28:12.74: Mead Tops Bjorklund's U of M Mark

University of Minnesota senior Hassan Mead erased the oldest mark in the University of Minnesota record book last night with his 28:12.74 clocking in the Payton Jordan Invitational 10,000-meters in Palo Alto, California.

Mead performance eclipsed Garry Bjorklund's 28:24.40 set in 1974.

Mead finished 6th in Section 2 of the 10,000m at Payton Jordan, a meet that gathered many of the country's top collegiate and professional long distance runners.  In the same section of the 10,000m, Team USA Minnesota's Jonathon Grey ran 28:26.44.

Other Minnesota highlights from the meet included Winona native Garrett Heath's 13:27.07 5000m, brother Elliott Heath and Burnsville native Rob Finnerty running 3:41 for 1500m, and Brainerd High School alum Justin Tyner clocking 8:41.63 in the 3000m steeplechase.

In women's competition, Laura Januszewski clocked a 2:04.54 for 800m, Jamie Cheever ran 10:02.16 in the 3000m steeplechase, Carrie Tollefson posted 16:12.64 for 5000m, Katie McGregor clocked 32:37.83 for 10,000m, while Mankato Loyola alum Dani Stack of Iowa State ran 32:51.28.

Find complete Payton Jordan Invite results HERE.

Gophers Win Drake Relays 4 x 800, DMR

The University of Minnesota relay squad of Nick Hutton, Harun Abda, David Pachuta, and Travis Burkstrand returned from Des Moines, Iowa this weekend with a pair of Drake Relays titles and a new school record.

On Friday, the quartet won the Drake 4 x 800m Relay with 7:19.02, defeating runners-up Arkansas by more than six seconds.  On Saturday, the squad out-ran the Razorbacks again, winning the Distance Medley Relay in 9:36.21

The DMR performance erased the school record in the event that has stood since the Carter Administration, and one that Gopher Head Coach Steve Plasencia carried a baton for in 1977.

“These four guys have done an outstanding job this weekend,” Plasencia said. “Their time in the DMR was a really fast time and to have a group of guys with two relays at the Drake Relays isn’t easy. I am very proud of them.”

Catch up on all the Gopher action from the weekend HERE (men) and HERE (women).

Complete Drake Relays results can be found HERE.

Gabrielson, Brown Splash to Get in Gear Wins

Racing along rain-soaked streets and fighting blustery spring weather, Team USA Minnesota's Matt Gabrielson and Emily Brown earned titles at Saturdays' Get in Gear 10K.

Gabrielson, the defending men's champ from St. Louis Park, clocked 30:01, while Brown, Minnetonka, finished in 33:28.

Runner-up in the men’s race was Festus Kigen, of Kenya, who crossed the line in 30:22. In third place with a repeat from 2011 was Chris Erichsen, of Minneapolis, who finished in 30:31. In the women’s race, second place went to Doreen Kitaka, of Kenya, in 34:02 and third went to 2011 winner Michelle Frey, of Minneapolis, who posted 34:04.

Temperatures were in the low 40s with a light rain and windy conditions during the race. In addition to the signature 10K race, which had 3654 finishers, the event included a 5K, and a half marathon. All the races began and ended at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, including a 2K run held earlier in the morning.

Until Gabrielson (pictured below) won in 2011, East African male runners had won the Get in Gear 10K every year from 1994 through 2010 -- with the lone exception of 1996 when Chaska native Curt Kotsonas topped the field. Although Gabrielson’s started the race with Kenyans on either side of him, he began to pull away shortly after mile 3 and then continued to increase his lead.

“I was alone from 5K on which is a little nerve-wracking yet I just tried to stay as relaxed as possible,”  Gabrielson said in a Get in Gear media release. “I did not feel fast, but I felt strong almost like I could run 4:48-4:50 per mile all day. I wanted this race to be the springboard towards running really well at the USA Half Marathon Championships in Duluth in June. I am right on schedule and needed this little shot of motivation to start doing some solid work over the next month or so."

The Get in Gear 10K served as the USA Track & Field - Minnesota State 10K Championship and is also part of the USATF-Minnesota Team Circuit. The 10K prize purse included $1,000, $500 and $250 for first, second and third places in both the male and female races.

Brown's victory in the women's race came two years after a runner-up finish at Get in Gear in 34:00.

“I felt pretty comfortable throughout the whole race,” she said. “I had gone in with a plan to try for 5:30 pace at least for the first mile. Although I was faster than that through the first two miles, it felt fine and I believed I could keep pushing that same pace all the way through. All in all the race went by pretty fast and I didn’t feel too strained until the last 800 meters where it is inevitable to start feeling a little sluggish.

“I had a good idea where the turn to the finish was and after checking my watch I knew I could hold my lead and get in under 34 minutes so I was already pretty pleased with my race at that point. A new road PR was a nice added bonus for a solid effort of running today. It’s always nice to do a local race because I get to maintain all the comforts of home while eliminating the nuisances of traveling. And on top of that, I love the support of the Minnesota running community and all the familiar faces that I’ve gotten to know over the years.”

Next up for Brown (pictured above) will be the Bloomsday 12K in Spokane on May 6 with Gabrielson aiming for the Newport 10,000 road race in New Jersey on May 12.

Find complete Get in Gear results HERE.

Photos by Gene Niemi.

Team USA Minn. Sends Seven to Stanford

Seven Team USA Minnesota distance runners will compete at Sunday's Payton Jordan Invitational with hopes of achieving or improving upon their qualifying times for the U.S. Olympic Track Field Trials.

The Payton Jordan meet is held at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.

Chris Rombough will run in the men's 5000-meters and has a best in the distance of 13:42.05 - the U.S. 'A' qualifying time is 13:33. Jamie Cheever will compete in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase and has posted 10:02.18 in the event. Cheever currently has a 'B' qualifier and will seek to obtain an 'A' of 9:55 or better.

Five of the Team USA Minnesota runners will compete in the 10,000-meters including Andrew Carlson, Jon Grey, Matt Llano, Katie McGregor, and Meghan Peyton. Carlson has a best of 28:25.8 in the distance but did not compete on the track in 2011, Grey posted 28:40.33 while still a collegian, and Llano has run 28:43.3 (Llano posted this time within last year's qualifying window and so has a 'B' qualifier for the Trials). The 'A' qualifying time for men is 28:15 and 'B' is 29:00.

In the women's 10,000, McGregor has a best of 31:21.2 and Peyton has run 32:59.11. The 'A' qualifying time for women is 32:45 and 'B' is 34:00. Peyton already has the 'B' qualifier, having posted her 32:59.11 within the window last year for the 2012 Trials. McGregor did not compete on the track in 2011.

The distance events at the Payton Jordan Invitational will be held Sunday evening.

Live Coverage of the Hamline Elite Meet

That concludes our coverage of the 2011 Hamline Elite Meet.

Find complete results, HERE.

We again want to thank our presenting sponsors ...

 ... for making the live coverage possible.

Thanks for joining us!

Girls' Pole Vault Results ... 1. Carolyn Nye, Blake 11-4  2. Kelsey Harms, Apple Valley 11-4  3. Allison Funk, Eastview 10-10

Girls' 4 x 400m Relay Results ... 1. Lakeville South 4:00.08  2. Hopkins 4:01.04  3. Prior Lake 4;01.43

Boys' 4 x 400m Relay Results ... 1. Minnetonka 3:22.07  2. Roseville 3:26.00  3. Rochester 3:26.23

Girls' 4 x 400m Relay ...  Osseo leads after the break ...Hopkins leads after the second exchange ...four teams in the mix ...Osseo, Hopkins, PL, Lakeville South ... Lakeville South at the exchange  ...four teams battling on the final backstretch ... Lakeville South wins! ... there's a yellow flag up ...


Girls' 3200m Results ... 1. Jamie Piepenburg, Alexandria 10:28.46  (New Meet Record) 2. Clare Flanagan, Blake 10:31.92  3. Maria Hauger, Shakopee 10:33.78  4. Danielle Anderson, Eagan 10:39.99

Boys' 3200m Results ... 1. Josh Thorson, Wayzata 9:00.80  2,. Brandon Clark, Blake 9:09.50  3. Riley macon, Mayo 9:13.50

Boys' 4 x 400m Relay ... Minnetonka with a big lead at the 500m break ...still 'tonka the second pass ...Minnetonka still running 30m ahead at the final pass ...Minnetonka unstoppable!  3:22.06, unofficially.

Girls' 3200m ... 34+ at 200m ...Hauger of Shakopee leads at 400m in 73+ ...Piepenburg of Alexandria tucked in in second place ...2:32 at 800m, Hauger, Piepenburg, Anderson of Eagan, and Gross of Armstrong ...Hauger and Piepenburg and Anderson at 1200m ...meet record is Piepenburg's 10:45 last year ...5:11 at 1600m, still Hauger and P'burg with Anderson 10m behind ...6:32 at 2K, Hauger and P'burg with Anderson 20m back ...7:54, guess who?   Yep, Hauger and Piepenburg ... Piepenburg looks like she might just be waiting for the right moment ... 9:17 ... Clare Flanagan is in 3rd just 15m back ... Piepenburg makes a big move, Flanagn may catch Hauger ... Piepenburg! 10:28!  New Record!  5th-fastest Minnesota 3200m runner all time!  Wetsch ...  Yetzer ...  Bergstedt ...  Dyer ... Piepenburg!

Check out the live video the Elite Meet track action HERE. 

Girls' 3200m ... they're lining up ... How fast will Piepenburg and Hauger run ... and who will win?

Boys' 3200m ...Brandon Clark leads at 67 for 400m ...still Clark leading at 2:16 for 800m ...Thorson of Wayzata and Macon of Mayo are in lead group ...Thorson leads at 1200m in 3:24 ... a group of seven still in contention ...at the 1600m Thorson is stringing out the group at 4:33 ... Thorson, Clark, and Macon in lead pack at 5:42 at 2000m ...it looks like it has winnowed down to Thorson and Clack of Blake ... Thorson is the 2010 Elite Meet 3200m champ ...6:51 at 2400m, Thorson, then Clark ...Thorson pulling away ahead of the bell lap ... 7:57 at the bell ... he'll need a 60 to break Torchia's record ...he's hauling right now ...Thorson just misses the record!  Looked like 9-flat and change ... 9:00.79, unofficially.

Girls' 800m Results ... 1. Samantha Nielsen, Roseville 2:11.11 (New Meet Record)  2. Haylie Zenner, Fergus Falls 2:11.35  3. Erica Bestule, Orono 2:18.06

Boys; 3200m ... is on the track!

Boys' 200m results ... 1. Elvis Barclay, Roseville 22.38  2. Travion Clark, Winona 22.53  3. Jeffery Borchardt, Wayzata 22.85

Boys' High Jump ... 1. Jamie Crum, Minnetonka 6-7  2. DeAntra Smith, Roseville 6-7  3. Josh Lieberg, Sartell St. Stephen 6-4

Girls' 200m ... Rachel Schow of Rosemount wins in 26.41, unofficially.

Boys' 800m Results ... 1. Austin Salargo, Hopkins 1:57.00  2. Zach Haus, Fergus Falls 1:57.24  3. Matt Rosen, Jefferson 1:57.81 ... Salargo was the 400m Elite Meet champ in 2011.

Boys' 200m ... Elvis Barclay of Roseville wins!

Girls' Discus Results ... 1. Maggie Ewen, St. Francis 154-7  2. Ashley Thooft, St. Clair 140-5  3. Kasie Vollmer, Prior Lake 138-9 ... Ewen repeats as a double throws winner, an Elite Meet first!

Girls' 800m ... Haylie Zenner of Fergus Falls seeks her 4th-straight Elite Meet title! ...her meet record is 2:13.89 ...31.0 at 200m ...Zenner leads Nielsen at 400m in 64+ ... 1:38 at 600m .. Zenner with a gap! ... Samantha Nielsen of Roseville wins in 2:11+ ... no doubt a new meet record ... Nielsen ran down Zenner in the homestretch, catching her just before the finish line!

Boys' Long Jump Results ... 1. Max Gardner, Cretin-Derham Hall 21-11  2. Ethan Zeidler, Wayzata 20-11 1/2  3. Jamison Whiting, Mpls Washburn 20-11 1/2

Girls' Triple Jump Results ... 1. Julie Stedman, No. St. Paul 36-6  2. Nadia Lorencz, Farmington 36-4 1/2  3. Taylor Johnson, Eden Prairie 35-6

Boys 800m ... 58.,5 at 400m ... McKenzie of Chis. Lakes leads ...Austin Salargo of Hopkins wins in 1:57.0

Girls' 300m Hurdles ... 1. Shaina Burns, Lakeville North 45.59  2. Alex Wittinger, Delano 45.92  3.Lauren Bruha, Prior Lake 46.54

Boys' 300m Hurdles ... 1. Angus Stoudt, Minnetonka  38.54 (New Meet Record)  2. Emeche Wells, Roseville 39.37  3. DeShawn Crutch, Andover 39.55

Boys' Wheelchair 800m ... Mark Braun of Irondale, the lone competitor, wins in 2:01.96.

Girls' 300m Hurdles ... Shaina Burns of Lakeville South wins in 45.58, unofficially.

Boys' Shot Put Results ... 1. Tom Anderson, Andover 61-2 3/4 (New Meet Record)  2. Anthony Moss, Big Lake 56-2  3. Zach Olson, Owatonna 54-8 1/3 ... Anderons breaks his own meet record by 1 3/4 of an inch.

Boys' 300m Hurdles ... Angus Stoudt of Minnetonka wins in 38.53 ... unofficially a new meet record!

Girls' 4 x 100m Relay Results ... 1. Andover 49.42 ... 2. Osseo 49.62  3. Mpls Washburn 49.91 ... DQ Lakeville North

Girls' 400m Results ...1. Rozlynn Lund, Coon Rapids 57.47  2. Kianna Carter, Irondale  3. Elizabeth Endy, Minnetonka 58.40

Boys' 400m Results ... 1. Nate Roese, East Ridge 48.72 (New Meet Record)  2. Tyler Olson, Buffalo 49.58  3. Stephan Bruha, Prior Lake 49.81 ... Roese takes down the Elite Meet record of Quinn Evans, Minnesota's fastest HS quartermiler of all time at 47.18

Girls' 400m ... Rozlynn Lund of Coon Rapids wins in 57.46, unofficially.

Boys' 400m ... Nate Roese, of East Ridge wins in 48.71! ... a new record, unofficially.

We're still rain-free at Klas Field!

Girls' 4 x 100m Relay ... Andover wins!  (but an umpire's flag is up)

Girls' Long Jump Results  1. Gabrielle Murphy, North St. Paul 17-5 1/2  2. Nadia Lorencz, Farmington 17-4  3. Lizzie Mattson, Holy Angels 17-3 1/2

Boys' 4  x 100m Relay Results ... 1. Forest Lake 43.75  2. Wayzata 43.76  3. Winona 43.93  ... DQ Mpls Washburn and Hopkins.

The winners in the inaugural junior high 4x 100m relays ... Wayzata (boys) and Osakis (girls).

Boys' 4 x 100m Relay ... Forest Lake wins from lane eight in a blanket finish!

Boys' 1600m Results ...  1.  Alec Olson, Chanhassen 4:19.25  2. Zach Roozen, Mounds View 4:19.74  3. John Klecker, Hopkins 4:20.04

Girls' 1600m Results ... 1. Taylor Scholl, Prior Lake 4:59.83  2. Jenna Truedson, Bemidji 5:00.45  3. Rachel King, St. Michael-Albertville 5:07.14

Boys' Pole Vault Results ... 1. Jagger Gran, Mounds View 15-7 (New Meet Record)  2. Grant Krieger, Blake 15-1  3. Joe Ikier, Fridley 13-10

Boys' 4 x 200m Relay Results ... 1. Wayzata 1:29.97  2. Hopkins 1:30.16  3. Brainerd 1:31.45 ... DQ Andover and Mpls South

Girls' 4 x 200m Relay Results .. 1. Prior Lake 1:45.37  2. Chanhassen 1:47.37  3. Grand Rapids 1:47.66 ... DQ Osseo.

Girls' 1600m ... Lakeville South's Kayt Larson leads at the 400 ... Larson leads a large pack through the 800 at 2:34 ...Klecker of Hopkins leads at 3:49 at the 1200m ... Taylor Scholl of Prior Lake kicks to a win in 5:20.3.

Girls' High Jump Results ... 1. Tatyana Pashibin, Southwest 5-4, 2. Morgan Pieri, Lakeville South 5-4, 3. Taylor Johnson, Eden Prairie 5-2

Boys' Triple Jump Results ... 1. Kevin Poster, Irondale 46-1 1/4  2. Ky'Eric Baynes, Anoka 44-6 3/4  3. Ethan Zeidler, Wayzata 44-4 3/4

Boys' Discus Results ... 1. Bryson Johnson, Champlin Park 172-9  2. Tom Anderson, Andover 167-8  3. Anthony Moss, Big Lake 158-11

Boys' 1600m ...Hopkins' Klecker and Jacobwith lead in 66.3 ... still hte Hopkins boys at 2;10 at the 800m ...  Hopkins x 2 at the front at 1200m in 3:15 ... Alec Olson of Chanhassen wins in 4:19.24, unofficially.

Check out the live video the Elite Meet track action HERE.

Girls' 4 x 200m Relay ... Osseo holds off Prior Lake for the win! ... but, again, there are umpires' flags in the air.

Boys' 4 x 200m Relay ...Wayzata wins, but there is an umpire's flag up.

Reports of new records in the boys' pole vault (Jagger Gran) and girls' shot put (Maggie Ewen) ... details to come.

Girls' 100m Results ... 1. Taylor Morgan, Blaine 12.76 ... 2. Carolina Bowe, Minnetonka 12.81 ... 3. Sammi Argir, Hibbing 12.89

Boys' 100m Results ... 1. Jason Williams, Washburn 11.17, 2. Shaheed Hickman, Hopkins 11.39, 3. Odell Howard, Fridley 11.42

Girls' 100m ... Morgan Taylor of Blaine wins!

Boys' 100m ... Foley's Beehler is a false start DQ ... Jason Williams of Washburn wins 11.17!

Girls's 100m Hurdle Results ... 1. Jessica Janaury, Richfield 15.23, 2. Alex Wittinger, Delano 15.61, 3. Hannah Neiwald, Fridley 15.68

Boys' 100m Hurdle Results ... 1. Jackson Walter, Brainerd 14.74, 2. Emeche Wells, Roseville, 3. Rashad Cohen, Minnetonka 15.09

Girls' 4 x 800m Reley Results ... 1. Minnetonka 9:24.00 (Meet Record!) ... 2. Prior Lake 9:34.46 ... 3. Lakeville South 9:35.23

That's three straight Elite Meet 100m hurdle wins for Jessica January!

Girls' 100m Hurdles ... Jessica January of Richfield wins in 15.23 unofficially!

Girls' 100m Hurdles ... is next.  If Nadia Lorencz of Farmington is going to win three events tonight --she's a #1 seed in the HH, TJ, and LJ -- she'll need to start with this event ... and beat 2x Class AA State champ Jessica January of Richfield!

Boys' 110m Hurdles ... Jackson Walters of Brainerd wins in 14.73, unofficially.

If you're at the Elite Meet -- and you didn't bring an umbrella -- don't look at THIS.

Boys' 4 x 800m Results:  Chanhassen wins with 8:02.69 ... 2. Mayo 8:02.72 ... 3. Elk River 8:05.04

Girls' 4 x 800m ...Prior Lake leads at the first exchange ...Minnetonka takes the lead ahed of the second exchange ... Minnetonka with a huuuuuuge lead at the final exchange ... followed by Eagan, Edina, and Moorhead ... Minnetonka wins and breaks the meet record!

Boys 4 x 800m ... Mayo and Hopkins lead after the first exchange ... Mayo and Wayzata battle after the second exchange ... with three laps to go its a pack of six teams! ... Mayo has broken away heading into the anchor lap! ... Chanhassen wins!  ... holding off a comeback by Mayo.

Girls' 100m dash finalists ... Morgan, Blaine; Lane, Pequot Lakes; Argir, Hibbing; Bowe, Minnetonka; Anyaogu, Lakeville North; Nivala, Andover; Uran, Alexandria; Brazerol, Grand Rapids; and Detloff, Elk River. 

Check out the live video the Elite Meet track action HERE.

Girls' 100m Heat 3 .. Hibbings' Sammi Argir wins.

Boys’ 100m dash finalists … Williams, Washburn; Hickman, Hopkins,; Carr, Forest Lake; Howard, Fridley; Beehler, Foley; Berry, Wayzata; Sando, Champlin Park; Akintade, Highland Park; and Remker, Owatonna.

Girls' 100m Heat 2 ... Blaine's Taylor Morgan wins.

Girls' 100m Heat 1 ... Pequot Lakes Vanessa Lane wins in 12.89.

Three heats of the girls' 100m is coming up next ... we'll list boys' 100m finalists as soon as we have them.

Boys' 100m Heat 3 ...Forest Lake's Rich Carr wins in 11.54.

Boys' 100m Heat 2 ... Hopkins Shaheed Hickman wins.

Boys' 100m Heat 1 ... Washburn's Jason Williams wins.

Sweats are off for heat #1 of the boys' 100m ... the first of three heats.

Boys' 100m dashers are practicing their starts ...

Announcers Zach Edmonson and Toby Hatlevig are announcing field event flights.

Less than 15 minutes until the start of the meet ... winds are still light and the sun is filtering through the clouds.

Welcome to Down the Backstretch's live, on-site coverage of the Hamline Elite Meet. We're reporting live from Klas Field at Hamline University in St. Paul.

To enjoy the meet as it happens, just refresh your browser window regularly for event-by-event coverage of the meet. The latest coverage will appear at the top of this page, older news will be collected beneath.

Weather Update: At 4:30 p.m. the temperature in St. Paul was 54 degrees, with light winds.

Running and field events will commence at 5:30 p.m.

In the meantime, we offer you the following helpful links ... 

Elite Meet Schedule
Elite Meet Entrants
Elite Meet Records
Archived Elite Meet Results
 
Live Coverage of the Hamline Elite Meet is made possible by Down the Backstretch's Presenting Sponsors: TC Running Company and USA Track & Field Minnesota ...

Live on DtB: Tonight's Hamline Elite Meet

As we've done for the past six years, DtB will once again offer live coverage of the Hamlie Elite Meet.  Action gets underway at the Klas Field track starting at 5:30 p.m.  We'll try to type updates and results fast enough to keep up with the best athletes in the state!

Find ordered entry lists for the meet HERE.  Heat sheets are HERE.  Lots of additional info on the meet, including results of all six Hamline Elite Meets and a listing meet records can be found HERE.

As one would expect from an event that seeks to gather the top Minnesota high school track and field athletes, the 7th annual Hamline Elite Meet is loaded with talent.

Among the top contenders are:

-- Haylie Zenner of Fergus Falls, who returns with hopes of becoming the Elite Meet’s first four-time champion in a single event.  Zenner is seeded #3 in a stellar 800m field.

-- Maggie Ewen of St Francis, who will try to be the first thrower of either gender to repeat as Elite Meet shot and discus champ.

-- Thomas Anderson of Andover, the #1-seed in both throwing events and the son of two Olympians, will try to become only the third boy to win the Elite Meet shot/disc double.

-- Austin Salargo of Hopkins, the 2011 Elite Meet and MSHSL Class AA champion at 400m, seeks a title at 800m where he’s the #1-seed.

In the boys' 3200m, 2010 winner Josh Thorson of Wayzata, the MSHSL Class AA cross country champ, seeks to reclaim his Elite Meet crown. 

There should also be some close competition on the track and in the field:

In the girls' 3200m, Alexandria’s Jamie Piepenburg and Shakopee’s Maria Hauger will renew one of the sport’s great rivalries – the duo account for the last three Elite Meet and MSHSL Class AA titles at the distance.

The boys’ pole could be the tautest competition of the night, with three vaulters – Blue Earth Area’s Jake Zebedee, Mounds’ View’s Jagger Gran, and Blake’s Grant Krieger – all posting marks of 15-feet or better.

Goucher to Run Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon

Kara Goucher is coming home.

The Duluth native and member of the USA's Olympic marathon team this summer in London will race in the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, which serves as the USA Half Marathon Championships for men and women this year. Race officials announced that Goucher and fellow Olympian Abdi Abdirahman will headline the fields for the June 16 event.

Goucher grew up in Duluth and graduated from Duluth East High School in 1996. Now residing in Portland, Oregon, Goucher competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in both the 5000 and 10,000-meters, placing ninth and tenth, respectively.

Goucher and Abdirahman earned have both spots on the 2012 Team USA marathon squad by placing in the top three at the Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston. Both placed third – Goucher in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 6 seconds and Abdirahman in 2:09:47, his fastest marathon since a 2006 personal best of 2:08:56.

Minnesota has been kind to Abdirahman, he's a two-time winner and course-record-holder at the Medtronic TC 10 Mile. The London Games will be the fourth Olympic appearance for the 35-year-old Abdirahman, who resides in Tucson, Arizona He raced in the 10,000-meters in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

 “We are extremely honored to have Kara and Abdi as part of the elite group coming to Duluth for this event. With the Olympic marathon races set for August, the timing is ideal,” Scott Keenan, executive director of Grandma’s Marathon, said in a media release. “We expect to add many more quality runners in the coming weeks.”

There are currently 158 American athletes signed up to compete in the championships with a May 15 deadline to register. They will be competing for a prize purse of $82,000, including first-place awards of $12,000 for the men’s and women’s champions.

Duluth’s history of hosting national championship road racing events includes the 2003 and 2004 USA Women’s Half Marathon Championships. The 2003 race was won by Colleen De Reuck in a course record one hour, ten minutes – a mark that remains the fastest women’s time on the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon course.

The city also hosted the 1987, 1990 and 1994 USA Women’s Marathon Championships as part of Grandma’s Marathon, which is currently the country’s 13th largest marathon.

Pick Ten: Drake, Payton Jordan, Get in Gear

It's going to be a great weekend for Track and Field fans!  There are three major track meets in different corners of the country:  The Penn Relays, The Drake Relays and The Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational.  On top of all this, road racing fans can enjoy a premier race right here in the Twin Cities with the Get in Gear on Saturday morning.

We will follow some of our favorite local athletes to these competitions and let you predict their place with our patented (not really) Pick Ten contest.

Pick Ten has a simple concept: predict the finish place for each of 10 Minnesota athletes at this weekends competitions. You will score points for each athlete who scores at or above the finish place you predict for them, following the 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 scoring system for track and field events and 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 for the Get in Gear road race.  For the competitors in the Drake Relays, you will predict their place in the category they are racing in (University or College or Special, etc.).  In the other races, you will pick their overall place in the event.

For example: If you pick Heather Kampf to place first in the 1500 meter race, and she places first, you get 10 points. If you pick Kampf to place first and she finishes second, you get zero points. If you pick Kampf to finish third in the race and she places first, second or third, you get 6 points by the scoring system above, since she placed at least as high as you predicted.

To play Pick Ten, cut and paste the list of names/events below into an e-mail and add your place predictions -- 1st or 2nd or 3rd...8th. Send your predictions by 9:00 A.M. CST on Saturday, April 28th to DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com. Make sure your full name is in the e-mail. As with our Yes/No contests, we don't offer any prizes, so no one needs to fear running afoul of NCAA or other anti-gambling regulations.

We'll announce the winner of this week's contest and compile results of all of the year's Pick Ten contests to name a grand champion for 2012.

Pick 10 ... Drake Relays/Payton Jordan/Get in Gear:

Gabriele Anderson - Drake Relays - 1500 Meters - Special:
Heather Kampf - Drake Relays - 1500 Meters - Special:
U of M Men - Drake Sprint Medley - University Division:
U of M Men - Drake Distance Medley Relay - University Division:
U of M Men - Drake 4 x 400 Meter Relay - University Division:
Emily Brown - Get in Gear:
Jenna Boren - Get in Gear:
Matt Gabrielson - Get in Gear:
Katie McGregor - Payton Jordan Invitational - 10000 Meters:
Hassan Mead - Payton Jordan Invitational - 10000 Meters:

Drake Relays list its heat sheets HERE.  For schedules, results and other information on Drake, click on the main Drake Relays page.

The Payton Jordan Invitational show entries HERE.

The University of Minnesota feature a preview of the weekends event on their site.

Dan Greeno finished third at Get in Gear in 2011.  Jenna Boren was second at the race last year while Emily Brown was second in 2010.  DtB posted a preview of the race yesterday.

Good luck!

Last week's question was: Yes/No: Will two or more Gopher throwers eclipse 200 feet in the men's hammer throw at the Musco Twilight Meet at the University of Iowa on Saturday? The answer was no.  Quentin Mege won the meet and was well over 200 feet, but he was the only Gopher that reached that mark.  There were only three people that answered correctly last week:  Chad Austin, Jesse Schoen, and Rachel Karel.

The current leaders in the Pick Ten contest are Mike Henderson with 53 points and Chris Marshall at 52

For full standings of both contests, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner.

Defending Champs Return to Get in Gear

Defending champions Matt Gabrieslon of St. Louis Park and Michelle Frey of Minneapolis are set to return for the 35th annual Get in Gear 10K this Saturday.

The pair will be racing for a $1000 winners' checks and an extra $250 for being the top Minnesotans in the race.

The pair will be racing for a $1000 winners' checks and an extra $250 for being the top Minnesotans in the race.

Also competing are Richard Kandie of Coon Rapids and Dan Greeno of Roseville, who finished second and third last year, as well as Chris Erichsen of St. Paul, Kelly Fermoyle of Mendota Heights, and Festus Kgen of Kenya.

The women’s field includes 2011 runner-up Jenna Boren of St. Paul, 2010 runner-up Emily Brown of Minnetonka, Ariella Gottfried of Minneapolis, and Doreen Kitaka of Kenya.

The Get in Gear 10K is part of the USATF-Minnesota Team Circuit and serves as the USATF-Minnesota State 10K Championship.

Over 8000 runners are registered for various Get in Gear events with another 500 to 1,000 expected to sign up through Friday. 4100 runners have signed up for the signature 10K, 2200 are in the 5K field, 1450 runners in have committed to the half marathon, and 400 are set to run the 2K.

All races begin and end at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis with the 2K starting at 8 a.m., the 10K and half marathon at 9 a.m., and the 5K at 9:20.

“We are thrilled about the 35th anniversary Get in Gear events and look forward to our ‘Annual Rite of Spring’ with excitement and well executed planning for our participants, sponsors, spectators and volunteers,” said Paulette Odenthal, Get in Gear executive director. “Both the 10K and half marathon entries are running ahead of last year so we expect a great day of running.”

Interview: Sam Rush, USATF-Minn. MUT Chair

Down the Backstretch's ultra-running contributor Alex Kurt shares this interview with USATF-Minnesota Mountain, Ultra, Trail Chairman Sam Rush. 

Down the Backstretch: First, can you tell us about your background as a runner, and how you got into the trail and ultra scene?

Sam Rush: I went to Minnetonka High School, where I participated in science fair and was able to attend the International Science and Engineering Fair all four years. As a result I was only able to run cross-country my senior year. After college (at the U of M), I moved to Rockport, IL where I began running the trails at Rock Cut State Park. After living in Rockford for two years I returned to Minnesota. I learned about the Minnesota Trail Running Series - I joined the series and started training with Lisa Trainor, who exposed me to ultrarunning. Last year I did my first ultra, Ice Age 50K.

DtB: How did you come to be involved with USATF-Minnesota, specifically as Mountain, Ultra, Trail Chair?

SR: I became involved with USATF in 2008 when I was voted Secretary. A year later I was named MUT Chair.

DtB: What sort of functions has MUT had in Minnesota up to the present day?

SR: MUT on the national level began in 1998 and I am the first Minnesota Association MUT Chair. Prior to 2009 there was nothing organized in Minnesota. In 2010 Afton Trail Run 50K and 25K hosted the inaugural USATF Minnesota Association Ultra and Trail Championships (Afton 50K hosted the Ultra championship again last year). Also 2010 was the first year USATF Minnesota named MUT Runners of the Year.

DtB: What can we look forward to with MUT this year?

SR: This year there will be the MUT Series, a series of 3-5 races ranging from 5K to 25K this year. Included in the Series is the Trail Championship. There will be awards given to top runners in each race and top runners in terms of points and mileage completed. In the future I hope to get some ultra races on the series.

DtB: Beyond this year, what are your plans and goals for MUT in Minnesota going forward?

SR: My overall goal for MUT is to promote the sport in Minnesota and to grow Minnesota’s reputation as a great place to run and with great runners. One way I plan on doing this is by encouraging Minnesotans to participant and race in National Championships. In the past we have had some people run at these races and make it to National teams. This year Helen Lavin ran at the IAU 100k World and European Championships. Chris Lundstrom was on the 2nd place US team at the 2010 World Mountain Running Championships and Dusty Olson, Jim Ramacier and Jarrow Wahman were on the 100K National team in 2004.

I would also like to bring a National Championship race back to Minnesota. In the late 80s, early 90s and as recently as 2002 a Minnesota race has hosted the 100K Road Championships. I would also like to get a team circuit started here in Minnesota -- at the national level this is currently being done. Finally, I would like to see some young Minnesota runners get involved with the Junior National teams.

DtB: What about mountain, ultra and trail events appeals to you, as a runner and in general?

SR: The community is very supportive and friendly. There is competition, but it is not as intense as the roads. The community is also very altruistic and volunteer-based. I like the fact that to get into some races you need to do some volunteer work at races or clearing/maintaining trails. It is not uncommon to see the winners stick around and cheer the other runners in. Besides the community aspect, you can challenge yourself physically and mentally while getting to see beautiful and hard to get to parts of the world.

DtB: So these races are more laid back – what do you think of efforts to better standardize distances, etc. of off-road races so they can be sanctioned by USATF, etc.?

SR: Just a few weeks ago, the American Trail Running Association released its labeling program, which states the race participating adheres to a number of standards to make it a high quality race. Some of the requirements include accurate course markings, at least 75% of the course is unpaved, it's safe, environmentally friendly (leave no trace behind) and financially accountable. I think this is a good idea since it brings some standardization so people will have a better idea of what to expect at races and will have confidence that they will have a good experience.

DtB: Yet mountain, ultra and trail events aren’t really considered mainstream in running. As someone working to establish these types of races as more legitimate through USATF, do you think this is a fair label, or one you can embrace?

SR: Should competitive MUT running be regarded at the same level as road racing? I believe so. Times in theses races may be slower, but you see slower times in cross country races. The effort level on race day and throughout training is similar if not higher than road racing. A funny story about this personally - I was holding off racing ultras for a few more years since I was concerned about losing what little speed I had. After a conversation with Helen Lavin and Larry Pederson, using Brian Peterson as evidence (he ran a 2:31 marathon), they convinced me I would not lose my speed. They were correct. Last year I was able to improve my fitness, and maintain and in some cases improve upon my prior road times.

DtB: Is it your impression that participation in ultras and trail events is growing? What do you think is causing this surge in popularity, and where will it lead MUT in the future?

SR: For the reasons I stated above, MUT running is getting more popular. This is evidenced by the increase in number of races, number of races reaching capacity, the proliferation of trail shoes and gear, and the more runner friendly private, local, county, state, and national parks. Additionally, the increased media attention through movies, YouTube and the like are really helping show people what the sport is about. More and more people are completing marathons and are finding that is not enough of a challenge for them, so they look to MUT for that challenge. I also think trails offer an escape from the overcrowding of road races and cities in general. Finally, it is fun to say that a marathon is your speedwork for your next ultra.

Hutton, VanWechel Earn USATF-Minn Honors

Mike Hutton and Anna VanWechel have been named USATF Minnesota's Athletes of the Month for April, the organization announced recently.

 Hutton, a junior at the University of St. Thomas, was recognized for winning the men’s 800-meter title last month at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in Grinnell, Iowa.  The Apple Valley High School alumnus ran the race in one minute, 52.26 seconds.

VanWechel, a senior at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, was honored for her third-place finish in the women’s mile at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships held in Mankato in March.  The Fergus Falls High School graduate ran the distance in four minutes, 52.00 seconds.

 USA Track & Field Minnesota selects Athletes of the Month to honor excellence in track and field and its related sports in Minnesota.  USA Track & Field is the governing body of the sport in the United States and the Minnesota Association of USATF sanctions and sponsors track and field, cross country, road racing, and racewalking events for athletes of all ages in the state.

Smock Third in Olympic Trials Preview

In a preview of the competition she is likely to face at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon in June, defending USA triple jump champion Amanda Smock placed third at the Mt. SAC Relays triple jump on Saturday in Walnut, California.

Smock (pictured), who represented the United States last year at the World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea, jumped 45-5 on her final attempt of the competition.

Crystal Manning won the close-fought contest with a mark of 45-8. The former Kansas Jayhawk was runner-up to Smock at last year's USA Championships and at this year's USA Indoor Championships.

Toni Smith was second on Saturday at 45-6 1/4.  The former Oklahoma Sooner finished third at the USA Championships in 2011.

Erica McLain, an Olympian in 2008 who is returning to competition in 2012 after a serious foot injury last year, was fourth at 44-6 3/4.

Find complete results of the event HERE.

Olympic Hopefuls Compete ... Lots of Minnesota Olympic track and field hopefuls made the trip to Walnut, California for the meet.  Other notable performances included:

Winona High School alum Garrett Heath ... 6th in the mile with 3:57.25.

Lakeville High School and University of Minnesota alum Liz Podominick ... 6th in the discus at 189-0.

Erhard native Rachel Longfors ... 7th in the discus at 187-0

Burnsville native Laura Januszewski ... 8th in the 800-meters in 2:02.99

Brainerd native Justin Tyner ... 12th in the steeplechase at 8:50.22.

Team USA Minnesota's Matt Llano ran 14:07.41 in his section of the 5000-meters; teammate Chris Rombough was a DNF in his race. Team USA Minnesota's Meghan Peyton ran 16:14.82 in the women's 5000-meters.

Find full meet results HERE.

Photo by Randy Miyazaki/Track and Field Photo.

Yes/No: Two or More Gophers Over 200 Feet?

The Gophers men will split their track and field team this week.  Most of the group will compete at the Musco Twilight Meet at the University of Iowa Saturday and the rest will head to California for the Mt. Sac Relays.

The Gophers are also gearing up for the higher caliber meets as the season progresses.  Next week is the Drake Relays in Des Moines, followed by the Big Ten Championships May 11th-13th at the University of Wisconsin.  The Regional and National meets follow in late May and early June.

This week we will check in with the stellar throwing group heading to Iowa with this questions...

Yes/No: Will two or more Gopher throwers eclipse 200 feet in the men's hammer throw at the Musco Twilight Meet at the University of Iowa on Saturday?

Micah Hegerle is the top ranked hammer thrower in the Big Ten with a mark of 207-4.  Quentin Mege is not far behind with a 205-9 throw.  Jon Lehman has a best mark of 188 feet in 2012.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 2:00 P.M. CDT, Saturday, April 21th. Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail.

My answer: Yes

Last week's question was: Yes/No: Will Shanai Guider throw 160-3 (NCAA D2 Auto mark) or farther at the Falcon Invitational on Saturday? The answer was yes.  Guider threw 164-04 for the win.  Twenty-four people answered correctly this week and there are currently two people tied for first place: Jim Glazer and Ryan Aylesworth.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.

Team USA-ers Headed West for Mt. SAC

Four Team USA Minnesota runners will travel to California this weekend to compete in the Mt. SAC Relays or at the Bryan Clay Invitational, both scheduled for Friday.

At the 54th annual Mt. SAC Relays, held on the campus of Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, Chris Rombough, Matt Llano, and Meghan Peyton will each compete over 5000-meters.

Rombough has a best in the distance of 13:42.05, Llano has run 14:00.01 and Peyton has run 15:41.1.

Jamie Cheever will compete in the 1500-meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational, which will be held at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California.

Cheever has a best of 4:22 in the distance.

Llano, Peyton and Cheever will be back in California next weekend as well, competing at the Payton Jordan Invitational in Palo Alto on April 29. At that meet, Llano and Peyton will compete in the 10,000 meters and Cheever will race the steeplechase.

Winona State Women Still Rising in Ranks

The Winona State women's track team continued its rise through the NCAA Division II track and field ranks this week.

The Warriors are listed as the #12 team in this week's national rankings, released this morning.

The throws-based team, which was #18 last week, is the only Minnesota squad listed in the D2 top-25 for men or women.

Find the complete NCAA Division II rankings HERE.

Find NCAA Division I rankings HERE ... where the Gopher men are ranked #42 while the women are #96.

The newest edition of the NCAA Division III rankings should be posted HERE later today.

New Site Collects Trove of HS Boys' Track Info

If you're a Minnesota boys high school track and field aficionado, especially one with a statistical bent, I caution you to sit down for the following news.

You see, Wayzata boys' cross country coach Bill Miles has collected, on a single web-site, the annual Minnesota boys' performance lists he and his brother Tim (and for a while some guy named Charlie Mahler) have collected since 1991, their all-time Minnesota high school lists, and complete State Meet results, including those that predate the first MSHSL State Meet in 1923, and those contested by private schools prior to their inclusion in the MSHSL in 1974.

He's also got all the True Team State Meet results in the archives.

Yes, it's an incredible track treasure trove. And, not to sound like an announcer on a late-night TV infomercial, but that's not all ...

Miles is also adding MSHSL Section meet results going back to 1992, the year of their inception, and has plans to add Regional results, going back to 1929 when they were first introduced.

Yep, you'll finally be able to settle that bar bet about who won Section 2AA triple jump back in 1993.

The Cretin high school graduate, who was also a coach there prior to his long tenure at Wayzata, also intends to add results of qualifying meets for the private school state championships as well as for True Team. There are also plans for a collection of conference meet results.

You can find the Minnesota High School Boys Track & Field Archives HERE ... however, you may not want to click to it until you've gotten your work done for the day!

Remembering the 1982 Boston Marathon

As entrants in this morning's Boston Marathon face the daunting task of traversing Boston's historic 26.2-mile course on what is forecast to be a very warm day, we harken back 30 years to one of the most memorable Boston Marathon's in it 116-year history: the race's 1982 edition, when Minnesota's Dick Beardsley ran stride-for-stride with Alberto Salazar in the contest dubbed the Duel in the Sun.

Above, is some video of the 1982 television broadcast of the race.

Also, check out THIS Boston Herald remembrance of the race.

Closer to home, the Duluth News-Tribune's Kevin Pates just wrote THIS story about the 1982 contest.

You can watch today's Boston Marathon -- which features former Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon men's champions Jason Hartman and Sergio Reyes and three-time Grandma's Marathon women's winner Mary Akor -- HERE, on Universal Sports.

A More Recent Yesterday ... On Sunday, Team USA Minnesota's Gabriele Anderson finished 3rd in the BAA Invitational Mile, held on the streets near the Boston Marathon finish line. The Perham High School and University of Minnesota alum clocked 4;46.3 on the three-lap course.

Morgan Uceny won the women's race in 4:43.8. Find complete BAA Invitational Mile results HERE.

Anderson's Team USA Minnesota teammate Andrew Carlson finished 14th in the BAA 5K, also held yesterday. Carlson clocked 14:01 for the distance.

Ben True won the race in a course record 13:41. Find complete BAA 5K results HERE.

Yes/No: Auto-Qualifier for Guider in River Falls?

The Winona State women's throws group has established itself in the top echelon at the Division II collegiate level. In recent years, Mary Theisen, Rebecca Stier and many others have earned All-American status and even NCAA titles.

The current crop of Winona State throwers looks as good as ever, featuring standouts like Michelle Potter, Jenny Schuler, and Shanai Guider. Within D2, all three of these athletes are currently ranked in the top three in an event.

This week we will check out the discus at the Falcon Invitational hosted by UW River Falls with this question ...

Yes/No: Will Shanai Guider throw 160-3 (NCAA D2 Auto mark) or farther at the Falcon Invitational on Saturday?

Shanai Guider is currently ranked second in Divsion II in the discus with a throw of 163-1. She has already achieved automatic qualifier status in the discus in 2012. Guider threw as far as 161-5 in 2010 and 158 feet even in 2011.

Guider is ranked first in the Falcon Invitational heat sheets. But she will be challenged by provisional national qualifier Elisa Moenkedick as well as Alissa Rausch and Caitlyn Zepzczyk. All of these women are throwers at Winona State.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 12:15 P.M. CDT, Saturday, April 14th. Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail.

My answer: Yes

Last week's question was: Will three or more Minnesotans break 3:45.00 in the 1500-meters at Stanford on Friday night? The answer was no. Garrett Heath and Justin Tyner were comfortably under 3:45, but no other local runner was able to finish under that threshold. Twenty-two people answered correctly this week and there are currently three people tied for first place: Heather Jelen, Jim Glazer and Ryan Aylesworth.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.

Warriors Rise to #18 in NCAA Division II

The Winona State University women's team rose to #18 in the latest NCAA Division II outdoor track and field rankings released earlier this week.

The Warriors, who are powered by a stellar throws contingent, were ranked #22 last week.

In the D2 men's rankings, Minnesota State, Moorhead is ranked in the top-25 for the first time this outdoor season, tabbed as the #23 team in the nation.

Find complete D2 rankings HERE.

Hamline Cracks D3 Top-25 ... The Hamline University men entered the NCAA Division III outdoor track and field rankings the week as the #25 team in the country.

The 2011 MIAC outdoor runner-up are powered in the ranking by Devin Monson and Jack Deichert, the #6 and #21-ranked 5000-meter runners in D3, and hammer thrower Andrew Schlilchting, ranked #16 in his event.

The Pipers are the lone Minnesota college ranked in the D3 top-25.

Find complete D3 rankings HERE.

Gophers #43 and #86 ... The University of Minnesota track teams are currently ranked #43 (men) and #86 (women) in NCAA Division I.

Find complete D1 rankings HERE.

Carlson, Anderson to Race Boston Events

Team USA Minnesota athletes Andrew Carlson and Gabriele Anderson are heading to Boston this weekend to compete in races leading up to Monday's 116th Boston Marathon.

Carlson will race in the BAA 5K while Anderson will run in the BAA Invitational Mile.

Both races will be held on Sunday, with the fourth annual BAA (Boston Athletic Association) 5K starting at 8 a.m. and the Invitational Mile for professional men and women at 10:00 a.m.

The 5K will host a field of 6000 running on a flat loop course that begins on Boylston Street and ends at the Boston Marathon finish line. The three-lap course for the Invitational Mile begins and ends at the Boston Marathon finish line.

Carlson most recently clocked a 14:13 at the Carlsbad 5000 on April 1. The two-time national champion – at 15K and 25K – finished sixth at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in a debut time of 2:11:24. He is preparing to compete in the 10,000 meters on the track this spring.

Anderson will open her 2012 season in Boston. The 1500-meter specialist has run 4:31.05 in the mile and 4:06.77 in the 1500m. Anderson was third in the mile at the 2011 USA Indoor Championships and third at the 2011 USA Road Mile Championships.

Haubrich, Loyd Compete at World Masters

A pair of Minnesota women represented the USA at the World Masters Indoor Track and Field held last weekend in Jyväskylä, Finland.

Shakopee's Kathy Haubrich, Minnesota's 2011 Women's Masters Track & Field Athlete of the Year, finished 5th in the W50 400-meters, clocking 1:11.09.

Haubrich also took sixth in the W50 800m, running 2:49.30.

Susan Loyd of Edina finished third in her heat of the W50 200m, running a non-advancing 32.51. Loyd also ran the W50 60m in 9.84, to finish sixth in her heat. Loyd also contested the shot put, where she finished 16th in her division.

Find full results of the championship HERE.

Gopher Half-Milers Highlight Busy Weekend

University of Minnesota 800-meter runners headlined a busy weekend of track and field, taking four of the top 10 places at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, California on Saturday.

Indoor All-American David Pachuta finished third, running 1:48.45, a new outdoor personal best. Harun Abda was fifth at 1:48.87, while Nick Hutton placed ninth at 1:49.53 and Travis Burkstrand was tenth at 1:49.62.

Selected Gopher men and women competed in California on Friday and Saturday, while teammates -- and lots of small college and post-collegiate runners -- competed at Saturday's Hamline Invitational in St. Paul.

The Hamline Invite kicked off with a bang as some of the state's most decorated female long-distance runners raced one-another at 5000-meters. Seven-time USA champion Katie McGregor topped Olympian Carrie Tollefson for the win.

McGregor clocked 16:12.98 to Tollefson's 16:26.63. Former Minneapolis Southwest and U of M star Jamie Cheever was third at 16:33.29; Meghan Peyton was fourth at 16:48.98.


Additional Gopher highlights from Stanford included Cameron Boy's third-place finish in the 200-meters with 21.33 and Quentin Mege third-place result in the hammer throw with 205-9.

Among the crew of Gopher women at Stanford, Katie Moraczewski set a 15-second PR in the 3000m steeplechase at 10:18.60m putting her #5 on the Gopher all-time list.

Find complete Stanford Invitational results HERE.

Find wrap-ups of the Gopher action at Stanford and Hamline HERE and HERE (men) and HERE women.

Find complete Hamline Invitational results HERE (men) and HERE (women).

Photo by Becky Miller/Gopher Track Shots. From left to right, Jamie Cheever, Carrie Tollefson, and Katie McGregor.

Friday Round-Up: Warriors, Gophers, Results

Let's wrap up the week with a round-up of the news ...

Winona State Ranked #22 ... The Winona State women's team entered the NCAA Division II rankings this week. Powered by throwers Jenny Schuler, Michelle Potter, and Alissa Rausch, the Warriors are ranked #22 nationally.

Shuler is currently the #2-ranked hammer thrower in D2; Potter is ranked #8 in the same event, while Rausch is listed #29 in the shot put.

Find full D2 rankings HERE.

Gophers Head to California ... The University of Minnesota men's and women's teams will send squads to Stanford Invitational this week and compete locally at Hamline. The Gopher women are sending their distance runners west, while the men are sending a mix of sprinters and a thrower.

Read the GopherSports previews for the meets HERE (women) and HERE (men).

Results from Carleton ... And, if you're hankering for some actual results to pour over, a passel of D2 and D3 teams raced on Carleton's new track last night.

Find results of the meet HERE.

Yes/No: Three Locals Sub-3:45 at Stanford?

When track athletes, especially distance runners, go looking for perfect running weather, they often find themselves in Palo Alto in early spring. This makes Stanford a natural host for another huge track meet this Friday and Saturday. Most of the distance races at The Stanford Invitational, including the mile we're concerned with below, will be run Friday evening.

A large number of Gophers and other Minnesotans are among the athletes heading to Northern California in search of good competition and fast times. The men's 1500-meter has an interesting blend of runners from all over the country who either ran in high school or college in Minnesota.

We will take a look the metric mile with our question this week...

Yes/No: Will three or more Minnesotans break 3:45.00 in the 1500-meters at Stanford on Friday night?

For the purpose of this contest, we will define Minnesotan as anyone who ran high school or college track in Minnesota.

The start lists reads like a who's who of the top middle distance runners out of Minnesota in the last five years. Garrett Heath from Winona/Stanford is seeded at 3:37. Next up is Justin Tyner, Brainerd/Air Force who has a seed time of 3:42. Rob Finnerty, Burnsville/Wisconsin, was originally in the entries, but it looks like he will only compete in the 5K. Former Gopher Chris Rombough is seeded at 3:44. Donny Wasinger from Winona Cotter and now at Kansas has a seed time of 3:44. Jordan Carlson has the third best high school time in the 1600 in Minnesota history when he was at Rosemount. Carlson now runs for Notre Dame and is seeded at 3:45. Moving up in distance is Zach Mellon, Buffalo/Wisconsin, and is seeded at 3:46. Gopher Paul Hilsen was originally in the entries, but it looks like he has scratched. Another current Gopher, Travis Burkstrand is probably better known in the 800, but he is seeded at 3:49.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 8:30 P.M. CDT, Friday, April 6th. Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail.

My answer: No

Last week's question was: Will Andrew Carlson run faster than 14:00 at the Carlsbad 5000 on Sunday? The answer was no. Carlson ran well, finishing ahead of Anthony Famiglietti and in fifteenth place overall with a 14:13 clocking. Fifteen people answered correctly this week and Heather Jelen is now in alone in first place with nine points. One point behind are Jim Glazer, Mike Mason, and Ryan Aylesworth.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.Yes

H.S. Boys' 2011 and All-Time Lists: Finale

Here's the final installment of the High School Boys' 2011 and All-Time Lists compiled by Tim and Bill Miles.

Find complete lists for all events -- for 2011 and previous years -- at THIS link.


Retired and Non-Championships Events

100 YARD DASH
9.6 Mark Lutz, Rochester Mayo 1969-70
9.6 Merlin Schauer, Delano 1971
9.7 Pat Clark, Rochester Lourdes 1956
9.7 Butch Miller, Minneapolis Central 1960
9.7 Pete Shea, Richfield 1966
9.7 Bob Timm, Cooper 1967
9.7 Randy Timm, Cooper 1973
9.7 Mike Yost, Mounds View 1975
9.7 Rick Kjosling, Litchfield 1975
9.7 Elwin Burditte, Minnetonka 1976
[10]
9.7 Jeff Byrd, Minneapolis Central 1978
9.7 Jeff Brostrom, LaCrescent 1979
9.8 Clayton Burkstrand, Minneapolis Central 1952
9.8 Bob Hageman, Rochester 1953
9.8 Tom Caswell, Blake 1956
9.8 Jim White, Hibbing 1961
9.8 Bill Stevens, Blake 1962
9.8 Blaine Chatham, Minneapolis Central 1963-4
9.8 Dave Larkin, St. Paul Mechanic Arts 1965
9.8 Terry Larson, Stillwater 1966
[20]
9.8 Ron Dachis, St Louis Park 1967
9.8 Paul Bearman, St Louis Park 1967
9.8 Dwayne Bowles, Minneapolis Central 1969
9.8 Greg Kloss, Brainerd 1976
9.8 Robert Blakely, SP Cental 1977-8

220 YARD DASH - STRAIGHTAWAY
20.7 Mark Lutz, Rochester Mayo 1970
21.3 Jim White, Hibbing 1961
21.4 Frank Jordan, Mankato 1948
21.5 Tom Hardy, Austin 1962
21.6 Butch Miller, Minneapolis Central 1960
21.6 Mike Gillham, St Louis Park 1962
21.6 Jeff Haines, Minnetonka 1962
21.7 Burie Carmichael, Minneapolis Central 1952
21.7 John Goebel, Hill 1966
21.7 Pete Shea, Richfield 1966
21.8 Ray Nevala, Embarass 1951
[10]
21.8 Dan Barklind, Mechanic Arts 1962
21.8 Bill Terriquez, St. Louis Park 1966

660 YARD RUN
1:22.90 David Platner, Eden Prairie 2009 [1:22.34 600m)
1:22.7 Mark Becker, Edina 1969
1:22.95 Frank Falzone, Stillwater 2009 [1:22.39 600m)
1:23.8 Jim Lieb, Minneapolis Southwest 1974
1:24.3 Barry Papermaster, St Louis Park 1972
1:24.3 Skip Chalker, Edina East 1974
1:24..7 Jim Bergen, Stillwater 1978

1500 METERS
3:51.11 Ben Blankenship, Stillwater Area 2007 [equal 4:07.94 1600)
3:55.87 Andrew Richardson, Irondale 2007 [equal 4:13.05 1600)
3:59.69 Derek Mattila, Staples-Motley 1997 [equal 4:17.15 1600)

5000 METERS
14:34.06 Elliot Heath, Winona 2007

110 METER 42" HIGH HURDLES
14.08 Niles Deneen, St Paul Como Park 1994
14.97 Rupert Bannerman-Thompson, Roseville Area 2005

180 YARD LOW HURDLES
19.0 Bill McNee, Alexander Ramsey 1965
19.0 Tom Luckemeyer, St Cloud Tech 1974
19.2 Roy Henriksen, Alexander Ramsey 1960
19.2 Tony Lynch, Intl Falls 1962
19.2 Ralph Wirtz, Coon Rapids 1967
19.2 Bob Daly, St Louis Park 1967
19.2 Kevin Ault, White Bear Lake 1969
19.2 Mike Jauss, Montevideo 1972
19.3 Al Montgomery, St. Paul Washington 1966-7
19.3 Jeff Luedeke, Richfield 1967
[10]
19.3 Mark Becker, Edina 1969
19.3 John Bonstrom, Richfield 1970
19.3 Dave Carlson, St Louis Park 1970
19.3 Jerry Johnson, Moorhead 1971
19.3 Rich Nodland, Alexandria 1972
19.3 Greg Schmidt, Alexander Ramsey 1972
19.3 Jim Billingsley, White Bear Lake 1973
19.3 Larry Raddatz, South St Paul 1973
19.3 Jeff Hawkins, Elk River 1974
19.3 George Csathy, Robbinsdale 1977
[20]

400 METER HURDLES
55.02 Peter Stuart, Blaine 2001
55.17 Niles Deneen, St Paul Como Park 1994
57.42 Steve Floyd, Park Center 2000
57.46 Michael Williams, St. Cloud Tech 2002
57.60 Chris Mattke, Elgin-Millville 2000
57.5 JJ Beckstrand, Atwater-GC/Cosmos 1992

ONE MILE STEEPLCHASE
(no water jumps)
4:43.0 Ron Graham, St. Paul Highland Park 1973

2000 M STEEPLECHASE
(with water jumps)
5:54.04 Luke Watson, Stillwater 1998
5:57.78 Jake Watson, Stillwater 2004
6:02.5 Derek Mattila, Staples-Motley 1997
6:10.44 Eric Klingaman, Staples-Motley 1998
6:11.2 Scott Hebel, Burnsville 1986
6:11.83 Josh Gerber, Wayzata 2005
6:11.98 Jon Francis, Stillwater 2000
6:14.75 Ryan Kollman, Centennial 1996
6:16.00 Keith Donovan, Chaska 1989
6:20.61 Jackson Wiley, Eden Prairie 2007
[10]
6:20.87 John Davis, Eden Prairie 2007
6:22.3 Ben Husaby, Eden Prairie 1984
6:22.3 Pat Hoard, Wayzata 1992

3000 M STEEPLECHASE
9:28.2 Tim O'Donnell, Simley 1975
9:29.18 Pat Hoard, Wayzata 1993
9:34.87 Luke Watson, Stillwater 1998
9:39.3 Ben Husaby, Eden Prairie 1984
9:42 Bob Fahey, Cretin 1976
9:48.10 Derek Mattila, Staples-Motley 1997
9:51.19 Forrest Tahdooahnippah, St. Paul Central 2002
9:56.3 Dave Sjogren, Mounds View 1986

SPRINT MEDLEY RELAY
3:25.60 Buffalo 2009
(Ben Stevens, Tim Ernster,
Taylor Vick, Zach Mellon)
3:27.2* Burnsville 1978 (3:28.5*)
3:27.4 Edina East 1974 (3:28.7y)
3:28.1 White Bear Mariner 1979
3:28.2 Rochester JM 1976 (3:29.5y)
3:28.3* White B Mariner 1978 (3:29.6*)
3:28.4 Mounds View 1976 (3:29.7y)
3:28.8 Wayzata 1977 (3:30.1y)
3:29.16 Bloom Jefferson 1984
3:29.0 Albert Lea 1977 (3:30.3y)
[10]
3:29.2 Albert Lea 1976 (3:30.5y)
3:29.47 Stillwater 1996
3:29.5 Rochester JM 1972 (3:30.8y)
3:29.85 Burnsville 1996
3:30.1 Rochester JM 1974 (3:31.4y)
3:30.36 Stillwater 1986
3:30.2 Rochester Mayo 1976 (3:31.5y)
3:30.4 White Bear Lake 1978 (3:31.7y)
3:30.79 Park 1992
3:30.91 Stillwater 1998
[20]
3:30.7 Mounds View 1975 (3:32.0y)
3:30.7 Stillwater 1977 (3:32.0y)
3:30.7 Burnsville 1977 (3:32.0y)
3:30.98 Stewartville 1996
3:30.8 Moorhead 1972 (3:32.1y)
3:30.8 Simley 1976 (3:32.2y)
3:31.10 St Cloud Apollo 1983
3:31.19 Stewartville 1995
3:31.0 Northfield 1985
3:31.26 Stewartville 1994
[30]
3:31.1 Edina East 1975 (3:32.5y)
3:31.2 Moorhead 1971 (3:32.6y)
3:31.53 Stillwater 1991
3:31.3 White Bear Lake 1972 (3:32.7y)
3:31.63 Eagan 1994
3:31.4 Edina 1970 (3:32.8y)
3:31.4 St Paul Cretin 1975 (3:32.8y)
3:31.69 Stillwater 1992
3:31.5 Minnetonka 1988
3:31.6 Rochester JM 1975 (3:33.0y)
[40]
3:31.8 Rosemount 2008
3:32.12 Blaine 1983
3:31.9 Rochester JM 1978 (3:33.3y)
3:32.23 Apple Valley 1991
3:32.0 Hill-Murray 1987
3:32.0 Mounds View 1977 (3:33.4y)
3:32.38 Rosemount 2007
3:32.3 Bloom Lincoln 1978 (3:33.7y)
3:32.56 Moorhead 1987
3:32.4 Albert Lea 1973 (3:33.8y)
[50]
3:32.4 Osseo 1976 (3:33.8y)
3:32.72 White Bear Lake 1998
3:32.5 Edina 1969 (3:33.9y)
3:32.5 Minneapolis Washburn 1970 (3:33.9y)
3:32.5 White B Mariner 1974 (3:33.9y)
3:32.5 Simley 1975 (3:33.9y)
3:32.77 Apple Valley 1983
3:32.6 Albert Lea 1980
3:32.6 Alex Ramsey 1973 (3:34.0y)
3:32.6 Bloom Kennedy 1973 (3:34.0y)
[60]
3:32.6 Blue Earth 1976 (3:34.0y)
3:32.7 White B Mariner 1976 (3:34.1y)
3:32.98 Bloom Jefferson 1985
3:32.8 St Paul Park 1970 (3:34.2y)
3:32.9 Osseo 1975 (3:34.3y)
3:32.9 Park Center 1977 (3:34.3y)
3:32.9 Blaine 1984
3:33.17 St Cloud Apollo 1987
3:33.18 Bloom Jefferson 1982
3:33.0 Burnsville 1981
[70]
3:33.0 Minneapolis South 1984
3:33.33 Forest Lake 1995
3:33.1 Edina 1971 (3:34.5y)
3:33.1 Austin 1973 (3:34.5y)
3:33.1 White Bear Lake 1985
3:33.34 Faribault 1996
3:33.41 Minneapolis South 1993
3:33.41 Wayzata 1994
3:33.2 Bloom Lincoln 1970 (3:34.6y)
3:33.2 Burnsville 1972 (3:34.6y)
[80]
3:33.2 Robb Cooper 1979
3:33.2 Forest Lake 1985
3:33.2 Stillwater 1985

DISTANCE MEDLEY (4000 m)
10:10.68 Willmar 2007
(Kaafi Adeys, Zack Coquyt,
Abdi Awale, Mustafa Yusuf)
10:12.67 Lakeville South 2007
10:13.43 Winona 2004
10:22.23 Stillwater Area 1998
10:22.87 Rochester Mayo 1976 (10:27.0y)
10:29.3 Austin 1986
10:30.9 Rochester JM 1976 (10:35.0y)
10:31.57 Wayzata 2010
10:33.53 Burnsville 2005
10:33.7 Rochester JM 1974 (10:37.9y)
[10]
10:34.4 Winona 1985
10:34.82 Burnsville 2006
10:35.2 Minneapolis Southwest 1974 (10:39.4y)
10:35.85 Rosemount 2011
10:35.7 Mounds View 1969 (10:39.9y)
10:35.9 Winona 1974 (10:40.1y)
10:36.57 Mounds View 2000
10:37.5 St Louis Park 1964 (10:41.7y)
10:38.3 Rochester JM 1978 (10:42.5y)
10:38.4 Winona 1978 (10:42.6y)
[20]
10:39.0 Rochester JM 1986
10:39.1 Rochester JM 1981
10:39.2 Owatonna 1981
10:39.3 North St Paul 1969 (10:43.5y)
10:39.94 Winona 2007
10:39.9 Rochester Mayo 1980
10:40.4 Owatonna 1976 (10:44.6y)
10:40.8 Faribault 1985

4 x 1600 METER RELAY (w/ Baton)
17:22.17 Willmar 2007 (17:29.09y)
(Kaafi Adeys, Mahad Hassan,
Mustafa Yusuf, Mohamed Bedel)
17:31.28 Lakeville North 2006 (17:38.26y)
17:44.3 Stillwater 2004
17:49.8 Stillwater 1998
17:54.5 Osseo 1985
18:03.4 Minneapolis Central 1964 (18:10.5y)
18:12.3 Rosemount 2011
18:18.5 Minneapolis Southwest 1974 (18:25.7y)
18:20.6 Mounds View 1969 (18:27.9y)
18:21.1 Stillwater 2006
18:21.9 Osseo 1972 (18:29.2y)

JAVELIN
186-8 Edwin Alberts, Winona 1929
177-10 Louis Alberts, Winona 1926
176-8 Paul Hecimovich, Coleraine 1932
176-0 Karl Schjoll, Northfield 1919
174-4 Clarence Munn, Mpls North 1928
172-5 Lloyd Parsons, Mpls Roosevelt 1936
170-8 Ken Dollarhide, Montevideo 1933

“Straddle Style” HIGH JUMP
6-6.75 Tom Stuart, Breckinridge 1963

DECATHLON
5418 Kevin Wolf, Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony 2007