The Fall

Eli Krahn(5) wins, Obsa Ali(1) nearly does.  Justin Hyytinen(3) makes his mark,
Sam Carlson(yellow singlet behind Hyytinen) ends his high school career with
a bang, Zach Benning(4) continues to impress, and Joe Klecker(on the ground)
gives his all. Photo by Kraig Lungstrom

It was a race that had nearly everything, but it will probably be remembered for "the fall."  Saturday's boy's 1600 had all the ingredients for a great race, except the weather.  Stillwater sophomore Eli Krahn was the marked man.  The distance running prodigy whose still growing, sometimes fragile body had come back from a nearly lost cross country season to win the 3200 the day before in bright sunshine and on the hottest day of a cool Spring.

Hair matted from the rain and "hunted" by the opposition Krahn  was attempting to defend his 1600 title from 2013.  His record time in that race catapulted him to instant fame in an era when news travels faster than a sprinter's fast twitch fibers.  Running 4:09.38 the then 5'9" freshman was discovered to have run the fastest ever time by a US ninth grader when those trolling the internet discovered that his time was marginally better than a West Coast freshman high schooler who had also run under 2:10 last year.

Combine that with his second place, sub nine minute 3200 the day before and Krahn became one of the most talked about runners from a Stillwater high school program that has already produced four sub-four minute milers after they  graduated.  With great gifts often comes great challenges and Krahn's has been his body.  Still growing, Eli added three inches to his height in the last year, said coach Scott Christensen, and lost much of this year's cross country season to a stress reaction injury to his leg.

It was perhaps the worst of a series of lesser injuries that have hindered Krahn through his young career as a distance runner.  As a result Krahn began strength training in an attempt to ward off injuries and make his already powerful physique even more potent.  The runner he dethroned in Friday's 3200, Richfield's Obsa Ali had his own struggles with injuries, as the Gopher recruit nearly didn't make it to the starting line of last Fall's MSHSL cross country championships.

Shin splints and a roaring cold nagged Ali before the race, and a clipped heel and resulting lost shoe combined with his physical setbacks still could not prevent the senior from ending his high school cross country career with something he wanted badly, the win.  Not able to retain his title on Friday, Ali was determined to provide a greater challenge to Krahn in the shorter distance.  As was Joe Klecker, who himself was sidelined with a stress fracture last summer that derailed his cross country season.  The son of US Olympian Janis Klecker and one time ultra running world recordholder Barney Klecker, Joe has good genes and a voracious work ethic.

Joe's high school teammate, 2014 MSHSL 100 champ Shaheed Hickman praised Klecker's dedication and grit, noting that the success of this year's Hopkins' team could be attributed to the hard work each team member performed during the season and the leadership by example of teammates such as Klecker.  Add to this mix the blossoming junior from Farmington, Justin Hyytinen, Bemidji's Sam Carlson, Hastings' Zach Benning and Chaska's Joey Duerr and you have the cast of formidable opponents all aiming for one thing, to replace Krahn as the 1600 champion.

Unlike the 3200, Krahn said, he didn't have as specific a race plan for the 1600.  He had talked prior to the Hamline Elite meet in April of having conversations with Ali to help each other to a fast time at the 1600 race there, but the fact that Ali had just finished wrestling season and that Krahn had a bad cold the week before, terminated that plan andinstead Hyytinen appeared on everyone's radar as he came from behind to run down Ali in the last lap and win the Elite Meet 1600.

After Duerr won the 3200 at Hamline for the second straight year, Krahn congratulated him on his win and asked: "Where did (Hyytinen) come from?"  Duerr responded that he had run against Hyytinen in conference meets and that Justin had good finishing speed.  In Saturday's race, both Ali and Krahn, neither of whom is a  slouch  when it comes to finishing speed led the race, were not aiming for a blistering fast pace, but to keep the pace going so that the 1600 didn't turn into a 400 meter sprint. Coming into the final lap, Klecker, who had thrown in a 61 third lap during the 3200 during the Lake Conference Meet to break up the field, launched a scorching charge around the first curve and onto the backstretch.

1600 finish. Photo by Gene Niemi

Both Ali and Krahn responded with Obsa giving chase first, followed by Krahn who wound up his pace coming off that first turn and accelerated down the backstretch.  Attempting to break away from Klecker and Ali, Krahn had opened a gap as he rounded the final curve and sprinted for home, but Klecker launched a counterattack.  Mouth agape and arms pumping, Klecker, not known for his kick, was not losing ground to Krahn, but not gaining much either.

Krahn had drifted a bit toward the second lane, allowing Ali to spot a gap on the inside and go for it.  Klecker saw Obsa flash by and tried to make his legs go faster.  They began to falter instead.  Joe lost his balance, stumbled, and began to fall.  He reached out, hitting Ali, who was  thrust forward and sideways, but kept on his feet.  Klecker didn't and crashed on the ground.

Having the presence of mind to realize that Hopkins was in a battle for team points, Klecker scrambled to crawl across the line in an effort to lose as few points as possible. Having crossed the finish and after the rest of the field had flashed past his prone body. Klecker raised himself onto his knees and pounded the ground with his fists in frustration.  It was an unexpected ending to a fierce battle between a group of very talented and determined athletes.

"I thought I was going to catch (Krahn)," said Ali.  "But (Klecker) grabbed me."  There's video of the race, so many will be looking at it and making their own judgments, but one suspects that whenever the topic of the 2014 boy's State Championship 1600 is discussed, the fall will be part of the narrative.  If for no other reason than "what if" stories have a tendency to stimulate conversation.