The Olympic year might be behind us, but it’s clear that winning at World’s means something too, because those athletes that are competing indoors are crankin out the marks.
This weekend the mile was the star of the show, with the 600 making noise as well. And I must say that the internet played one of it’s greatest supporting rolls to date as those of us on Twitter were able to follow both Galen Rupp and Mary Cain and their fabulous mile runs simultaneously!
Rupp showed tremendous extended range in the mold of the East Africans as he dropped his mile PR down to 3:50.93 to go with his 10000 AR of 26:48.00 and 12:58.90 5000 PR. Rupp is no longer "just" a 10000 guy as that turn of speed puts him in any race between 1500 & 10000. It certainly puts him in that rare category with Bernard Lagat as our best at everything in that range. And I dare say that Rupp may have ascended to the throne as the greatest American distance runner of all time – yes time to move over Pre.
On that note, Mary Cain seems to be the new Mary Decker. Like Decker in the 80s, Cain is ready to giver her elders a run for their money as well. And I’m heartily looking forward to watching this 16 year old against the likes of Morgan Uceny, Shannon Rowbury, and Jenny Simpson around Nationals time – unless of course she runs Jr Nationals instead. At some point however, she’s bound to take the track with them, so look for something magical when Miss Cain gets her shoot against the big girls!
I’m also expecting big things from Duane Solomon and Casimir Loxsom after both flexed their middle distance muscle this weekend over 600 meters. Both set records, Solomon (1:15.70) an AR, Loxsom (1:15.79) a CR. Great beginning to the season for both. Nice to see Solomon running well after his big breakthrough season last year (1:42.82) in London. Could we possibly be looking at a new AR in the 800 after all these years? Certainly a story to watch.
On the field we had a couple of really nice pole vault leaders as Renaud Lavillenie (5.92m/19’ 5”) and Anna Rogowska (4.63m/15’ 2.25”) had some nice indoor clearances. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention Murielle Ahoure’s sizzling 7.00 60 meters in HOuston. Themark moves her to =7 performer all time! Below are a few of the more outstanding performances I came across over the weekend.
Glasgow
Verena Sailer upsets Carmelita Jeter in the 60 with 6.16 – WL Duane Solomon runs AR 1:15.70 to win the 600 – over Dai Greene and Andrew Osagei both 1:16.22 – Solomon’s time is a WL. Dwaine Chambers wins 60 in 6.58 – WL and as fast as he ran all of 2012. His best opener since 2010. Natasha Hastings takes 400 with 52.11 – WL.
Texas A&M Mondo
Ebony Floyd turns 51.82 in the quarter to take over the WL.
New Balance New York
Mary Wineberg runs 52.12, just misses WL. Craig Miller wins mile in 3:56.89. Mary Cain shatters HSR in the mile with a stunning 4:32.78!! Casmir Loxsom blasts CR 1:15.79.com in the 600.
Boston University Terrier
Galen Rupp blasts 3:50.92 for the mile !! Passed 1500 in 3:34.78. Gordon Lalonde speeds 20.60 WL, pretty good for a quartermiler !!
Razorback Invitational
Marvin Bracy opened his collegiate Carey with a 6.61 victory following a pair of 6.64’s. Too bad we’ll lose him to football or he could be our version of Yohan Blake. Kimberlyn Duncan goes 7.22 in the 60. University of Florida runs world leaders in both the men (3:05.92) and women’s (4:31.68) 4x4s.
Things are hot and we haven’t even seen the best meets yet! This next weekend we get a big collegiate meet at the Armory and New Balance Boston. I expect a lot more is in store.