Yes/No: Jeremy Drenckhahn at the Stanford Invitational

The Stanford Invitational is the first chance for many atheletes to run fast in the outdoor season.  This meet is known for producing ultra-quick times, and athletes journey to Palo Alto from all areas of the country—including Minnesota.

One track team sending athletes to Stanford this week is Air Force Academy.  In recent years, their Minnesota connection was Baxter native Justin Tyner, who graduated as the indoor and outdoor school record holder at 5k.  Taking up the mantle from Tyner is Jeremy Drenckhahn, a Wayzata State Champion and currently the Cadet class record holder in the 10k as both a sophomore and junior.

Drenckhahn, now a senior, is entered in the 10k and 5k at Stanford (although it's a good bet he will only run one race).  Let us know how fast he will run...

Yes/No: Will Jeremy Drenckhahn run faster than 14:05 for 5k or 29:40 for 10k at the Stanford Invitational on Friday?

Drenckhahn has personal records of 29:30 and 13:59.  So far in 2013, Drenckhahn has a 14:12 5k to his name indoors.

In High School, Drenckhahn was a Track State Champion at 3200 meters.  In Cross Country he finished 12th and 10th individually at State as a junior and senior, leading his team to the team title both years. He was recently awarded the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.  You can read more about that HERE. You can also read Jeremy's bio on the Air Force Athletics site and, among other things, learn that his nickname is "Gumdrop." Bio is HERE.

Stanford Invitation entries (and heat sheets, when they are posted) will be 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 9:45 P.M. CDT, Friday, March 29th.  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 question was: Will Run N Fun win at least four team races (out of the six categories) at the Irish Run Saint Paul?  The answer was yes - Run N Fun won exactly four categories (Women's Open, Women's Masters, Men's Open and Men's Masters).  Twelve players answered correctly this week including the overall leader - Dimitri Drekonja.

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

USTFCCCA Rankings

Minnesota State Mankato men are ranked 13th in the USTFCCCA DII pre-season poll.  The U-Mary women are ranked sixth and Winona State is 24th. DII Rankings are HERE.

In DIII the St. Thomas women are ranked tenth.  Rankings are HERE.

Defending Champs Back for Medtronic TC Mile

Though the calendar says it's Spring, it doesn't feel like it yet with all those white piles of winter leftovers still adorning our yards.  But the temperatures are getting back to normal, and the ice is finally melting, and there is another sign of the change in seasons on the horizon.  Yesterday Twin Cities in Motion announced that defending champs, Heather Kampf and University of Wisconsin alumnus Craig Miller, will return to downtown Minneapolis to defend their Medtronic TC Mile titles and race for a pair of $10,000 course record bonuses on Thursday, May 9.

The event has attracted more than 3,000 runners to Nicollet Mall for a full evening of racing culminating with the professional runners competing for $25,000 in prize money.  A festive Nicollet Mall atmosphere – where Minnesotans enjoy the downtown nightlife while cheering runners along the route – makes the Medtronic TC  Mile a unique event on the Minnesota and national running calendar.

Last year, Kampf, a Rosemount native who trains with Team USA Minnesota, outran the Medtronic TC  Mile field for her first victory in 4:36.9 while running in the shadow of Minneapolis’ skyscrapers. Later in the summer she placed seventh in the US Olympic Trials 800.  In the men’s race, Miller ran 4:04.3 against a stiff headwind to claim his first Medtronic TC Mile title after finishing third in 2011.  Miller,  has a 3:56.41 personal best in the mile, and finished eighth in the Olympic Trials 1500 last year.

“Heather and Craig were great champions last year and we’re thrilled to have them signed up to run with us again this year,” Twin Cities In Motion Executive Director Virginia Brophy Achman said.  “I’m confident both of them can make a run at the $10,000 course record bonuses, although I know we’re building strong fields to compete against each of them too!”

The men’s course record is 3:58.4 set by three-time Medtronic TC Mile champion David Torrence in 2011.  The women’s CR of 4:30.8 was established by Sara Hall also in 2011.  This year’s race winners will pocket $5,000 each.  In the coming weeks, Twin Cities In Motion will note additions to the field and make other announcements about the professional races via its Twitter feed, @tcmarathon, or with additional media releases.

The races start at 6:50 p.m. CDT and culminate with the professional races at 7:53 PM. (women) and 8:03 PM  (men).

USA Masters Championships Addendum

By Tom Langenfeld
We've discovered that we missed two medalists at last weekend's USA Masters Indoor Championships. The M30 pole vault was won by David Lindenberg of Minneapolis at 4.40m/14' 5.25”.  In the M35 vault,   Jamie Steffen, Louisville, was second with 4.10m/13' 5.25”. That brings the Minnesota medal total to 13.

Amanda Smock Jumping Ahead

Amanda Smock winning the USATF Indoor TJ title.
Photo courtesy of Randy Miyazaki

Amanda Smock defended her national title at the USATF Indoor Track Championships to keep the momentum going from her Olympic year in 2012.  Her USATF Foundation grant was recently renewed and she's taking aim at making the team for the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow, as well as the American Record in the triple jump.  She talks about the indoor champs and the year ahead below:

Down the Backstretch:  Another national championship.  Do you approach nationals like any other meet or does it have a different feel?  Once you’ve won multiple national titles does the feeling shift from wanting to win it to not wanting to lose it 

Amanda Smock: I approached the National meet pretty similarly to any other meet, the goal was primarily to jump technically well and come out with the win. It’s a good feeling to enter the meet as the reigning national champion, only because it hosts a sense of accomplishment, aside from that, the feeling of ‘wanting to win’ holds a stronger force over ‘not wanting to lose.’ 

DtB:  For a runner there is no shortage of opportunities to compete, but not every meet has a triple jump, especially indoors.  Does that complicate things, especially if you have to hit a qualifying standard?  Does it influence how you train, when you try and peak? 

AS: Thankfully, I hadn’t planned on competing much this indoor season, so the lack of opportunities didn’t affect me. I do struggle with this issue during the outdoor season though. I guess it just forces me to embrace every jump of competition. 

DtB:  Are you one who thrives on the competition in meets or do you enjoy the training and preparing to compete and it doesn’t matter how often you compete?

AS: I’ve come full circle on this. I definitely used to be an athlete who only wanted to compete, and do it as often as possible. Unfortunately, for a triple jumper, this is a perfect recipe for injury. I still really love to compete, and do thrive on competitions, but I have also come to really enjoy the training process.

DtB:  You’ve noted that Mt. SAC and the Drake Relays are on your outdoor schedule.  Any others you are looking at aside from nationals? 

AS: I’ve actually had a change to this schedule and am now going to open up my outdoor season at the Kansas Relays. I am really excited about the meet, I’ll get to jump against a KU jumper who is currently having a great season. I’ll follow that up with the Drake Relays, a World Challenge meet in Puerto Rico, and then the Prefontaine Classic.

DtB:  You’ve been to the Olympics now.  Have soaked in that atmosphere and have seen what it’s like at the top.  What did you learn from the experience?  About what you still want to do in the sport?

AS: Competing at the Olympics was incredible, and for a long time, the goal had been “to get there”. I didn’t perform as well as I would’ve liked to in those three jumps and that left me with a huge unfulfilled performance hole. While competing on that stage was great, I know there is more in me and that is what I am after in this season.

DtB: You’ve been referring to San Diego as your “second home.”  How valuable is it to be able to get outdoors during the winter months to train?  Obviously you could still train indoors and succeed, but is the time in “the tropics” something of an experiment to see if it does make a difference in your training, your ability to get more out of yourself this year?

AS: The greatest value in training in San Diego is being able to train with my coach, Jeremy Fischer; the warm weather and access to the Olympic Training center are added bonuses. I’ve been happy with the success I’ve had in previous seasons training remotely from a coach and indoors for a big portion of the season, but in approaching this season, I wanted to shake things up and try some different things.

DtB:   Do you have specific goals for this year aside from making the US team for Worlds?  A specific goal in terms of performance(PR or a particular “barrier” you want to break)? 

AS: Making the US World Team is a goal of the season. The World “A” standard is 14.40m, so achieving this distance would be a PR, another goal. The distance also happens to fall just 5cm short of the American Record…So why not tack on a few extra centimeters and just chase that distance, right?

Joe Moore Talks About His US Team Experience, Irish Run 8K Win

Joe Moore at the NACAC in Jamaica
Photo courtesy of Mike Scott

 The Twin Cities Track Club's Joe Moore had a breakthrough in the Fall qualifying to compete on the US team that went to Scotland and won the team title there, and the NACAC Meet in Jamaica where the US once again took the men's team title.  All this after he took a couple-month, cross-country trailer trip for his shoe company sponsor Karhu.  After some time off to recharge the batteries he jumped into the Irish Run 8K  on Sunday and won.  Below he talks about those experiences and what's ahead for the summer of 2013.

Down the Backstretch:  You had a long Fall and Winter season with the US team opportunities taking you to Scotland and Jamaica.  What did you learn and/or what sticks out from those experiences?

Joe Moore: I learned a little about USATF and how much work they put into sending people around the world to compete.  They get a bad rap a lot of the time, but I think they do a really good job.  I also was reminded that cross country is the best team sport there is.  I hadn't raced on a team for years, but we came together (in both races) and pulled out the win.  It was an amazing feeling to race in the USA jersey and I really hope I can earn it again.

DtB:  Mike Reneau said you told him about the NACAC race where one of the Canadian coaches “said too much,” i.e. his comments late in the race to one of the Canadian runners who was ahead of you at that point that he had to hold his position for Canada to win the team title.  What were your thoughts as this was happening?  Take us through the moments that ultimately decided the team race there.

JM: I was having a pretty terrible race up until that point.  When we had seen who Canada had sent for the race, we were all a little taken aback.  I was really worried that we'd get beat. Canada was definitely the favorite in most people's eyes (Letsrun.com). I knew I was hanging on by a thread after a long season of racing, but I figured I could suck it up one more time. 

The Canadians had brought several coaches along too, and they all over the place cheering for their runners.  In that instance however, when I heard the coach tell his runner that he needed to stay in front of "the US guy" to give them the win,  I knew it was time to pounce.  What better time that when he was realizing that it was up to him to not lose the race. 

I went past him hard and held it.  The last 2k was one of the most painful experiences of my running career.  Every time I went around a turn I tried to make a serious face, not revealing my complete anguish. I actually managed to catch another Canadian (Simon Bairu - formerly of the Univeristy of Wisconsin) and seal the deal.  I was even more excited when I found out that Craig Forys had outkicked Cam Levins for the win. 

DtB:  You took some “time off” after the XC internationals.  How important is that in the overall picture, knowing when to “chill out” for awhile, instead of going after it all the time?  How do you recognize when it’s time to back off?

JM: I always benefit from some down time.  That fall season became longer than I'd planned, so I was really at the end of my rope by the time NACAC rolled around.  I was only running a few miles a day and doing really short workouts leading up to it, trying to keep it together for another week. 

I drained everything out in that race and was completely toast.  I didn't do anything physical at all for the next week or so besides standing around at Gear or walking to the fridge.  It was great.  By the middle of the next week I was ready to go again and built back up to a normal mileage load in about three weeks. I consider times of not doing anything a very important part of the overall training cycle.  It's also the part of the training cycle at which I am very good.

DtB:  The Irish Run had a good field.  What were your thoughts going into the race?  What were you expecting?  What were your goals going in?

JM: I have to admit that I was pretty nervous.  I hadn't raced in a while and some of these local races can be hot.  I could tell a few days out that this one was stacking up to be a dogfight, and I wasn't sure how I'd respond.  Ben had just run really well at Gate River, and we all know what he did in college.  I knew he was the guy to beat.  It was also our first time with a whole team for the Twin Cities Track Club, and we were gunning for the Run 'N Fun team. 

DtB:  How did the race play out?  Was it always a battle between you and Ben (Sathre) or did it just come down to that at the end? 

JM: Mike took it out hard, which is his m.o. in short races.  I got kind of stuck in the pack and was back about twenty yards early.  Jason(Lehmukle) joined up with me, and we spent the first two miles slowly gaining some ground.  At about 2.5, I was getting close, and I noticed Ben make a surge and get a gap on Mike.  I realized that I needed to get on the train or get left, so I got up behind Ben. 

I tried a few times to get on his shoulder, but he threw in a lot of short moves to shake me.  Finally, at about 3.5, I got up next to him and decided I needed to make a dig, or it might come down the last half mile, which I'd prefer to not get into with a 22-year-old 8:07 3K runner. 

I got what I felt to be a pretty decent lead, and was pretty confident that I was off the front.  With a little over half a mile left, I could hear him getting closer and then he went right past again.  I caught back up and we came over the last hill side by side.  We were kind of sizing each other up coming down the last stretch.  I knew I'd be screwed if I went too early, but I still wanted to get the jump. 

He glanced over at me with about 150 to go and I went right then.  I sprinted hard through the line, actually leaning like a sprinter just to be sure.  I feel like when it comes down to a hard sprint like that, it's just kind of whoever has the legs that day.  It worked out for me. Mike got third and Jason (on two weeks of training, mind you) was fourth.  Run 'N Fun beat us in the team race, but it was pretty close.  I'm excited about a team rivalry with them, and I think they are too.

 DtB: You’ve said that you want to run fast and win a lot of races and do some more track races to get your PRs down.  Are you one of those runners who thrive on a lot of racing.  Some people have a hard time in training pushing themselves, so they use races to get sharp and get that extra push.  Are you like that or do just like to race?  Or was the Fall/Winter schedule recently just something that happened and not typical for you? 

JM: I glean confidence from workouts as well as races.  It's nice to have a good measurement of where your training is.  I didn't know what kind of shape I'd be in for a five mile race, so that probably contributed to how nervous I was Sunday. 

I've spent a lot of time training alone in the past, so I've prepared to push myself, which I think is a nice skill.  All the racing I did in the Fall and Winter just kind of happened, so I wouldn't normally be out there that often.  I think that was mentally taxing.  I like the art of the race, and I don't really use them as workouts.  That probably wore me out. That and living in a trailer for a couple of months.

DtB:  Do you have any specific goals for the track season—times, events—or will you just take it as it comes?

JM: Track meets are weird.  I don't want to go to California, so I'm going to have to be creative.  Mike and Chris Lundstrom and I are planning to have a fast 10K at the Hamline Twilight meet on April 24th.  Hopefully I can get some help and good weather and we can all go out and run a really fast race.  I'd like to finally break 29 minutes for 10K.

DtB: You made your first national team in cross country.  You’ve had a taste of the international scene.  What did you take away from that experience in terms of your own potential, what you want to achieve in the sport?  Did it alter your goals or merely reinforce objectives you had already had your sights upon?

JM: I almost feel like I belong with elite runners now. Those international races really fired me up to keep climbing the ladder.  A few years ago I couldn't even get a comp entry into a race and was thinking about giving up. Now I'm sneaking onto national teams and even contributing a little.  I'm looking forward to getting another level or two up if I can.

Moore, Boren Win Irish Run

The Irish Run 8K men's race went down to the wire as Twin Cities Track Club's Joe Moore nipped St. Thomas grad Ben Sathre by one second to win in 23:34.  Jenna Boren won more comfortably in the women's race in a time of 27:55.  Technically, both are new course records, as the race had a new start and finish area and alterations to the course.   The race was also the Minnesota USATF 8K Championships. Full results are HERE.

USA Masters Championships Report III

By Tom Langenfeld

Additional medal performances by Donald Sazima, Lance Elliott, and Susan Loyd  in Sunday’s closing session gave Minnesota a total of 11 individual medals at the three-day USATF national masters indoor championships in Landover, MD.

Donald Sazima, Minnetonka, took second in the M80 triple jump at 3.54m/11’7.25” to go with his first place in the pentathlon Friday and a tie for first in the high jump Saturday.

Lance Elliott, Edina, finished second in the M40 800m in 2:03.73.  He was also the silver medalist in Saturday’s M40 mile behind Kevin Castille, the American record holder in both the M40 5000m and 10000m.

Susan Loyd, Edina, added a bronze in the W50 200m to go with her Friday gold in the 400m and Saturday gold in the 60m.  She was third among American sprinters in the 200m in 32.00, a new Minnesota W55 record.  The event was event won by a Puerto Rican runner.

Other individual Minnesota medalists were Pat Billig, Roseville, second in the M50 3000m on Friday and third in the mile Saturday, and Thom Weddle, Minneapolis, second in the M70 mile on Saturday.

USATF Masters Meet Report II

By Tom Langenfeld

Three Minnesota milers were medalists Saturday at the USATF national masters indoor championships in Landover, MD – and Susan Loyd added a bronze in the W55 60m to the gold she won in the 400m Friday.  Donald Sazima, 84, Minnetonka, tied for first in the M80 high jump at 1.02m/3' 4"  after winning the pentathlon Friday.

Lance Elliott of Edina took the silver in the M40 mile in 4:28.06.  Thom Weddle, Minneapolis, took second in the M70 mile in 6:54.97. Pat Billig, Roseville, the silver medalist in the M50 3000m on Friday, came back to take third in a field of 23 runners in the M50 mile with 4:48.16.   Brian Lundberg, Edina, finished sixth in a field of 17 in the M45 mile in 4:52.16.

Loyd, also from Edina, was third among American sprinters in the 60m in 9.51.  A guest competitor from Puerto Rico was second. 

Jim Schoffman, Fridley, ran on the third-place Mass Velocity Track Club 4x200m club relay team.

US Men Win Silver Medal at World XC Champs

US men's team with their medals.  Photo courtesy of Mike Scott

Winona's Elliott Heath finished 30th as the US men won the silver medal at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Poland on Sunday.  Full results for all the races are HERE.  More photos from Mike Scott are HERE.

USATF Masters Championships Report

By Tom Langenfeld

Susan Loyd of Edina is off to a good start at the USATF national masters indoor championships.  She won the women's 55 400m yesterday in 1:13.40.  The 400m preliminaries were run in sections against time.  The top three finishers were in Susan’s section.   She qualified for the finals in the 60m this morning, running second in her heat and the fourth best time overall.  Her final is scheduled for 10:44 AM our time this morning, which I mention because all races are being webcast live HERE.

Lance Elliott of Edina will go in the M40 mile at 1:55 this afternoon.

Jim Schoffman was ninth in the M55 400m yesterday.  Thom Weddle DNFed in the M70 3000m.

Donald Sazima, long-time Central Michigan University track coach, and now a Minnetonka resident, competed in the M80 pentathlon yesterday – but I haven’t seen the pentathlon results yet.  He’s 84.

Gustavus' Beth Hauer Awarded NCAA Scholarship Grant

By Ethan Armstrong, Gustavus Sports Information

The NCAA announced its 2012 fall sports postgraduate scholarship winners last week, naming Gustavus senior cross country runner Beth Hauer (Little Falls, MN) as one of the 29 male and 29 female student-athletes to receive the award this year.

“It is an honor to be awarded this scholarship,” said Hauer. “I’ve had an excellent experience at Gustavus in academics, arts, and athletics and have appreciated the opportunity to work with excellent faculty and coaches. I could not have had the experience I did if my professors and coaches had not challenged and supported me during my college career.”

To qualify, student-athletes must excel academically and athletically, be in their final year of eligibility, and plan to pursue graduate study. Student-athletes must also maintain at least a 3.2 grade-point average and be nominated by their institution’s faculty athletics representative. Created in 1964, NCAA postgraduate scholarships promote and encourage education by rewarding the Association’s most accomplished student-athletes.

Hauer is the 33rd Gustavus student-athlete to receive an NCAA postgraduate scholarship since football player James Goodwin became the first in 1974.

“A humble and determined athlete, Beth is a true model of what the Gustavus is all about. It is great to see Beth awarded with such a great honor her senior year,” said Head Coach Dale Bahr.

A four-year member of the women’s cross country team, Hauer has been a staple in coach Bahr’s lineup since stepping onto campus in 2009. In her tenure on the hill, Beth competed in 27 cross country races from 2009 to 2012, recording 12 top 20 finishes and placing inside the top ten on five occasions.

Hauer’s ability to step up in big races earned her All-Conference honors three times (2010, 2011, 2012) and All-Region distinction three times (2010, 2011, 2012) as well. In her senior season, Hauer recorded her best finish at the MIAC Championships, taking 12th with a time of 23:01.9.  Hauer helped the Gusties win the 2012 MIAC Championship, the program’s first conference title since 2003.

Gustavus went on to compete in the 2012 NCAA Championships after a fourth place finish at the Central Region Meet. Hauer placed a career-best 16th (23:00.5) at regionals and 56th (22:25.5) at the NCAA Championships.
To go along with her commitment to the cross country team, Beth is also heavily involved in the music department at Gustavus. Hauer currently plays the euphonium in the Gustavus wind orchestra and the trombone in the jazz lab band.

“The moment Beth came to Gustavus, she was active in so many things. Her ability to honor to her commitments to both music and running were amazing to us on the coaching staff,” commented Bahr. “Because of her involvement on campus, mostt of her training was done on her own. To excel as she did, despite such a unique training schedule, says a great deal about Beth’s dedication and internal motivation.”

Also a volunteer for the Study Buddies program, Beth is an instrumental music education major with a 3.96 cumulative grade point average. Following her passion for musical instruction, she most recently worked as a project GEM teacher for the Minesota Valley Education District where she taught weekly music classes to grades 5-12 with moderate to severe emotional behavioral disorders.

After earning her degree this spring, Beth plans to search for a job as a music teacher of either a band or in the classroom. After gaining teaching experience, Beth will pursue a master’s degree through a summer program in order to help herself grow as an educator. She also has a strong interest in coaching and would like to coach cross country, nordic skiing, or track.

The NCAA awards up to 174 postgraduate scholarships annually, 87 for men and 87 for women. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes in their final year or intercollegiate athletics competition that excels academically and athletically. The scholarships are one-time, non-renewable grants of $7,500 that can be used for research, books, tuition and other educational expenses at any graduate school.

“As an educator, I believe students should be challenged to achieve academically while having meaningful experiences in the arts and athletics,” Hauer concluded. “Having the opportunity to be a music education major involved in multiple ensembles and a member of an athletic team has made my college career rewarding and memorable. My hope is to apply what I have learned and experienced at Gustavus to help my future students be successful academically while being highly involved in the arts and athletics.”

Gopher Men Sweep Big Ten Athlete of the Week Honors

Gopher men swept the first Big Ten weekly awards of the season this week.  Quentin Mege was selected as Big Ten Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week after besting his own school record and posting the top performance in the nation this season in the hammer throw. The senior from Chelles, France threw 67.49m (221' 5".) at the Baldy Castillo Invitational on Friday in Tempe, AZ. Mege topped his previous school record of 67.08 meters that he set in while winning  the 2012 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships. 

Alex Brend was awarded Minnesota’s first Big Ten Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week honor since May 6, 2009 (Hassan Mead) for his performance in the 800 meters. The Hawthorn Woods, IL, native won the event at the Baldy Castillo Invitational with a meet-best time of 1:51.88 on Saturday, posting the best time in the Big Ten, and the tenth best performance in the nation so far this season.

Blankenship and Mead Win Events at Oregon Preview Meet

Ben Blankenship won the 1,500 at the Oregon Preview Meet last Saturday in 3:48.57. Hassan Mead won the 3K in 7:58.43.  Full results are HERE. Photos are HERE.

Yes/No: Will Run N Fun Dominate the Irish Run?

The race has a new name and a (slightly) different course, but The Sporting Life's St. Patrick's Day 8K race (most recently known as The Human Race) still kicks off the USATF Minnesota Team Circuit.  The popular and competitive race, now dubbed Irish Run Saint Paul, is in its 41st year.  It is still an out-and-back on Summit Avenue, but this year it will start at Ramsey Junior High instead of St. Thomas University.

Since this is the initial race of the 2013 Team Circuit, everyone has a fresh start.  The six different categories are:  Men's open, Men's masters (age 40 and above), Men's grand masters (age 50 and above), Women's open, Women's masters and Women's grand masters.  The open teams score five runners while the masters/grand masters each score three.

Let us know your predictions, and as the old Irish blessing states: may the road rise to meet you...

Yes/No: Will Run N Fun win at least four team races (out of the six categories) at the Irish Run Saint Paul?

Here are the winners in the team races in 2012.  The first one is the winner of this race (at the time it was called The Human Race), and the second is the overall winner at the end of the year:

Men's Open:  Run N Fun, Run N Fun
Men's Masters:  Run N Fun, Run N Fun
Men's Grand Masters:  TC Running Company, Run N Fun
Women's Open:  Foley & Mansfield, Run N Fun
Women's Masters:  Run N Fun, Run N Fun
Women's Grand Masters:  Northwoods - MN/WI, Northwoods - MN/WI

To summarize, Run N Fun won three categories at the Human Race but went on to finish first in five categories for the 2012 year.

All team circuit results can be found at the USATF Minnesota Results page.  For information on the Irish Run Saint Paul, visit The Sporting Life.

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 1:20 P.M. CDT, Sunday, March 24th.  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 contest was  a NCAA Indoor Pick Ten.  Three players tied for first place in a very tight contest:  Jim Glazer, Andrew Nussbaum and Rachel Karel.  The overall leader is Mike Henderson with  103 points followed by Jake Marotz at 100.

The Yes/No contest currently has three tied for the lead:  Dylan Dragswiek, Lori Anne Schwiesow, and Dimitri Drekonja.

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

USTFCCCA Awards and Rankings, Plus USATF Grants

Gopher men ranked 19th in USTFCCCA pre-season outdoor track rankings.  Full list is HERE.

Dennis Newell of U-Mary was named USTFCCCA DII Women's assistant coach of the ear.  Newell, in his seventh season with U-Mary, coached two event champions at the NCAA DII Indoor Championships and his student-athletes accounted for all but one of the team’s 25 points, good for a ninth-place finish. Melissa Agnew won the mile, and also anchored the championship DMR team the previous night, while sister Jennifer finished fifth at 5000 meters. His runners scored 80 points en route to a third-straight NSIC title with five event championships.

The USATF Foundation Elite Athlete Development Grants of $1,500 for 2013 were announced today.  Amanda Smock is on the list of 31 athletes as a repeat recipient.  Full list is HERE.

HS Girls All Time List: 800 Meters

2:08.24	Jeanne	Kruckeberg	Blooming Prairie	1984
2:10.39	Jennifer	Watson	Anoka	1991
2:10.42	Heather	Dorniden	Rosemount	2005
2:10.55	Andrea	Wahlin	Rocori	2004
2:10.77	Elizabeth	Yetzer	Lakeville	2004
2:11.11	Samantha	Nielsen	Roseville Area	2012
2:11.27	Haylie	Zenner	Fergus Falls	2012
2:11.32	Molly	Lehman	Minnetonka	2005
2:11.60	Ada	Anderson	Roseau	2001
2:11.87	Megan	Smith	Eden Prairie	2007
2:11.94	Paula	Class	St. Paul Academy	1977
2:12.04	Dana	Glidden	Mounds View	1977
2:12.08	Nikki	Swenson	Lac Que Parle	2006
2:12.13	Hannah	Borowsky	Hopkins	2011
2:12.14	Maggie	Carruth	Minnetonka	2010
2:12.18	Haylie	Zenner	Fergus Falls	2011
2:12.19	Danijela	Vicanovic	Minnetonka	1986
2:12.80	Ruth	Harris	Henry Sibley	1975
2:12.80	Lisa	Koelfgen	Armstrong	1982
2:12.90	Missy	Levine	Hopkins	1982
2:12.92	Laura	Roach	Lakeville North	2006
2:13.02	Alissa	Kurke	Anoka	2004
2:13.10	Lori	Phipps	Elgin Millview	1981
2:13.12	Samantha	Nielsen	Roseville Area	2011
2:13.23	Sarah	Renk	Winona	1987
2:13.40	Anne	Hills	Mounds View	1983
2:13.50	Cindy	Seikkula	Cooper	1974
2:13.62	NIcole	Calabrese	Kingsland	2005
2:13.68	Colleen	Flaherty	Hopkins	1998
2:13.73	Taylor	Scholl	Prior Lake	2012
2:13.77	Nicole	Scherr	Morris	1986
2:13.85	Sarah	Schellinger	Sartel	2007
2:13.86	Erin	Krause	Wayzata	2010
2:13.92	Kelly	Brinkman	Hutchinson	1999
2:13.96	Paula	Leu	Anoka	1983
2:13.98	Cassy	Opitz	Eden Prairie	2009
2:14.10	Lori	Bearson	Lanesboro	1978
2:14.10	Ann	Klein	Hill Murray	1980
2:14.14	Gabriele	Anderson	Perham	2004
2:14.15	Hannah	McAllister	Brainerd	2007
2:14.16	Megan	Manthe	Anoka	2001
2:14.30	Tammy	McGrane	Park Rapids	1978
2:14.30	Toni	St. Pierre	Hopkins Eisenhower	1973
2:14.35	Stephanie	Knight	Orono	2012
2:14.38	Emma	Lucken	Roseville Area	2010
2:14.42	Melissa	Varpness	Montevideo	2008
2:14.43	Amber	Affeldt	Coon Rapids	1994
2:14.48	Nikki	Schultz	Cedar Mountain	2006
2:14.49	Karla	Zylstra	Hendricks Ivanhoe	1985
2:14.51	Maddi	Sjelin	St. Michael Albertville	2012
2:14.53	Lauren	Domski	Woodbury	2010
2:14.54	Megan	Lundgren	Mankato West	2005
2:14.56	Lauren	Bergstrom	Rochester Century	2003
2:14.57	Mollie	Hupp	Eden Prairie	2001
2:14.58	Brittany	Gigstead	Perham	2006
2:14.62	Savana	Weller	Sauk Centre	2008
2:14.64	Megan	Brinkman	Northfield	1999
2:14.64	Megan	Daymont	Northfield	1999
2:14.64	Laurisa	Titterud	Mounds View	2012
2:14.65	Tanna-Marie	Simmons	St. Louis Park	1999
2:14.68	Erica	Bestul	Eastview	2012
2:14.75	Laura	Joyce	Wayzata	1996
2:14.76	Anne	Ferguson	Eastview	2007
2:14.80	Kathy	Lee	Rochester Lourdes	1975
2:14.87	Trina	Steffes	St. Cloud Tech	1991
2:14.88	Jenna	Truedson	Bemidji	2011
2:14.90	Katie	Class	St. Paul Highland	1980
2:14.90	Jenna	Halverson	Barnum	2006
2:14.90	Ruth	Swanson	Alexander Ramsey	1980
2:14.94	Christine	Fries	Eastview	2007
2:14.96	Jenny	Guibert	Rochester Century	2012
2:15.00	Virginia	Senf	Woodbury	2007
2:15.14	Avery	Buresh	Wadena Deer Creek	2002
2:15.14	Heidi	Evans	Roseau	2003
2:15.15	Anita	Menden	Eden Prairie	1999
2:15.16	Sarah	Becker	Rocori	2003
2:15.20	Jody	Eder	Stillwater Area	1981
2:15.21	Sarah	Decker	Rocori	2002
2:15.23	Jenny	Guibert	Rochester Century	2011
2:15.25	Tatum	Garrity	Hibbing	2009
2:15.25	Emily	Montgomery	Woodbury	1991
2:15.26	Carrie	Tollefson	Lac Que Parle	1995
2:15.28	Heather	Brun	Rogers	2007
2:15.28	Alice	Lehman	Minnetonka	2005
2:15.31	Ally	McSherry	Totino Grace	2010
2:15.34	Annie	Yetzer	Lakeville	2003
2:15.36	Jenny	Reff	Fergus Falls	2001
2:15.38	Stephanie	Murray	Rochester Century	2011
2:15.40	Lisa	Johnson	LaCrescent	1984
2:15.42	Kelly	Valliere	Henning	1980
2:15.47	Shannon	Bergstedt	Hopkins	2003
2:15.49	Hailey	Jerabek	Benilde St. Margaret's	2010
2:15.49	Megan	Kienholz	Centennial	2012
2:15.52	Kelly	Anderson	Monticello	1996
2:15.55	Mikaya	Larson	Edina	2006
2:15.59	Katie	Shelerud	Esko	2010
2:15.60	Cindy	Schmiesing	Sauk Centre	1985
2:15.63	Sarah	Chapman	Apple Valley	2004
2:15.77	Savana	Weller	Sauk Centre	2010
2:15.80	Paige	Foster	Prior Lake	2010
2:15.80	Ann	Lundin	Columbia Heights	1980
2:15.80	Kelly	Moss	White Bear Mariner	1978
2:15.83	Kim	Magee	Bloomington Jefferson	2001
2:15.84	Chelsea	Haviland	Thief River Falls	2000
2:15.91	Gail	Dailey	Brainerd	1977
2:15.94	McKenzie	Melander	Eastview	2007
2:15.95	Michelle	Danielson	Fergus Falls	1993
2:16.06	Shelia	Haugh	Rosemount	1984
2:16.10	Bobbi	VanAmber	Alexandria	1983
2:16.11	Jamie	Cheever	Mpls Southwest	2002
2:16.16	Kayla	Huhnerkoch	Redwood Valley	2011
2:16.20	Kristin	Mulliner	Mankato West	1988
2:16.28	Christal	Armendariz	Janesville	1985
2:16.30	Jessica	Faith	St. Cloud Apollo	1994
2:16.30	Joan	Funk	Blaine	1981
2:16.35	Cynthia	Bryant	Mpls Southwest	1992
2:16.39	Jody	Buck	Lake City	1989
2:16.40	Peggy	Paulino	Forest Lake	1981
2:16.50	Terry	Ferlic	White Bear Mariner	1980
2:16.50	Dianne	Krueger	Cooper	1978
2:16.50	Mary	Stepka	Lakeville	1978
2:16.51	Gina	DeWitt	Deer River	1991
2:16.58	Kristen	Danielson	Grand Rapids	1991
2:16.60	Diane	Loughlin	St. Anthony	1983
2:16.60	Gretchen	Witty	Plainveiw	1992
2:16.61	Laurel	Ramer	Kasson-Mantorville	2010
2:16.62	Dedra	Brey	Big Lake	2002
2:16.63	Audrey	Weber	St. Louis Park	2005
2:16.65	Lexi Jo	Heitkamp	Luverne	2005
2:16.74	Sarah	Parks	Owatonna	1983
2:16.75	Erin	Sprangers	Hill Murray	2006
2:16.80	Victoria	Paulson	Owatonna	2009
2:16.81	Rebekah	Yetzer	Lakeville	2002
2:16.85	Jolene	Smith	Howard Lake Waverly	2007
2:16.87	kaitlin	Mincke	Farmington	2009
2:16.90	Katie	Holliman	Minnetonka	2004
2:16.90	Tegan	Moehn	Osseo	2001
2:16.93	Emily	Stenzel	Mankato West	2007
2:16.94	Faith	Kruchowski	Red Lake Cou	2008
2:16.98	Nicole	Flack	Lakeville North	2007
2:17.07	Emily	Meese	Minnetonka	2007
2:17.10	Caitlin	Ferry	St.Michael Albertville	2005
2:17.12	Stacey	Kern	Osakis	2009
2:17.14	Lisa	Waanen	Maple Grove	2004
2:17.40	Katy	Bondeson	Lakeville	1998
2:17.47	Carrie	Pohlmann	LongPrairie	2001
2:17.61	Rebekah	Walter	Bemidji	1998
2:17.73	Calle	Pastarr	Mpls Southwest	2001
2:17.76	Emily	Emerson	Centennial	2007
2:17.77	Katie	Anderson	Blaine	2002
2:17.81	Elle	Case	Jordan	2009
2:17.84	Courtney	Hugstad-Vaa	Eastview	2001
2:17.85	Makinzie	Krebsbach	Totino Grace	2007
2:17.87	Michelle	SanCartier	Stillwater Area	2007
2:17.87	Teresa	Smock	Big Lake	2000
2:17.92	Brittany	Nordland	Pine Island	2009
2:17.93	Laura	Hughes	Mankato West	2009
2:17.94	Kendall	Wheeler	Duluth East	2000
2:17.95	Catherine	Ferrell	St. Paul Academy	1999
2:17.97	Melissa	Agnew	Mille lacs	2009
2:17.97	Jackie	Auwarter	Breckenridge	1998
2:17.98	Kelly	Gewerth	Cedar Mountain	2004
2:18.00	Emma	Peterson	Benson	2009
2:18.02	JoEllen	Arons	Armstrong	2002
2:18.02	Kristi	Buerkle	Forest Lake	2007
2:18.12	Raynee	DeGrio	Grand Rapids	2007
2:18.12	Kristi	Schild	Chatfield	1998
2:18.20	Ashley	Deisting	Buffalo	2005
2:18.20	Lydia	Kemper	Worthington	2010
2:18.23	Andrea	Rumpza	Blooming Prairie	2002
2:18.24	Lisa	Dyer	Moorhead	2001
2:18.24	Jayna	Tangen	Chatfield	2003
2:18.26	Larissa	Williams	Visitation	2002
2:18.27	Hannah	Steer	Schaeffer Academy	2010
2:18.27	Jillian	Tholen	Tracy-Milroy	2004
2:18.30	Kayla	Anderson	Moorhead	1999
2:18.36	jaclyn	Scanlan	East Grand Forks	2009
2:18.44	Jenny	Hendricks	New Prague	2009
2:18.44	Carrie	Wardell	Woodbury	2005
2:18.49	Rachel	Kuhn	Minnewaska	1998
2:18.50	Emily	Wiemer	Hopkins	2004
2:18.60	Nicole	Kuznia	BOLD	1999
2:18.64	Alex	Gits	Edina	2005
2:18.64	Veronica	Sackett	Grand Rapids	1999
2:18.67	Lauren	Claeys	Rochester Lourdes	2004
2:18.67	Ericka	Roberts	Wayzata	1999
2:18.72	Sara	Burns	LeSuer-Henderson	2002
2:18.73	Toni	Salvatore	Roseville Area	2006
2:18.75	Santana	Hummel	Dillworth	2003
2:18.79	Kim	Beaman	Crosby-Ironton	2004
2:18.80	Sam	Miller	Edina	2009
2:18.83	Kristen	Higdem	Willmar	2003
2:18.84	Ashley	Baldridge	St.Michael Albertville	2001
2:18.84	Amber	Henne	Moorhead	2007
2:18.87	Allison	Streich	Waseca	2010
2:18.89	Anna	Valan	Moorhead	2005
2:19.29	Olivia	Bagnall	Lakeville South	2007
2:19.34	Bria	Wetsch	Holy Family	2005
2:19.38	Kelly	Russ	Wayzata	2006
2:19.43	Jenny	Dillon	Totino Grace	2009
2:19.52	Larissa	Peyton	St.Cloud Cathedral	2006
2:19.53	Alyssa	Wendt	Anoka	2003
2:19.60	Jennifer	Ranallo	Rogers	2005
2:19.68	Brigid	Power	Eden Prairie	2001
2:19.74	Kakylan	Bailey	Maple Grove	2007
2:19.75	Emma	Bates	Elk River	2009
2:19.75	Rachael	Hoerauf	Minnetonka	2007
2:19.76	Alison	Liewen	Minnetonka	2005
2:19.85	Stephanie	Jares	Staples-Motley	2004
2:19.85	Samantha	Madsen	Cedar Mountain	2004
2:19.95	Haley	Fogarty	Belle Plaine	2009
2:19.96	Caitlin	Ries	Apple Valley	2006
2:20.09	Lauren	Rantala	Eden Prairie	2006
2:20.76	Whitney	Naslund	Bloomington Jefferson	2006
2:21.81	Alejandra	Flores	Medford	2008
2:22.25	Emma	Johnson	Mora	2009
2:23.06	Mariah	McDonald	Ely	2009
2:23.29	Rebakah	Dyrud	Providence Acad	2009
2:23.49	Kristen	Ostrem	Rushford	2008
2:27.31	Kit	Chambers	Providence Acad	2009
3:56.39	Emily	Beckman	Shakopee	1996