Catching Up with Troup and Richardson

Today's a good day to learn a little more about two runners coming off big weekends ...

Chad Austin just posted THIS interview with Rasa Troup, who ran a 9:51 steeplechase on Saturday at the Drake Relays to finish second to fellow Gopher alum Emily Brown. Troup, who hopes to make the Lithuanian Olympic team in the event this summer, broke the existing meet record at Drake.

Also, KARE 11 just named Irondale's Andy Richardson one of its "Prep Athletes of the Week." You can see their video piece HERE. Richardson, of course, achieved an epic come-from-behind win over Burnsville's Rob Finnerty in the Hamline Elite-Meet 1600 meters on Friday. Richardson clocked 4:15.16.

Count me as a Richardson booster ... The ex-coach in me gets exasperated by his wildly fast starts -- his 29.3 opening 200 at the Elite-Meet was pace for, ho-hum, a 3:54 1600m! -- but the track fan in me loves his abandon, his toughness and grit, his unlikely runner's build, and his ability to finish with a flourish.

If you haven't watched the Elite-Meet Boys' 1600m, you can check it out HERE.

Thanks to DtB photographer Gene Niemi for the tip on the KARE 11 video about Richardson.