friday evening. Brinn took home the title in the 400m dash in 47.83, while winning the 800m dash in 1:53.09. Both were meet records. Brinn Blazes in 400/800 Double

* The girls 800m is a strong event this year, with Illinois senior Stephanie Brown (Tri-Valley, IL) being one of the best in the country. On Friday evening, Brown scored a big win at the Meet of Champions in East Peoria, Illinois, winning the 800m in 2:09.89, becoming the fifth athlete to dip under the 2:10 mark this outdoor season. Brown came back later in the meet to win the 1,600m run in 5:09.47. Meet of Champions Results

* The Trevor Dunbar (Kodiak, AK) continued this weekend, this time seeing the Portland-bound senior running at the Juneau Invitational. Dunbar won the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m races, all with relative ease. Dunbar cruised to victory in the 1,600m race in 4:10.78, while winning the 3,200m in 9:10.74 and the 800m in 1:58.57 respectively.

* At the Henderson Invitational earlier in the weekend, Tatnall (DE) showed why they are one of the strongest girls distance squads in the country. The squad ran a trio of runners in the 1,600m run that went 1-3-4, with Katie Buenaga, Haley Olivere and Allison Calvarese going 4:55.34, 5:06.68 and 5:07.93 respectively. The team’s top runner, Juliet Bottorff, won the 3,200m run by just over 49 seconds, cruising to a 10:27.11 victory. The top performance on the boys side was from junior Tom Mallon (Central Bucks South, PA), who won the 800m dash in 1:52.02, while leading two other teammates under 1:56 for second and third place overall.

* One of the best performances to come out of the mountain region this year happened this past weekend when Evan Appel (Dakota Ridge, CO), a three-time Foot Locker finalist and Stanford-bound senior, won the 3,200m run at the Tiger Invitational with a 9:07.82 clocking, winning by 22 seconds.

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Interview with Top Canadian Prep Miler Jeremy Rae (Dyestat)

Checking in with Matt Tegenkamp (Running Times)

Brief Chat with Olympic 1,500m Medalist Nick Willis (Runner’s World)

Coverage from the Payton Jordan Invitational (Runnerspace)

On the third leg, Morris Hills pulled slightly ahead handing off to the anchor leg. Albemarle’s Anthony Kostelac ran an amazing 1:49.33 to edge Morris Hills’ anchor Liam Tansey, who ran 1:50.65. As the crowd rose to their feet in the final leg, there was talk of the national record going down, and as Kostelac crossed the line, a new national record flashed across the giant screen in the stadium. Albemarle set a new national record of 7:30.67, while Morris Hills also broke the old record of 7:32.89, with their runner-up performance of 7:31.60.

Albemarle (VA) - 7:30.67 National Record

Garrett Bradley 1:55.43, Zach Vrhovac 1:50.57, Luke Noble 1:55.34, Anthony Kostelac 1:49.33

Morris Hills (NJ) - 7:31.60

Vincent Chiusano 1:55.22, Lucas Clybe 1:52.17, Sean Pohorence 1:53.56, Liam Tansey 1:50.65

One performance that seemed to be overlooked among the national record breaking race was junior Tom Mallon’s 1:49.79 anchor leg for third place Central Bucks (PA). Central Bucks ran a great race to finish in 7:36.93, while Mallon showed why he is one of the top 800m runners in the country this season.

Elsewhere, Chelsey Sveinsson (Greenhill School, TX) and Jeremy Rae (Ontario, Canada) won the girls and boys mile races. Sveinsson crushed the girls field in a U.S. #1 time of 4:46.85, winning by nearly 13 seconds over runner-up Natalie Bower (Greater Latrobe, PA). Meanwhile, the Notre Dame-bound Rae ran a great race from start to finish, beating one of the stronger fields seen this season, with a winning time of 4:08.13, which was a meet record. Runner-up finisher Drew Shields (Fishers, IN) came home in 4:12.34, while third place finisher Bobby Peavey (Kellam, PA) ran 4:13.02.

In the girls 3,000m run, 2008 mile champion Stephanie Morgan (Barnesville, OH) pulled away from senior Emily Jones (Bromfield, MA) in the final straight, winning in 9:31.32. Jones finished in second place with a 9:32.22 effort, while Shelby Greany (Suffern, NY) was third in 9:35.42.

On the boys side, Robert Micikas (Crestwood, PA) upset the field, winning in 8:23.84, with Foot Locker finalist Ben Furcht (Lower Merion, PA) second in 8:24.72. Many thought Foot Locker champion Solomon Haile (Sherwood, MD) would pull away from the field early on, but that never was the case, as Haile finished fourth, while Foot Locker third place finisher Thomas Porter (Mountain View, VA) finished fifth.

Other notable winners: Upper Dublin (PA) won the boys distance medley relay in 10:08.48, out dueling W.W.-Plainsboro North (NJ), who ran to a runner-up finish in 10:11.28. The finest performance of the boys DMR came from Robby Andrews, who powered his Manalapan H.S. (NJ) team to a third place finish behind a 4:06.2 1,600m anchor performance. On the girls side, Tatnall (DE) upset Southern Regional (NJ), winning 11:49.37-11:58.74.

Penn Relays Results

Houlihan posted one of the top 800m performances in the country this season, winning in a near photo finish with Sara Stoakes (North Tama, IA), edging the senior 2:10.17-2:10.22. Houlihan ran the 800m final on Friday, then coming back Saturday to win the 1,500m event in 4:37.03, besting in-state rival Katie Flood (Dowling Catholic, IA), who finished second in 4:39.11. Houlihan also helped her team pick up the 4×800m relay title, as E. Sioux City (IA) won by just over ten seconds in 9:20.77.

While Flood didn’t earn the 1,500m win, she did impress in the girls 3,000m run on Friday, going 1-2 with teammate Ashlie Decker, as Flood edged her teammate 10:05.48-10:12.50. The winner on the boys side was Omet Kak (North Des Moines, IA), who won the 3,200m race, as well as the 1,600m run. Kak ran 9:19.71 in the 3,200m, while beating Lewi Manirumva (CR Washington, IA) in the 1,600m race, 4:19.43-4:20.51.

Another notable winner was Pleasant Valley (IA), who won the boys 4×800m relay in a close battle with Waukee (IA). Pleasant Valley, who’s established distance dominance over the state the past few years, edged Waukee 7:58.00-7:58.85 to take home the relay title.

Drake Relays Results

While many of the top middle-distance runners were tearing up the track at the Penn Relays over the weekend, one of the top 800m runners was putting on a clinic in windy and warm Minnesota. Zach Mellon (Buffalo, MN), who ran the U.S. #2 time of 1:48.64 last spring as a junior, guided his team to victory in the 4×800m relay and 4×400m relay, while winning the 800m dash as well. Mellon ran a strong anchor leg in the 4×8, and then came back with a 1:55.60 effort in the open 800m event, while anchoring his team from a come-from-behind victory in the 4×4, closing with a 48.9 second split.

Another notable performance came in the boys 1,600m run, where Moses Heppner (Warroad, MN) won in 4:17.74. Heppner surprised the field, running away over the final lap to claim victory. John Holt (Roseville, MN) placed second in 4:18.93. In the girls 1,600m race, Mara Olson (St. Louis Park, MN) won in 5:06.84.

The boys 3,200m run didn’t produce the close finish many had hoped for, as Jeremy Drenkhahn (Wayzata, MN) won the ran by just over 15 seconds in 9:23.50. The girls side was won by Jamie Piepenburg (Alexandria, MN) in 11:06.66.

Another athlete that stood out Friday evening was junior Harun Abda (Fridley, MN). Abda, who ran 1:50.74 for 800m as a sophomore last spring, won the boys 400m dash in 49.40.

Hamline Elite Meet Results

Down the Backstretch Live Coverage

* A new U.S. top three performance in the girls 4×800m relay was had at the St. Vrain Invitational (CO). Coloroado’s Thompson Valley High School ran the top three performance of 9:04.94 behind standout athlete Laura Tremblay’s 2:10 split. The Classical Academy (CO) finished second in 9:17.48.

High School Running Movie Premiers on Hallmark (Runner’s World)

Interview with Oregon’s Nathan Mathabane (Dyestat)

While there were many great meets this past weekend, the top meets were relays. The Mt. SAC Relays in California and Kansas Relays topped the schedule, as many U.S. top ten marks were earned. With May quickly approaching, conference, regional, district and sectional meets are right around the corner. Keep tuning back each week as we offer summaries and analysis of the top performances from around the United States.

The 2009 edition of the Midwest Distance Gala is open for business! Registration is now open on the Distance Gala website, as well as many other features, including links to our Twitter feed and blog. Taking place on the evening of Saturday, June 13, 2009, the Midwest Distance Gala offers opportunities to athletes from across the country to race head-to-head, in a highly competitive and professional environment. Last year’s top performance was Rob Finnerty’s 4:01.09 mile effort, which ranks him U.S. #7 all-time in the event. Who will shine this year?

Midwest Distance Gala Website

The Mt. SAC Relays is one of the most historic meets in the high school season every year, and this year many fine performances were put up at the annual classic. One of the finest performances came in the boys distance medley relay, which saw University City (CA) take home the title in 10:04.03. They were anchored by Oregon-signee Mac Fleet, who ran a blazing 4:04.5h 1,600m anchor leg according to Dyestat.

The top relay performance of the weekend came from the powerhouse boys 4×800m relay team of Dana Hills (CA). Dana Hills overpowered the rest of the field, running away to an amazing time of 7:40.30. Dana Hills has time and again this year shown that they may be the best distance squad in the country.

Other top performances came in the 800m dash. Carlyle Davis (Marlborough, CA) won the girls 800m dash in a U.S. top five time of 2:09.57, while Chris Ramsey (Glendora, CA) edged sophomore sensation Elias Geydon (Loyola, CA) 1:56.05-1:56.12 in the boys 800m dash. Long Beach Poly (CA) continued their impressive ways in the girls 4×800m relay as well, winning in 9:09.70.

In the boys 3,200m run, Chris Schwartz (Foothill, CA) won his second consecutive Mt. SAC Relays race, coming back after a sub-par performance at the Arcadia Invitational last weekend, this time winning in 9:12.57. Karlee Owens (Arroyo Grande, CA) won the girls 3,200m run in 10:48.05. In other distance action, Zack Torres (Crescenta Valley, CA) out leaned Sam Pons (South Pasadena, CA) to win the boys 1,600m run, 4:14.19-4:14.32.

Mt. SAC Relays Results

While it might have been overshadowed by the Mt. SAC Relays, the Kansas Relays put up plenty of distance highlights. The top performance of the weekend was easily the girls 3,200m, which saw the emergence of Megan Yohe (Liberty, MO) onto the national stage. The junior finished a half stride behind all-American Emily Sisson (Parkway Central, MO), running a big personal best of 10:31.26. Sisson finished in a season best of 10:31.07. Third place Avery Clifton (Topeka-Washburn, KS) also ran a great race with a finishing time of 10:40.09.

In the boys 3,200m race, Nick Happe (Francis Howell North, MO) came up big, winning the race over a strong field in 9:11.69. Finishing second was junior Danny Thater (Kickapoo, MO), who ran a season best of 9:17.29. In the boys 1,600m event, Adam Porter (McPherson, KS) continued to show he might be the best distance runner in Kansas this spring, winning the race in 4:18.54. The junior simply ran away from the field, while senior Jeff Warren (Mountain View, CO) placed second in 4:22.03, after coming back from winning the 800m dash in 1:56.06.

Another top performance came from Samantha Thompson (Sienna) in the girls 800m dash. Thompson ran away from a solid field to win in a great time of 2:13.37. On Saturday, Sisson came back from her Friday evening 3,200m performance with a win in the 1,600m run, winning in 4:59.68. Yohe finished second in 5:03.65.

Kansas Relays Results

* The Woodlands (TX) have been a powerhouse program year in and year out under coach Danny Green. In his final year of coaching, Green’s team seems to want to send their coach out on a very high note, as they dominated their district championships. Wisconsin-bound Reed Connor won the 3,200m run in 8:59.55, while coming back to place first in the 1,600m run, edging senior teammate Drew Butler, 4:16.13-4:16.14. Butler then came back to win the 800m dash in 1:50.83. Tom Sanderson also had a great weekend, going 9:22.89/4:19.28. On the girls side, Sarah Andrews won the 3,200m run in 10:47.03, while picking up a victory in the 1,600m run in 4:57.65.

* Chelsey Sveinsson (Greenhill, TX), who is having perhaps the best track season in the country thus far this spring, won the SPC North Zone Championships 800m dash race in 2:09.09. Her time ranks her in the U.S. top five nationally.

* York High School (IL) is starting to turn up the heat on their Illinois distance competition, competing at the Bud Mohns Invitational Saturday. The Dukes saw big highlights from most of their top runners. Seniors Steve Sulkin and Jordan Herbert went 1-2 in the 3,200m run, with Sulkin running 9:12.13 and Herbert going 9:27.42. In the 1,600m run, senior David Way ran 4:20.84, while sophomore standout Jack Driggs ran 4:21.96.

* At the Red Raider Relays (NY), Megan Patrignelli (Monroe Woodbury, NY) ran one of the top times in the country for 800m, as the New York standout went 2:10.03. Also, Shelby Greany (Suffern, NY) edged in-state rival Aisling Cuffe (Cornwall, NY) in the girls 3,200m run, as the Providence-bound Greany won 10:27.33-10:28.33.

Kara Goucher, Ryan Hall Place Third at Boston Marathon

Racing tough fields, and dealing with strong winds, Kara Goucher and Ryan Hall showed that American distance runners can compete with anyone in the world, as both athletes placed third at the Boston Marathon Monday morning. Goucher ran a strong race, charging hard in the final miles, losing by only nine seconds in 2:32:25. Meanwhile, Hall took out and led the early stages of the race, hanging on with a valiant effort over the closing miles. He finished in 2:09:40, eight seconds off second place.

Boston Marathon Top 15 Results

Boston Marathon Race Recap (ESPN)

Brief Chat with Shannon Rowbury (Runner’s World)

Brief Chat with Dathan Ritzenhein (Runner’s World)

Interview with Oregon prep Nathan Mathabane (Dyestat)

Penn Relays High School Start Lists (Penn Relays)

USATF CEO Doug Logan’s Latest Blog Post (USATF)

Shalane Flanagan Picks New Coach (US Distance Runner)

Every year many of the top distance runners in the country converge at the Arcadia High School (CA) track to take part in one of the finest high school track and field invitationals in the country. The Arcadia Invitational has a rich history of amazing performances, and this year simply added to the long lists, as many of the top distance races produced numerous U.S. top five marks.

As what seems to be the case nearly every year, the boys 3,200m run had deep fields, with many runners capable of breaking the nine minute barrier. While there were many favorites, a surprise upset took place, as Collin Jarvis (Sr., Rancho Buena, CA) outdistanced himself from Tim Freriks (Sr., Mingus Union, AZ) in the final 50 meters of the race, winning 8:58.15-8:58.71.

Also breaking the nine minute threshold was Nathan Mathabane (Sr., Lincoln, OR), who ran to a third place finish in 8:59.96. Wes Rickman (Sr., Falcon, CO) and Zack Torres (Sr., Crescenta Valley, CA) finished 4-5 respectively, while Justin Vilhauer (So., Redwood, CA) showed why he may be the top sophomore in the country, placing sixth in 9:02.71.

Boys 3,200 Run Top Six Finishers

8:58.15 - Collin Jarvis (Sr., Rancho Buena, CA)

8:58.71 - Tim Freriks (Sr., Mingus Union, AZ)

8:59.96 - Nathan Mathabane (Sr., Lincoln, OR)

9:01.31 - Wes Rickman (Sr., Falcon, CO)

9:02.50 - Zack Torres (Sr., Crescenta Valley, CA)

9:02.71 - Justin Vilhauer (So., Redwood, CA)

Initially it seemed like the girls 3,200m run would be the talk of the weekend. Jordan Hasay (Sr., Mission Prep, CA) was scheduled to take part, but pulled out Saturday before the race citing illness. With Hasay sitting on the sidelines, this gave other runners a chance to showcase their talents. Alex Dunne (Sr., San Clemente, CA) seems to have taken a big step forward over the past year, as she lowered her PR and won the race in 10:16.83. Jessica Tonn (Jr., Xavier Prep, AZ) finished second in 10:25.85.

The boys mile also produced a very exciting outcome. Sophomore Elias Geydon (So., Loyola, CA), who’s been putting up some impressive numbers so far this outdoor season, took home the boys mile title in 4:08.69. Geydon used a strong finish to outdistance himself from runner-up Patrick McGregor (Sr., Hoover, AL) and third place finisher Danny Neff (Sr., Vandalia-Butler, OH). McGregor finished in 4:09.13, Neff finished in 4:09.86, while James Cameron (Sr., Mission Viejo, CA) finished fourth in 4:10.61.

While the mile and 3,200m events took home most of the attention, the 800m dash produced some great times for the boys and the girls. Cas Loxson (Sr., Wilbur Cross, CT), who was very impressive during the indoor season, won the boys race in 1:51.05, outdistancing second place Ruben Danielsen (Jr., Rancho Verde, CA), who ran 1:52.85. On the girls side, Justine Fedronic (Sr., Carlmont, CA) added her name to the sub-2:10 list, winning the race over Stephanie Brown (Sr., Tri-Valley, IL), 2:09.27-2:10.33.

There were a handful of other great finishes Saturday evening. Trevor Dunbar (Sr., Kodiak, AK) won the boys 5,000m run in 14:33.96, winning by just over ten seconds. Dana Hills (CA) won the boys distance medley relay with a U.S. top 15 all-time performance, winning by almost 14 seconds in 10:01.50.

Meanwhile, in the girls invitational mile, Sammy Silva (Sr., Our Lady of Peace, CA) beat a very strong field, taking home the top spot over Candace Eddy (Sr., Davis, UT), 4:54.08-4:55.68. In the girls seeded mile, Staci Foster (Sr., Lutheran, OR) ran the third best time in the day, winning the race in 4:55.76.

Arcadia Invitational Meet Website

Arcadia Invitational Results

He may not be nationally recognized just yet, but you can bet he will be by the end of the track season. Illinois’ Jeff Thode (Sr., Conant, IL) is a rising star in his senior year, first by winning the Illinois State Cross Country state title, and then running 4:09.94 to win the 1,600m run at the Illinois Prep Top Times meet. As a junior, he ran 4:10.8h at his conference meet. This outdoor season Thode has some big goals, which includes making a run at the four minute mile barrier. We caught up with Jeff and asked him about the IPTT race, what he’ll be focusing on in the coming weeks and how he got started in the sport.

Distance Gala Weekly (DGW): You’ve had a relatively quiet season thus far, only racing a few times during the indoor season and no big races yet during the outdoor season. However, you had quiet the performance the IPTT meet a few weeks back with your 1,600m victory. What was that race like for you?

Jeff Thode (JT): The race for me at IPTT was going to be an exciting race. I got to look at the roster ahead of time to see who I was running up against. Once I saw Andrew’s name [Andrew Nelson of Geneva (IL), who ran 4:14.43 for the mile at the Midwest Distance Gala last spring] I knew it was going to come down to me and him at the finish line, since his time was 3 seconds off mine. So, in the end it came down to who had the most leg speed to the finish.

DGW: The outdoor season is starting to heat up. What is the next big focus race for you that you’ll be competing in?

JT: My next big focuses are the 800 and the 3200. I will be competing in those races more than the mile, so I can get in some speed in and strengthening work. I will be saving energy for big meets such as invites, conference, sectionals and state.

DGW: It seems as though the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m events are wide open this year in Illinois. Any chance we’d see you double at the state meet?

JT: Yeah theres a great chance I can, but like I said the 800 and the 3200 will just be to win. Down at state I won’t be going for any type of record, unless my coach tells me otherwise.

DGW: It’s been said that your goal this year is to try and break the four-minute mile barrier. What do you need to do in order to put yourself into the situation to make a run at it?

JT: Hard workouts to simulate a race-type environment, so when I do race I know what the pace feels like. I’ll know when to go faster or stay at the pace that the race started at.

DGW: Not a lot of people know your running background. When did you get started in the sport? When do you feel your really took that leap into being a great runner?

JT: I got started at a school named St. Hubert, where I ran a few times as a fourth grader. I only did two meets that year. After that I went to Frost Junior High and ran again in 7th grade. For my 8th grade year I joined Conant’s [where he currently attends high school] summer running and I jumped in time during my 8th grade cross country and track seasons. After that it’s been high school training up to this point.

• While much of the national attention was focused out west this past weekend, Madeline Morgan (Sr., Mountain Brook, AL) was putting up an amazing distance triple at the Mountain Brook Invitational (AL). Morgan won the 3,200m run easily in 10:35.77, one of the top times in the country this season. She also won the 1,600m run in 4:58.77, while placing second behind Amanda Winslow (Sr., Collins Hill, GA) in the 800m dash, 2:14.88-2:15.87.

• At the Tampa Distance Carnival on Saturday evening, Connor Revord (Sr., Tampa Jesuit, FL) led wire to wire, winning the boys 1,600m run in 4:11.5h. Revord’s time ranks well up in the national rankings, while showing he is close to breaking the 4:10 barrier. Afterwards, Runnerspace.com interviewed Revord, where Revord stated his interest in running the Midwest Distance Gala this post season. Runnerspace.com Video Interview

• Also at the Tampa Distance Carnival, Darrin Gibson (Sr., Robinson, FL) showed that he’ll have a legit shot at running a sub-1:50 800m this spring. Gibson ran away from the field in the 800m event, winning in a U.S. top ten time of 1:52.6h.

• There are many fast freshmen this year it seems. While Lukas Verzbicas (Sr., Lincoln-Way Central, IL) has received the most attention, Mark Blackmon (Fr., Fort Mill, SC) has performed at an exceptional level all year. Blackmon continued his winning ways this past weekend at the Taco Bell Invitational, which saw him take home the top spot in the mile, beating Isaac Presson (Jr., Asheville, NC) in a photo finish, 4:21.12-4:21.19.

On Sunday, April 26, Usain Bolt will be in Boston. Bolt will take part in the Puma Street Meet. The street meet is part street festival, part competition, part celebration of the sport, offering all those in attendance something truly unique. Bolt rarely makes appearances in the United States, so this is a great opportunity for track and field fans to interact with the world’s most dominant athlete. Two contests, one on Dyestat and one on LetsRun, offer a chance to meet and hang out with Bolt. Take advantage of this opportunity!

Street Meet Contests

Puma Boston Street Meet Contest (LetsRun)

Puma Boston Street Meet Contest (Dyestat)

Interview with Ryan Hall (Runner’s World)

Interview with Oklahoma State Coach Dave Smith (LetsRun)

World Cross Country Championships in Jeopardy (The Standard)

BAA Elite Mile Fields Announced (US Distance Runner)

Interview with Coach Jerry Schumacher - Part I (The Oregonian)

Interview with Coach Jerry Schumacher - Part II (The Oregonian)