Gopher Women Match Men and Win Eight Titles in Final Indoor Meet at Fieldhouse This Year

The Golden Gopher women's track and field team won eight event titles and honored its seniors at the Parents Day Open on Saturday in their final home meet of the season.

The Gophers’ distance medley relay team of Becca Dyson, senior Heather Brunn, Jamie Vandenberg and Kaitlin Mincke started the day by winning with a meet record time of 11:48.04. Te’Shon Adderley won the 600 meters in 1:33.23. Madison Smith, last year's champion, finished second. Lauren Domski finished ahead of Anne Ferguson and Andie Zeman to win the 800 meters.

Cami Gilson finished third in the pole vault, but first among collegiate competitors. She is now tied for sixth all-time in school history after clearing 12' 10" (3.91m). Missa Varpness won the mile in 4:55.82 after making a late push to pass Ashlie Decker, who finished second. Gophers also dueled for first in the 1,000 meters. Kaitlin Mincke passed Jamie Vandenberg on the final lap to take the title.

In the field events, senior Melissa Flucke won the high jump with her second-best jump of the season, clearing 5' 5.25" (1.66m). Christina DeLakis won the shot put. Bria Halama leaped her second-best triple jump of the season (39' .5") to finish first. The track event schedule took a short break during the meet to recognize Minnesota's senior class. Each senior, accompanied by her parents if they were in attendance, received a plaque with her name and picture on it.

"It was nice to be able to take time to honor our seniors, and to have some of their parents here today," director of women's track/cross country Matt Bingle said. "Now we need to have a good week of practice to prepare for the Big Ten Championships next weekend." Full results are HERE. 

Seniors Honored at the MeetEmily Betz
Alexandra Brackenwagen
Alena Brooks
Heather Brunn
Caitlyn Dongoske
Rachel Edwards
Melissa Flucke
Becca Gusmer
Jeri Johnson-Chambers
Bri Jones
Kelsey Joson
Amy Kubat
Marie Muscala
Caitlin Olson
Paige Orcutt
Kylie Peterson
Kathryn Ritter
Toni Salvatore
Jessica Schmidt
Annie Talajkowski
Bre Valle
Todea-Kay Willis

Leer Fifth in Millrose Two-Mile; Heath Seventh in Wanamaker Mile

At the Millrose Games in NYC Friday night, Will Leer finished fifth in the two mile in 8:21.53.  Bernard Lagat won the race in 8:09.49, an American, Armory, and Millrose record. Garrett Heath finished seventh in the Wanamaker Mile in 3:55.55.  Lopez Lomong won in 3:51.21, also an Armory and Millrose record.

Gopher Men Win Eight Events at Snowshoe Open

Senior Micah Hegerle made his final home meet at the University of Minnesota memorable on Friday night, posting the second-best weight throw in school history to win the event. With a winning toss of 21.84 meters (71' 8".), Hegerle recorded the Gopher men's indoor track and field team's top weight throw of the season - while the senior nearly matched his own school record of 21.95 meters set last season.  The Gophers  finished 1-2-3 in Friday's weight throw with Justin Barber recording a personal record of 20.31 meters  (66'  7.75") to finish second.Quentin Mege placed third at the Snowshoe with a throw of 18.77 meters (61' 7 ".).

 Harun Abda set a University of Minnesota Fieldhouse record of 1:49.68 to his win the 800 meters.  Sam Kettenhofen set a new Snowshoe Open record in the long jump of 7.34 meters (24-01 ft.). Mark Jennings did likewise in the shot put, pacing a 1-through-5 sweep for the Gophers in the event with a Snowshoe Open record setting toss of 17.65 meters (57'11").

Minnesota also won individual titles in the 60-meter dash (Sean King, 6.74), the 600-meter run (Goaner Deng, 1:20.12, edging teammate John Holton in second at 1:20.87), the 3,000-meter run (Derek Storkel, 8:27.49), and the triple jump (Oladipo Fagbemi, 15.21 meters, 49' 11").

In the Devil's Mile, Justin Grunewald outkicked Foley HS's Charlie Lawrence to win in 4:32.91 to 4:33.01 for Lawrence.  Full meet results are HERE.

Parents Day Open Honors Gopher Senior Women

The Parents Day Open is a one-day meet hosted annually by the Minnesota women's team. The day will feature recognition for the  senior class with events beginning at 10 AM.  Full meet information is HERE.

The Big Ten Indoor Championships are quickly approaching. Here is a look at where some of the women rank in the conference.
2. Todea-Kay Willis, long jump, 20-3 3/4
2. Alena Brooks, 800 meters, 2:06.24
3. Alena Brooks, 600 meters, 1:30.39
3. Distance medley relay, 11:28.31
t-5. Kylie Peterson, 60 meters, 7.46
5. Molly Kayfes, 5.000 meters, 16:31.47
5. 4x400-meter relay, 3:42.63
6. Laura Docherty, 5,000 meters, 16:32.35
8. Cami Gilson, pole vault, 12-8 1/4
8. Todea-Kay Willis, 60 meters, 7.50
9. Katie Murgic, pole vault, 12-7 1/2
10. Christina DeLakis, shot put, 49-9 3/4
10. Alena Brooks, 400 meters, 55.06

Snowshoe Open Honors seniors

The Snowshoe Open marks the Gophers men's final home meet of the season with the Big Ten indoor championships next weekend in Geneva, Ohio. The meet begins Friday afternoon at 4 PM.  A brief presentation will honor 15 seniors on as they compete in the final home meet of their careers. 

2013 Senior Class

Harun Abda

Cameron Boy

Kevin Bradley

Travis Burkstrand

Oladipo Fagbemi

Micah Hegerle

John Holton

Nick Hutton

Adam Isakson

Sam Kettenhofen

Sean King

Kevin Lachowitzer

Quentin Mege

Jack Szmanda

Ryan Todhunter

Minnesota will also honor 2012 Big Ten Medal of Honor winner David Pachuta  and have a new event, the Devil's Mile.  Nine participants are set to participate with ages and abilities varying from Masters runner Lance Elliott to Foley High School senior  Charlie Lawrence. Full info on the meet HERE.

Yes/No: Heath in top five in Wanamaker Mile?

Madison Square Garden in New York City had been the illustrious venue for the Millrose Games for nearly a century, playing host to the event from 1914 until 2011.  A move to the nearby Armory didn't dampen the intrigue... the very next year's performances were ones for the record books.

Garret Heath claimed a starring role in the Wanamaker Mile, taking third place with a personal best of 3:55.24 in an ultra-competitive race (8 runners broke 3:58).  Matthew Centrowitz won the race in 3:53.92, the fastest ever mile at the Armory, and Miles Batty set a collegiate record with his second-place time of 3:54.54.

Heath will return in 2013 to face Centrowitz and a field that could boast even more depth than last year.  Let us know how he will fare...

Yes/No: Will Garrett Heath finish in the top five at the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games on Saturday?

The 2013 Wanamaker Mile features three favorites: Matthew Centrowitz, Lopez Lomong and Ryan Gregson.  Bringbackthemile.com sets the field and lists Heath as having the fourth fastest mile-best and the fifth fastest among 1500 personal records.

Other top runners in this race include Robbie Andrews, Ciaran O'Lionaird, Lawi Lalang and Donn Cabral

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 8:45 P.M. CDT, Saturday, February 16th.  Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail.  We will offer a bonus for participants making their 2013 debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for anyone who has not played yet this year.

My Answer:  No

Last week's questions was:  Will Harun Abda finish ahead of Zach Mellon and run sub 1:48:00 in the 800 meters at Iowa State?  The answer was no.  Abda ran 1:49.34 for fourth place while Mellon ran 1:50.92 for seventh.  It was a tough question this week as only five players answered correctly. There are now five players tied for first with four points:  Mike Mason, Dylan Dragswiek, Lori Anne Schwiesow, Toby Hatlevig and Dimitri Drekonja.

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

NSIC 2103 Multi Event Champs

UMD  sophomore Chanel Miller wins NSIC pentathlon title Sunday in Mankato, breaking the school record with 3,776 points.  Duluth News Tribune report HERE. Full results are HERE.

Minnesota State’s Nathan Hancock (So., Independence, Mo.) recorded a school record en route to capturing the men's NSIC heptathlon championship. Hancock’s 5,301 is the third-best mark by a Division II athlete this season and bested his previous automatic qualifying mark of 5,165 points. At the multi championship, Hancock won the long jump with a leap of 6.91-meters and the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:43.37. Hancock also finished in third-place in the pole vault with a vault of 13-07.25, high jump with a mark of 1.99-meters and the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.14. This marks the second time that Hancock has cleared the automatic qualifying standard of 5,158 points. Full results are HERE.

Recap of the week for NSIC competition is HERE. The rest of the NSIC Indoor Championships events begin on February 22 in Mankato.

Beth Alford Sullivan Named Head Coach of US Women's Team for Moscow IAAF World Championships

Hopkins High and Gopher grad Beth Alford-Sullivan, currently the at the Director and Head Coach for Track and XC at Penn State University, received another honor being named the Head Women's Coach for the US team for the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow this summer.  More on that HERE.

MIAC Athletes of the Week/Spotlight

Christian Willman, HamlineHamline  senior Christian Willman (Rosemount, MN) lit up Saturday's 'Meet of the Hearts' at Carleton College. Willman won the 600 in impressive fashion, breaking Hamline's school record as well as the Knights' fieldhouse record while turning in the top time in the MIAC this season, 1:22.67. For his record breaking performance, Willman was named the MIAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week.
 
His winning effort not only re-wrote the record books, but it also helped Hamline amass 179 team points to finish first in the four-team field. He had company, though as less than .4 seconds separating the top three finisherss.  Prior to Saturday's race, no MIAC runner had broken 1:23 in the 600 in 2013.
 
Willman and his Piper teammates have two more competitions on the indoor schedule to prepare for the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, which will be hosted by St. Olaf on February 28 to March 2. This weekend they'll travel to the site of the MIAC meet, with a noon start at St. Olaf on Saturday, and next Friday, Feb. 22, Hamline will be in the field at the Macalester Pre-Conference Meet. That event is scheduled for a 5 PM start.
 

Erik Olson, ConcordiaConcordia senior Erik Olson (Buffalo, MN) rose to new heights over the weekend against Division I competitors at the North Dakota State Bison Open in Fargo, ND. Olson was  seventh in the pole vault, breaking the Cobbers' school record for the second time this season, and finishing behind six Division I vaulters. For his record breaking performance of 4.58m/15' .25" Olson was named the MIAC Men's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week.
 
This new historic performance came just two weeks after Olson cleared 15 feet even to break a 30-year old school record. Olson's performance tied for second among all MIAC men's pole vaulters behind Gustavus' Josh Owens, who has cleared 4.91m.
 
The Cobbers and Olson have two more competitions on the indoor schedule to prepare for the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. This weekend they'll travel to Collegeville as one of four teams in the Saint John's Quadrangular meet, which begins Saturday at 11:30 AM. Next Friday, February 22, Concordia will participate in the Ole Qualifier in Northfield at 5 PM.
 

Erin Statz, St. ThomasSt. Thomas junior  Erin Statz (Lincoln, NB./Pius X) finished second in the 5,000-meter run, recording a PR of 17:10.72,  a time that ranks in the top 10 for NCAA Division III this season. For her performance, Statz was named the MIAC Women's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week.
 
Statz finished second behind teammate Taylor Berg, who won in 17:00.90. The dynamic duo took traded the lead until the final laps, as they pushed the pace in an attempt to achieve national qualifying times. Statz, who was an All-American in cross country in the fall,  has the second fastest time in the MIAC this season behind Berg, and  ranks seventh in NCAA Division III..
 
St. Thomas and Statz have two more competitions on the indoor schedule to prepare for the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. This weekend they'll compete in Saturday's U of M Parent's Day Open, hosted by the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis at 10 AM. Next Friday, Feb. 22, the Tommies will participate in the Ole Qualifier in Northfield at 5 p.m.
 
Shawny Kramer, Hamline
Hamline sophomore thrower Shawny Kramer (Watkins, MN./Eden Valley-Watkins) won the weight throw Saturday at Carleton's 'Meet of the Hearts" setting a new personal record by more than a meter of 17.59m/ 57' 8.5" . This puts her at the top of the MIAC performance list, and in the top three in  NCAA Division III. For her performance, Kramer was named the MIAC Women's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week.
 
Kramer's throw is the second-best mark in Hamline school history, and it ranks first in the MIAC by more than seven feet, and is the top throw by a sophomore in the nation in 2013.
 
Kramer and the Pipers have two more competitions on the indoor schedule to prepare for the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. This weekend they'll compete in Saturday's U of M Parent's Day Open.  Next Friday, February 22, Hamline will be in the field at the Macalester Pre-Conference Meet.  

MIAC Spotlight Athletes
Seth Lage, Concordia College Moorhead
Senior, Football and Track
Pelican Rapids, MN/ Pelican Rapids
Major: Exercise Science, Minor: coaching
 
Why did you choose to be a Division III student-athlete? 
I wanted to have a good education and stay focused about my academics while being able to compete in sports.
 
How do you hope your combined academic and athletic college experience will help you as you pursue future endeavors?
Knowing that all the little things you are the building blocks to greatness.
 
If you could meet any athlete, who would it be and what one question would you ask them? 
Adrian Peterson, how much time did you spend in the off season to become who you are today?
 
What is your greatest sports moment?
Scoring a kickoff return for a touchdown for the Cobbers my senior year, on my first kickoff return.
 
Do you have any pregame/pre-event rituals? If so, what are they?
Gatorade and a candy bar while listening to music
 
What is something that most people do not know about you?
I was hit by a cow at the fair during the summer when I was about 10. I hit my head on the cement. I was knocked out for like five minutes. I could have been blind if I would have hit my head again within a couple weeks.

 
Megan Smith, College of Saint Benedict
Senior, Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field
Lakeville, MN/ Lakeville North
Major: Biology, Minor: Spanish
 
Why did you choose to be a Division III student-athlete? 
 Being a division III athlete allows me to have the best of both worlds. My academics don’t take a back seat to my athletic career. I devote myself to training and competing because I’m passionate about running, not because I have to maintain a scholarship. Competing at the collegiate level is a unique and challenging experience; It’s something I would have missed out on had I chosen a division I school.
 
What has been the greatest part of your collegiate athletic career thus far? 
My team has become my family; we push each other, we struggle together and we triumph together. Everyone is supportive and truly wants the best for one another. My favorite college memories are and will always be with those teammates.
 
What is the greatest lesson you have learned from being a student-athlete? 
Patience. Like running, you’re going to work tirelessly at something, and still finish unsatisfied or disappointed. Things are going to go wrong. But I’ve learned to be patient, work on things I can change and let go of the things I can’t. I’ve learned that success requires dedication, pushing your limits and having faith. Then its patience; one day that amazing race is going to happen and all the work and time you put in will be worth it.
 
What is your most embarrassing sports moment?
Falling over a steeple barrier that wasn’t even the water barrier. It took a few seconds before I registered what happened and got back up. Luckily, very few people saw so it was only embarrassing to me.
 
If you have been involved in community service projects, which project has been the most rewarding and why? 
I worked at an orphanage for young children while I was studying abroad in Chile. I truly felt like I made a difference after just a few months there, providing mental stimulation and a positive role model for the children, something they otherwise lacked. These kids will never experience the childhood I was fortunate enough to have, but if I could make them smile or giggle, I know I improved their day even for just that minute.

USTFCCCA Weekly NCAA Indoor Track Rankings

In this week's USTFCCCA NCAA Division I rankings, the Gopher men fell from eighth to 23rd.  In Division II, Minnesota State Mankato men fell from sixth to seventh, while MSU Moorhead went from 90th to 22nd. In the Division II women's rankings, Winona State stayed at 23rd, while U-Mary rose from 18th to 13th. In Division III, the St. Thomas men fell from fifth to 13th.  The St. Thomas women rose from 37th to 23rd in the rankings.

Anderson to Speak at Fools Five Road Race

Former Gopher All-American and 2012 Olympic Trials competitor Gabriele Anderson will be one of the featured speakers at the Fools Five Road Race in Lewiston, MN, on Sunday, April 7. The 8-kilometer race raises money for cancer research.

The Fools Five is Minnesota-certified 8K race, as well as a 1-mile race. Walkers and wheelchairs are welcome in both distances. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to raise pledges. There will be a live/silent auction event the night before the race. This year is the 35th anniversary of the Fools Five.

Anderson, a cancer survivor, will speak after the race. She last competed for the Gophers in 2010. She finished second in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships after coming back from a battle with adenoid cystic carcinoma. Anderson then beat thyroid cancer prior to competing in the 2012 Olympic Trials, where she finished fourth in the 1,500m.

To register or learn more about the race, please visit foolsfive.org or find the Fools Five page on Facebook.

Want To Run A Mile?

Want to run a mile in Friday's Snowshoe Open on the University of Minnesota's Indoor track?  The Gophers are attempting to put together a "Devil take the Hindmost" event for "citizen runners."  One caveat, you must have run a verified 5 minute and 30 second mile.

Main reason for the cutoff being that this format, if you're not familiar with it, it is not your standard one mile run. Each lap the last runner in the field has to drop out.  Over the eight laps of the mile, seven runners who started won't finish.

First running event starts at 4:30 PM on Friday.  The mile will be early in the program.  If you want to enter, click HERE.  Put in your information and select the Snowshoe Open on the list of events.  That will take you to the page for selecting your event.  Fill in the information and select "Mile" as your event.  Send in your entry.  The top 20 entrants for the event--according to time--gain entry to the race. Any questions, contact Jo Rider at rider003@umn.edu.

Heat sheets and the meet time schedule will be posted on Gophersports.com on the men's track and field page by 10 AM , Thursday, February 14.

RRCA Acquires RunPro Camp, Website

The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) announced today it has acquired the RunPro.com web site (www.RunPro.com) and the RunPro Camp and will operate the two entities as official RRCA programs.

RunPro.com and the RunPro Camp were developed by Team USA Minnesota with the support of a 2010 Excellence Challenge Grant from USATF.  The purpose of the RunPro effort is to be the go-to source that assists promising young distance runners make the transition from collegiate to professional running.

“We are very excited to take the reins from Team USA Minnesota and carry on the great legacy they started with RunPro.com and the RunPro Camp,” said Jean Knaack, RRCA executive director.  “The RRCA has a long history of supporting elite athlete development, including financially supporting athletes going to international events back in the late 1950s, to our Roads Scholar program that has provided nearly $400,000 in grants to emerging elites.”

The web site provides athletes with a comprehensive overview of what it takes and what is involved in becoming a professional distance runner – competing on the track, the roads and in cross country.  The companion three-day camp, scheduled to be held again in mid-July in Arlington, is designed specifically for athletes who are interested in pursuing a professional running career.

“Our goal with the RunPro effort was to attract more talented distance runners to the sport,” said Patricia Goodwin, president and founder of Team USA Minnesota.  “After successfully launching the web site in 2011 and holding the RunPro Camp in Minneapolis that summer, we realized that we didn’t have the time or resources to continue the effort long term.

“We are pleased that RRCA has stepped forward to take RunPro under its wing.  We are confident they will do an excellent job with managing and enhancing the website and the camp, and in turn we will be able to focus all our resources on developing national and international distance runners.”

Weekend Meet Results

Bryan Thell won the weight throw (56 '10.75") and took third in the shot put (48' 4.75") to lead the St Thomas men’s track and field team at Friday’s four-team home competition at Anderson Fieldhouse. No team scores were kept as UST, MSU-Mankato, Augsburg, UW-Eau Claire and some unattached athletes competed.

UST  won the 4x400 relay (3:28.33), Fritz Alt won the 600 (1:25.27), and Doug Thoreson was second in the 400 (49.77). Aba Omot took second in the weight throw (53' 1"), fourth in the shot put (46'11.75") and fourth in the 60 meters (7.23). Cole Boughner took second in the 200 (23.18) and was fifth in the 60 (7.18 prelims). Keaton Wendroth (4:19) and Alex Schroeder (4:23) placed 2-5 in the mile. Dylan Baumann (9:34.77) and Nicholas Jackson (9:36.85) placed 2-3 in the 3,000. Joe Wistrcill placed fourth in the 60 hurdles (8.84). Ben Bridell (1:29.96) and Steven Dorumsgaard (1:30.95) placed 4-5 in the 600. Jordan GodeJohn (20' 7.75"), Nicholas Braunig (20' 7") and Charlie Pechous (20' 6.5") placed 4-5-6 in the long jump.Tommie alum Ben Sathre won the 5,000 (14:26).Click HERE for full results.

University of Wisconsin-River Falls  Invite results with University of Minnesota-Morris, St. Olaf are HERE. Heptathlon results are HERE. Pentathlon results are HERE.

Saint John's won nine events in its 2013 home opener on February. 9. Senior Kevin Horton (Eagan, Minn.) won the 60m (7.18) and the 200m with a time of 22.67, the second-fastest time in the MIAC so far this season. Senior Ruairi Moynihan (Fargo, N.D./South) took first in the mile in 4:23.61, the fifth-fastest time in the conference this season.

Sophomore Jake Lammi (Marine on St. Croix, Minn./Stillwater Area) also recorded the MIAC's fifth-fastest time in the 400m, 51.55. Classmate Chris Mergens (Farmington, Minn./Rosemount) won the 800  (2:03.11) and was part of the Johnnies' first-place, 4x400-meter relay team (3:37.41; with James McLean, Kyle Rossow, Willie Versen).

Senior Tyler Martin (Glencoe, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake) improved last weekend's mark by 0.10 meters in the long jump (6.32m) and classmate Brady O'Brien (Minneapolis, Minn./Holy Angels) won the triple jump with a distance of 12.70m. Junior Patrick Hayden (Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) finished first in the pole vault with a height of 3.97m.

For Macalester Logan Hovie (Fr., Neenah, Wis.) wonn the high jump (1.85 meters) and the Scots picked up second-place finishes from Konnor Fleming (So., Charlotte, Vt. / Champlain Valley Union) in the 200m (22.91), Auburn Jimenez (Jr., East Los Angeles, Calif. / St. John Bosco) in the 3K (9:09.22) andSebastian Roemer (So., Kimberton, Pa. / Kimberton Waldorf) in the 400m (51.81). Fleming added a third-place finish in the 60m(7.35).

The Macalester women at the St. John's / St. Benedict Alumni Meet, competed against teams from St. Ben's, St. Catherine, and Hamline.Shasta Webb (Sr., Los Gatos, Calif) won the 60-meter dash competition (8.21) and placed second in the 200 dash (27.30) to help lead the way.  Macalester had the top two finishes in the 600-meter dash, with Irene Gibson (So., Carmel, Ind.) winning the event (1:43.34) and Marta LeFevre-Levy (Jr., Wayland, Mass.) finishing runner-up (1:44.65). Emily Diener (So., Duluth, Minn. / Marshall) won the 400m(1:04.50).

Stephanie Goei (So., Shoreline, Wash. / Shorewood) established a Mac school record when she placed second in the weight throw (14.02m / 46') and also took fourth in the shot put (10.28m / 33' 8.75"). Macalester's 4x400-meter relay team ran won in 4:16.17. Kate Rochat (Sr., Portland, Ore. / Cleveland) took third in the 60m (8.52) and Ellen Brady (So., St. Paul, Minn. / Minneapolis De La Salle) placed third in the 800m (2:38.27).  In the 60m hurdles, Judy Syrkin-Nikolau (So., Ames, Ia.) was third (10.22) and Simone Carpenter (So., Dedham, Mass) was fourth (10.31).

Full results are HERE.

Gopher Mens' Weekend Results

Jon Lehman notched the second longest throw in Minnesota men’s indoor track and field history and the third best throw in the nation this year, 21.46m/ 70' 5", to win the individual title in the weight throw at the 2013 SPIRE Division I Track and Field Invitational on Saturday in Geneva, Ohio.

“Our weight throwers are really rounding into form, and I'm pleased with where we are with a few weeks to go,” Gophers assistant coach Lynden Reder said. “Our goal every year is to be ready to throw our best marks at the Big Ten Championship and then on from there at the NCAA Championships. I believe we're on track to do that with this group.”

Justin Barber set a personal record with a throw of 20.54m /67' 4.75 ") to finish fourth in the weight throw, while Micah Hegerle and Quentin Mege both set new season bests of 20.51m/67' 3.5") and 19.04m/62'  5.75" to finish fifth and tenth, respectively. Mark Jennings finished ninth in the shot put with a toss of 17.41m /57' 1.5". SPIRE results are HERE. 

Iowa State Classic Recap

Minnesota’s 4x400 meter relay team of John Holton, Goaner Deng, Harun Abda and Cameron Boy ran a season-best time of 3:09.59 to beat runner-up Wisconsin by just under a second. Deng also set a new personal best of 47.89 winning the 400m dash on Friday. It is the eighth fastest time in school history (fastest this year).

Oladipo Fagbemi won the triple jump and Sam Kettenhofen the long jump. Fagbemi  jumped 15.29m/50' 2".),  a season-best that ranks ninth all-time at Minnesota. The senior also finished as the runner-up  to Kettenhofen in the long jump with a personal record of 7.30m/23'11.", tied for tenth on all-time list. Kettenhofen's winning jump was 7.32m/24' 25," a personal best taht is ninth best performance in Gophers' indoor history. Sean King(21.67) and Boy(21.26) had PRs in the 200m, as did Zach Siegmeier(fourth, 16'9.25") and Adam Isakson(fifth, 16'3.25") in the pole vault. King, a senior, also ran the second fastest 60-meter dash in school history of 6.70 seconds during Friday’s preliminaries before finishing second in Saturday’s finals. Full ISC results are HERE.

Husky Classic Results

A group of Gopher middle distance men traveled to Seattle to run in the Husky Invitational. Frosh red shirt Alex Brend  won his heat in 4:07. 21, a PR. Junior Bobby Nicolls was second in his heat in 4:07.32. Senior Nick Hutton was second in his heat in 4:00.15(a PR and second fastest time all-time) behind former Gopher Ben Blankenship, who ran 3:58.66. Senior Travis Burkstrand was second in his heat of the 800 in 1:49.2, and John Simons was seventh in the 3K in 7:58.50.  Full meet results are HERE.

ISC Saturday Women's Results

The University of Minnesota women turned in several career and season bests on the final day of the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa on Saturday. Kylie Peterson won one event, Todea-Kay Willis finished second in two and the 4x400-meter relay team finished second to close the afternoon.

Peterson and Willis took the top two slots in the 60-meter dash. Peterson won in 7.46, just .01 seconds off her personal best, which ranks third in school history. Willis ran 7.53, broke 20 feet for the first time this season in the long jump setting a  new indoor PR of 20-3 3/4 (6.19m) while finishing second behind Nebraska-Omaha's Sami Spenner (20-5 1/4). Willis still ranks second in Minnesota history in the indoor long jump and holds the outdoor record.

The 4x400-meter relay team of Megan Geyen, Te'Shon Adderley, Jessica Waldvogel and Alena Brooks capped off the meet with a second-place finish. The quartet's time of 3:42.63 was the fastest by a Gopher 4x400 since 2010, and the fourth-best in school history. Iowa State won in 3:41.10.

Adderley ran the 600m in addition to the 4x400. She broke Brooks' school record in the event, finishing second in 1:21.65. Brooks and Geyen each ran two 400s today. Brooks made her season debut in the open 400, finishing fifth in 55.06. Geyen finished seventh with her best time of the season, 55.55, and moved up to eighth on the Gophers' all-time list.

For the second week in a row, Molly Kayfes and Laura Docherty impressed in the longer distance events. Both posted personal bests and Minnesota top-10 times in the 5K. Kayfes (16:31.47, # 4 all-time) and Docherty (16:32.35, #6 all-time) finished sixth and seventh, respectively. In the 3K, Katie Moraczewski posted a season-best time of 9:45.81.

Maggie Bollig and Becca Dyson turned in Minnesota's best two mile times this season. Bollig's personal-best of 4:47.51  placed fourth. Dyson (4:52.24) came in fifth with her fastest time of the season. 

"It was a good positive weekend," director of track and field/cross country Matt Bingle said. "I was pleased with everybody this week. From the Notre Dame meet to now, I've seen lots of improvement. We need to fine tune some things before Big Tens, but we're coming together, and I like where the team is at right now."

Minnesota will host the Parents Day Open on Saturday, Feb. 16. Then the Gophers will travel to Geneva, Ohio, for the Big Ten Indoor Championships Feb. 22-23. 

Full women's results are HERE.

Gopher ISC Results

 Gopher men's redshirt freshman Goaner Deng set a new personal record while winning the 400m in 47.89  at the Iowa State Classic on Friday. Deng's time was the fastest in the event by a Gopher this season and the eighth fastest time in school history.

Sean King finished ran the top prelim time in the 60 m,  6.70 . The senior's performance just missed his personal record of 6.68 seconds (set at this year's Bill Bergan Invitational) and ranks as the school's third best time ever. The Gophers  Michael Bolland finished fourth in the 800m unseeded final  in 1:53.12, a new PR. Friday men's results are HERE.

For the women, the competition started on Thursday with the Pentathlon, and Friday's non-sseded events. All six Minnesota runners in the non-seeded 3,000-meter race achieved PRs. Liz Berkholtz won in 9:45.82, leading most of the way. Missa Varpness (9:48.14) and Kelli Budd (9:53.45) came in third and fourth, while Kaila Urick (9:54.51) finished seventh. Kate Bucknam and Hannah Trasser also recorded PRs.

Kylie Peterson and Todea-Kay Willis posted the top two preliminary times in the 60m, each running 7.55.

In the weight throw, Jeri Johnson-Chambers tied her PR and Minnesota’s sixth-best all-time mark with a toss of 57-7 3/4 (17.57m) to finish third. Alex Beckman and Amanda Beckman finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the pentathlon. 

“Some of our young people did really good things today,” director of track and field/cross country Matt Bingle said. “The 3K was good, and it was good to see Liz Berkholtz have a breakthrough as a freshman. Kylie and TK looked good in the 60, and I’m looking forward to seeing them run tomorrow.” Results by event are HERE. 

News bits

Proctor's Matt Welch will be a Gopher.  Northland's News Center story is HERE.

Minnesota Daily article on sprinter Sean King is HERE.

Duluth News Tribune news bit on St. Scholastica's  Justin Hanson is HERE.

Valentine's Day TC 5K is Saturday morning, more info HERE.

Registration for Garry Bjorklund Half begins on Monday, February 11, ends February 22, more info HERE.

Yes/No: Abda vs. Mellon at Iowa State

The Gopher Men's team, currently ranked eighth in the nation and second in the Midwest, will prepare for the upcoming Big Ten Conference Meet by participating in a meet at Iowa State University this weekend.  The event boasts a 300 meter track widely considered one of the fastest in the area, a reputation that attracts many top local athletes.

Harun Abda is currently ranked sixth in the nation at 800 meters with a 1:48.44 clocking.  Abda will face Edward Kemboi who beat Abda recently running 1:47.  Another familiar competitor will be Buffalo, Minnesota's Zach Mellon now running at the University of Wisconsin.

Yes/No: Will Harun Abda finish ahead of Zach Mellon and run sub 1:48:00 in the 800 meters at Iowa State? 

For the purpose of this contest, if Abda or Mellon drop out or scratch, the other will be considered the winner.  If they are not in the same heat, we will go by time.

Harun Abda and Zach Mellon waged epic battles while in high school.  Mellon graduated from Buffalo with two State Championships and the All-Time Minnesota Record in the 800 meters - 1:48.64.  He won the 800 title as a sophomore and junior before being upset as a senior by Harun Abda.  Abda ran 1:50.74 and won the title in 2009.  That time is the fifth fastest ever in Minnesota high school, directly behind Steve Holman.

While Zach Mellon had the more impressive high school career, Abda has definitely flourished in college.  Mellon was an All-American in 2010 indoor and has run 1:47.45 indoors as well as 3:46.20 for 1500 and 4:03.38 in the mile.  Abda has six All-American certificates to his name.  He has run 1:15.86 for 600, 1:46.97 for 800 indoors and competed in the Olympic Trials in the 800 in 2012.

Iowa State heat sheets are posted HERE.

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 1:30 P.M. CDT, Saturday, February 9th.  Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail.  We will offer a bonus for participants making their 2013 debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for anyone who has not played yet this year.

My Answer:  Yes

Last week's questions was:  Will there be any local athletes among the top ten finishers at the USA Cross Country Championships on Saturday?  The answer was yes.  Elliot Heath finished fourth and qualified for the worlds team.  On the women's side, Jamie Cheever was tenth.  Thirty-four players answered correctly and we are now down to two folks that have a perfect four points.  These are the perfect two:  Toby Hatlevig and Dimitri Drekonja.

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

Signing Day

Tuesday was "Signing Day" for high school senior athletes heading to college on scholarship.  Not everybody makes a firm commitment on the day and not every program announces who it has signed, so below is a partial listing of who is going where.
Women
University of Minnesota
Danielle Anderson, Alex Flucke, Allie Heifort, Nicolle Murphy, Tess Wasowicz(biographical info on each is HERE.)
Minnesota State Mankato
Kaija Crow
University of Virginia
Maria Hauger
South Dakota State
Marissa Shady
North Dakota State
Taylor Janssen
Arizona State
Maggie Ewen

Drake
Sammy Nielson
St. Cloud State
Jordan Yira
Northern Illinois
Crissy Monson
Taylor Perkins
Southwest Minnesota State U
Chelsea Schlegel
Northern State
Dakotah Bullen

Men
University of Minnesota
Matt Welch
Charlie Lawrence
Jordan Charles
Nate Roese
Brad Woodford
Brad Johnson
Trent Daniels
Wayde Hall
Eric Colvin
University of Oregon
Jake Leingang
University of Wisconsin
Ryan Kromer
South Dakota State
Brendan Sage
Carlton
Zach Edinburgh
Iowa
CJ Janu
Wake Forest
Grant Krieger

News bits

US team at the meet in Glasgow.  Amanda Smock is
second from the right on the bottom row,
next to Bernard Lagat.
Photo courtesy of USATF

Some "old news"--Amanda Smock was part of the US team that competed in Glasgow, Scotland on January 26 in the British Athletics International Match(Five Nations Meet).

The US team finished fifth in the competition won by the British team.  Full results are HERE.  Smock finished fourth in her first competition of 2013.  Triple jump results are HERE.   Smock wrote on her Twitter page; "Not too impressed with my 13.48m today...but I busted off the rust and got the TJ juices flowing!"

She's been preparing for the year with trips for "warm weather" training in San Diego.

Post Houston interview with Andrew Carlson by Carrie Tollefson is HERE.

In other news, Minneapolis is considering a bid for the 2024 Olympics.  Lots of "hoops" to jump through before this becomes anything more than an idea.  The key hurdle being USOC backing for a host US city.  MSP Business Journal article on the process HERE.

USTFCCCA Rankings

The Minnesota State Mankato men's team rose from ninth to sixth place in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division II rankings this week.  For the women U-Mary fell from 8th to 18th,  while Winona State rose from 26th to 23rd.

In Division I, the Gopher men switched places again with Indiana, as the Hoosiers rose to seventh while Minnesota fell to eighth.

In Division III, St. Thomas' men's team stayed in fifth place. St. Olaf 's women moved up one spot to 18th.

USATF-MN Athletes of the Month: Alena Brooks Big Ten Athlete of Week; Dunne gets HM

The Minnesota Association of USA Track & Field ihas named  Jon Lehman and Ladia Albertson-Junkans as USATF Minnesota’s Athletes of the Month for January 2013.

Lehman, a junior at the University of Minnesota (Coon Rapids High School) currently sits fourth in NCAA Division-I rankings in the weight throw at 20.74 meters (68 feet, 0.5 inches). He achieved this throw en route to winning the Northwest Open at the University of Minnesota January 12. Lehman also won the event at the University of Minnesota’s Jack Johnson Invitational January 19 with a throw of 20.26 meters (66 feet, 5.5 inches).

Albertson-Junkans, of Team USA Minnesota, finished seventh at the Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Meet January 5, covering the 6-kilometer course in 21:08. The former state cross-country champion from Stillwater was the top finisher of five Minnesotans who represented the United States in Scotland, and was the second finisher on the United States’ contingent that finished second at the meet.

Alena Brooks. Photo courtesy
of University of MN

                                      *********

Alena Brooks has been named Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Week.. Brooks finished second in the 800 meters at the Meyo Invitational this past weekend  behind Olympian Geena Gall with a personal record time of 2:06.24. Brooks now ranks second on Minnesota’s womens' all-time performers list, behind Heather Kampf. Brooks also ran on the Gophers’ winning distance medley relay team at Meyo.

She is the first Gopher honored as Big Ten Indoor Athlete of the Week  since Samantha Sonnenberg was named Indoor Field Athlete of the Week in February 2011. The last Minnesota runner to earn Indoor Track Athlete of the Week was Kampf in January 2009.
                                        **********

Maxwell Dunne. Photo courtesy of St. Thomas

Maxwell Dunne, a multi event performer for St. Thomas was selected as Honorable Mention for this week's USTFCCCA  NCAA Division III national athletes of the week.

MIAC Athlete Spotlight--Dream Job either PT for Pro Athletes or Killer Whale Trainer

Kendra Coleman, College of Saint Benedict
Junior, Women’s Volleyball and Track and Field
Pelican Rapids
Major: Biology

Why did you choose to be a Division III student-athlete? 
It was really important to me that education comes first.  I thought that Division III would be a great fit for me because it really emphasizes the student aspect of student-athlete.  Division III also provides the opportunity to compete at a high level in the sports that I wished to pursue, and also offered the opportunity for me to compete in more than one sport.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned from being a student-athlete?
The greatest lesson I have learned from being a student-athlete is that in order to be a part of a team, you need to focus on the task at hand and prioritize your thoughts.  When at practice or at a game or meet, the mind needs to be clear of all worries and thoughts in order to focus on competing at the highest level possible.  When this is done, you can be sure to perform at your best.  The same goes for school work.  When writing a paper or studying for a test, you need to get rid of all distracting thoughts in order to do your best work.

Who has been the most influential person in your athletic career?
The most influential person in my athletic career would have to be my mom, who was my coach in high school.  She taught me to be tough and to stand tall in the face of adversity.  She taught me that hard work can go a long ways and will always pay off in the end.  My mom has always been there through my triumphs and heartbreaks, and never fails to tell me when I need to ‘suck it up and play’.   She tries to make it to every game or meet that I compete in, and I love to look in the stands and see her there cheering me on. The greatest lesson my mom taught me is that no matter what, follow your dreams and know you can achieve them, no matter what anyone else says.  Being from a small town, it was a long shot that I would get to be a collegiate athlete, but in following my mom’s advice, I am now a part of not one, but two collegiate teams and am successful in both. 

How would your teammates describe you?
I think they would describe me as driven, aggressive, intense, silly, strong, happy and fun-loving.

What is your dream job? 
A Physical Therapist for professional athletes…..or a Killer whale trainer at SeaWorld

If you have been involved in community service projects, which project has been the most rewarding and why? 
The most rewarding community service project that I have been involved with is Red Cross’ Day of Caring.  We took a day to go around the community to see if anyone needed help with any yard work or other household chores that they may not be able to do.  Through this project I was able to meet so many interesting people from my community and even gained some new friendships.  By helping those in need, I felt gratification for doing something good for my community, as well as the joy of meeting wonderful new people that I would never have met if it were not for this project.

Gopher Weekend Track Results

The University of Minnesota women achieved three all-time top-ten performances during the final day at the Meyo Invitational in South Bend, IN on Saturday.

Alena Brooks finished second in the 800 meters in 2:06.24, the second-fastest time in school history. She finished behind only an Olympian, Geena Gall, and trails only Heather (Dorniden) Kampf  in the Minnesota record books. Freshman Te'Shon Adderley also made the Gophers' top ten list, finishing fourth in 2:08.60, good for eighth all-time.

Another pair of impressive races came in the 3K. Laura Docherty finished second in 9:28.45, the sixth fastest time in Minnesota history. Docherty was about three seconds behind Michigan's Amanda Eccleston. Molly Kayfes finished third  in 9:32.02.Other top performances came from Kylie Peterson, who  finished third (7.56) in the 60m dash,  and Megan Geyen posted a season-best time of 56.14 in the 400m 

"Our 800 and 3K runners raced well today," director of track and field/cross country Matt Binglesaid. "It was a good weekend overall. We had some good developmental breakthroughs. We have to turn around quickly for Iowa State next weekend and be ready to perform at a high level. We've had good practices, and we need to carry that over into competition."

On Friday, the opening day of the meet, the distance medley relay team of Becca Dyson, Alena Brooks, Te'Shon Adderley and Maggie Bollig won with a time of 11:28.31. Adderley's 800m split was 2:08.Melissa Flucke posted her best mark of the season, clearing 5-6 (1.68m) in the high jump to tie for eighth. Katie Murgicalso had a season best, finishing fourth in pole vault with a leap of 12'7 1/2" (3.85m). Cami Gilson tied for seventh (3.70m). Todea-Kay Willis finished fourth in the long jump at 19'5 1/2" (5.93m). Liz Berkholtz finished ninth in her first 5K as a Gopher (16:57.16).

Full Meyo results are HERE. Minnesota Daily article on Gopher women and the mile is HERE. 

Men

In a pair of regional meets this weekend, the Minnesota men’s field eventers won one individual event title at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, NB., and the Thundering Herd Classic in Fargo, ND.

The Gophers opened the Nebraska meet with three of the top six performances in Friday’s weight throw including Jon Lehman’s winning throw of 20.79 meters – the fourth best throw in the nation this season (second in the Big Ten) and a match for Lehman’s personal record. Micah Hegerle finished fourth in the event with a throw of 20.15 meters – the senior’s top throw so far this season. Sophomore Justin Barber also recorded a personal best on Friday, with a throw of 19.43 meters to finish sixth while Quentin Mege came in 12th with a throw of 18.09 meters.

The Gophers’ three-man contingency of pole vault competitors in Fargo finished third, fourth and sixth with Jack Szmanda leading the squad with a vault of 5.05 meters. Zach Siegmeier finished one spot behind his teammate in a tie for fourth at 4.90 meters while Adam Isakson came in sixth.

Meanwhile in Lincoln, the Gophers closed out the weekend with four competitors in the shot put. Luke Johnson, who picked up his first collegiate title last weekend in the shot put at the St. Thomas Showcase, paced the Gophers with ninth-place finish at 16.89 meters – a personal record for the redshirt freshman. Mark Jennings finished 11th in the shot put at 16.81 meters while Emmanuel Onyia and Logan Hussung rounded out the Gophers’ performances on Saturday in 13th (16.70 meters) and 21st (15.42 meters), respectively.

Full results for Fargo meet are HERE.  Nebraska meet results are HERE.


Minnesota Daily story is HERE.

Minnesota Milers Light Up Boston

Three milers with Minnesota ties ran well at the New Balance Grand Prix meet in Boston on Saturday.  First, Lance Elliott of Edina finished third in the men's Masters Mile in 4:26.29.  Then, in a race where the top five finished within .75 seconds of each other, Team USA Minnesota's Heather Kampf was fifth in 4:39.99.  Finally, Minnetonka HS grad Will Leer finished second in the men's mile in 3:56.35, .09 seconds behind winner Matt Centrowitz.

Elliott Heath's older brother, Garrett Heath, duplicated Elliott's  fourth place finish in the USATF XC Championships in the 3K at Boston, running 7:53.69.

Heath, Mead, and Peterson Finish in Top 25 in Men's Race; Cheever Leads Three Team USA Minnesota Women Top 20 Finishes at USATF XC Champs

Former Winona High School standout Elliott Heath finished fourth, former Gopher Hassan Mead finished 13th,  and Team USA Minnesota's Jon Peterson was 22nd at the USATF Championships in St. Louis on Saturday.  Heath ran 35:56.1, Mead 36:37.1, and Peterson 36:56.3. By finishing in the top six, Heath earned a spot on the US team for the IAAF World Championships in March in Poland. Full men's results are HERE. 2K race splits are HERE.

Team USA Minnesota's Jamie Cheever finished tenth in the women's race in 27:20.7.  Teammates Meghan Peyton(13th, 27:26.5) ) and Ladia Albertson-Junkans(20th, 28:00)finished in the top 20.  Twin Cities Track Club's Stephanie Price was 40th in 29:32.5.  Full women's results are HERE. Women's split times are HERE.

More News Bits

The Mankato Marathon announced that  Kathrine Switzer will be the keynote speaker for the Speaker Series on Saturday, October 19, 2013. The title of her speech is "Men, Women and the Marathon; Running Away Together." Her talk, as she says, is "not about running but changing people's lives."

Switzer has run 39 marathons including her win at the New York City Marathon in 1974, she is also an advocate for sports equality for women. Switzer created the Avon International Running Circuit of women's only races in 27 countries beginning in 1978. The global impact of this series was influential on the inclusion of the first women's marathon in the 1984 Olympics. Switzer is also an Emmy award-winning TV commentator, and an author of three books including her memoir, Marathon Woman.

The Speaker Series will be held at Myers Field House on the Minnesota State University Mankato Campus from 3 to 7 PM. Find out more about Kathrine Switzer at KathrineSwitzer.com or MarathonWoman.com.
To find out more about Switzer and the Speaker Series or to register online for any of the 2013 Mankato Marathon races, visit MankatoMarathon.com.

Bring Back the Mile
The Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013 opens on Saturday, February 2 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston and at the Camel City Indoor Mile, part of the Hilton Garden Innvitational collegiate track meet in Winston-Salem, NC. The 13-race circuit includes two races in Minnesota--The Medtronic TC One Mile on May 9 and the Grandma's Minnesota Mile on September 8.

“From Boston to Santa Barbara and stops in-between, the Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013 will provide an excellent platform to further promote the distance that Americans ‘get’ and love,” said BBTM Founder Ryan Lamppa. “Each event on the tour will engage and entertain runners of all ages and abilities, the media, fans and the general public, and we welcome and thank all the inaugural tour events."

Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013
New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Boston, MA February 2
Camel City Indoor Mile, Winston-Salem, NC, February 2
106th Millrose Games: NYRR Wanamaker Mile, NY, NY, February 16
Tri-Cities Track Classic: Ray Flynn Mile, Johnson City, TN, April 20
Medtronic TC 1 Mile, Minneapolis, MN, May 9
Big River Festival of Miles, St. Louis, MO, May 30
Platinum Performance State Street Mile, Santa Barbara, CA, June 2
Footloose Freedom Mile, Mammoth Lakes, CA, July 4
DC Road Runners 1 Mile Track Championships, Arlington, VA, July 24
Ryan Shay Mile, Charlevoix, MI, July 27
GNC Live Well Liberty Mile, Pittsburgh, PA, August 9
Falmouth Mile, Falmouth, MA, August 10
Grandma's Minnesota Mile, Duluth, MN, September 8
Evening with a Miler Gala, Santa Barbara, CA, Fall 2013

Elliott Heath
RunnerSpace interview with Elliott Heath is HERE.

Kids Rule Fieldhouse Run

Hundreds of Twin Cities-area kids will race around the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse track at the TC Kids Fieldhouse Fun Run, hosted by Twin Cities In Motion, on Saturday, February 2 starting at 9:00 AM.  The annual event is an opportunity for youngsters grade K-8 to compete on the same track where Big Ten champions, All-Americans, and Olympians train and race.

Last year, more than 600 kids competed in One Mile, Half Mile and Relay races at the event. Harry and Shelly, TCM’s tortoise and hare mascots, will also get in on the action.

What:              TC Kids Fieldhouse Fun Run

Who:               Hundreds of active kids grade K-8

Where:            University of Minnesota Fieldhouse, Minneapolis

                        1800 University Avenue SE, Minneapolis

When:             Saturday, February 2, 2013, starting at 9:00 AM.

Web:               https://www.tcmevents.org/events/tc_kids_fieldhouse_fun_run/