Portland Track Festival-the story

Lewis & Clark College

June 13, 2009

The second running of the Portland Track Festival provided some excellent racing, as well as noteworthy times. The festival was held over the course of two days & featured runners from quite young youths, to middle school runners, preps, professionals & masters. The Friday portion gave a portent of what was to come as Portland Jesuit’s Noelle VanRysselberghe & Jen Johnson of Corvallis raced against adults in an open 5K. Noelle finished 8th overall with a fine 18:01, while Jen came home 10th in 18:14.

Saturday’s races offered something for everyone including eight-year-old Tierra Crockwell’s victory in the 100 M, 200 M & the long jump. Hannah Cunliffe, an AAU Junior Champion, who is thirteen, won her races at 100 & 200 meters.

Tierra Crockwell age 8 Portland Track Festival

Youthrunner Magazine sponsored a middle school girls’ 1500 Meters Run that national champion Paige Rice, a 7th grader, edged Amy-Eloise Neale, an 8th grader from Snohomish, Wa., with an excellent time of 4:33. Their placement was incidentally the same as they managed in last year’s race.

Paige Rice-Portland Track Festival 2009

Paige Rice takes the win again in the Middle School Girls 1500 meter run at the Portland Track Festival

Youthrunner Magazine also sponsored a boys’ Sub-Five Mile race but Ryan Silva, who was third in the event in 2008 and set a World Record time of 4:43.78 was not on hand leaving Kevin Kavanaugh, who will run for Beaverton High School next fall, alone to handle the pace. He ran the first lap in 72 seconds & then clipped off the next two laps in 71 seconds each before finishing in an excellent time of 4:40. Alec Sievern finished in second in a time of 4:44.06 - nine seconds in front of Dan Oekerman.

When one considers that a sub-five minute mile is considered a benchmark time for a good 9th grade mile, Kavanaugh’s time is most impressive especially since he was alone almost from the start.

Kevin Kavanaugh

Kevin Kavanaugh wins the Middle School Boys Mile at the Portland Track Classic 2009

The last race of the day was run in the twilight and was the featured event. It featured as fine a field as has ever been assembled for an all-prep event with runners from across the nation. In spite of the goal to achieve just the 5th sub-four minute prep mile in history there was an affable attitude among the young athletes: most of whom were on hand well before the race & even posed for a group picture. Elliott Jantzer, a champion at Cross Country & Track during his career, was given the responsibility of setting the pace, which was in some ways a bit much to ask, as he has always been focused on doing what was needed to win a race. He as much as conceded a portion of that attitude, when discussing the race beforehand & noting he’d try to hit the splits & then hang on to see what would happen from 800 meters.

With the crack of the gun Jantzer was off and he led the pack through the 400 in 62 seconds. It was evident that he was not comfortable in his role as rabbit, as he seemed to be looking around for confirmation, as to the correctness of his pace, but he dutifully towed the field, which was spread out in a V formation as if it was an Air Force strike squadron, into the next lap. To be honest the person, who, if healthy, would have been most likely to aid in the situation (Nathan Mathabane) was sitting in the stands. It was Nate who committed to this race early & really helped bring about the quality field. Unfortunately he had injured his hamstring during the district meet & further aggravated it at State & he wisely chose give the injury proper rest. I know it was difficult to be forced to have to watch but it was the correct decision, although it left Jantzer with no help as the field chose to sit back and wait.

Jantzer reached the 800 in a time of 2:04 and there seemed little hope to reach the avowed goal. Behind Elliott trailed Mac Fleet on one side & Trevor Dunbar, just a bit further back, on the other. Collin Jarvis & Adam Thorne were tucked in just a bit further back, while notably Elijah Greer & Robby Andrews, the two runners who had already posted times of 1:48 for the year in the 800 M, were prowling near the back behind Shane Moskowitz & Kenny Krotzer. Shane, just a junior, noted he did not feel fluid & was struggling a bit to maintain the pace, but, when any hope for a sub-four minute mile seemed to be dashed Mac Fleet of California roared into the lead. He zipped through the third lap in a swift sixty seconds, which renewed hope of the avowed time goal.

With Fleet making his charge Andrews responded to match him, although he appeared to have been caught a bit off-guard & was a little late in doing so. Alaskan Trevor Dunbar, who had earlier confessed the race might be a bit fast for him & was looking for a longer one at Nationals during a pre-race chat, took up the gauntlet as well & moved into third. By the far turn it was still Fleet, as Andrews mounted a challenge, but Fleet was able to roll through the tape in a fine 4:02.9, while Andrews zipped in with a 4:03.49. Dunbar, who had placed 2nd last December at Footlocker nationals in XC, may well enjoy a longer distance, but his time for third was an impressive 4:06.65. Not only that but he accelerated away from Elijah Greer after Greer had closed on him late in the race. Local runner Greer mounted a late effort but lacked his normal kick & placed 4th in 4:08.08.

Shane Moskowitz + Nathan Mathabane.WMA

Pre-race chatter had included word that earlier in the day that Andrew Springer of Rhode Island, had run a 4:02.70 in Illinois, but fans at Lewis & Clark had witnessed something quite special too. There may still only be four American preps to break the magic 4 minute barrier but the Portland Track Festival race has significantly altered the all-time list of runners. Mac Fleet is now ranked 18th on that all-time list & Robby Andrews is now ranked 21st. One has to go back years to find a better race. Maybe we should look at it from a slightly different perspective: fans witnessed the best prep race of this century!

1)Mac Fleet San Diego, Ca 4:02.90 2) Robby Andrews Manalapan, NJ 4:03.49 3) Trevor Dunbar Kodiak, Ak 4:06.65 4) Elijah Greer Lake Oswego, Or 4:08.08 5) Adam Thorne Spokane, Wa. 4:10.05 6) Collin Jarvis Vista, Ca 4:12.02 7) Shane Moskowitz Bremerton, Wa 4:16.81 8) Mack Young Redmond, Wa 4:17.71 9) Kenny Krotzer Auburn, Wa 4:18.36

Elliott Jantzer Phoenix, Or. DNF

Nathan Mathabane Portland, Or. DNS