The real spectacle of a day’s worth of track and field events is slated to begin at 8 p.m. tomorrow night, during the Oregon Twilight portion of the program at Hayward Field. The Oregon men are looking to make history in an unusual manner.
Galen Rupp, Matthew Centrowitz, Andrew Wheating and one as-of-yet-unnamed runner will participate in a four-by-mile relay in pursuit of two long-standing records. A group of Athletics West runners holds the American record of 16:08.54 (an average mile of just over 4:02) in the event, which is not a part of traditional NCAA competition, and a group of runners from Michigan holds the collegiate record of 16.04.54 (average miles of just over 4:01). The American record was set in 1984 and the collegiate record was set in 2005.
“I think we have a good chance of taking (those records) down,” Centrowitz said.
Scott Wall, Shadrack Biwott and J.K. Withers are the Ducks’ candidates for the final spot in the relay, said Vin Lananna, assistant athletic director. Oregon has not determined who will run what leg of the race.
A four-by-mile relay today is something of a distance running novelty, a throwback to the days when Steve Prefontaine competed in the NCAA championships at the 3-mile distance. Nevertheless, a successful run will add to the sanctity of Oregon as a nourishing environment for elite distance runners, and Hayward Field as one of track and field’s iconic distance venues.
There is possibly, however, a bigger prize at hand: a world record. The fastest four-by-mile relay ever performed occurred in 1985, when Eamon Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara and Ray Flynn, all of Ireland, completed the relay in 15:49.08.
So, what’s it going to take to get there?
“I figure you’ve got three guys who can probably go 3:55 per mile, so that knocks out 15 seconds,” Wheating said. “And if you’ve got a guy who can run a 4-flat, there you go. That’s pretty impressive. That’s borderline world record.”
If only the task at hand was as easy as Wheating suggests. No one on Oregon’s distance-running roster has ever run a 3:55 mile or better. Only four have achieved a sub-four-minute mile; the first three hold the three guaranteed spots, while the fourth, A.J. Acosta, is unavailable because of a foot injury.
Of the three remaining candidates, Biwott holds the fastest mile time, with a 4:02.65 as a high school senior. Biwott is not a lock for the fourth position, however, due to his injury history and his performance in the 5,000 meters at the Oregon Relays. The Pacific-10 Conference Championships, after all, kick into full gear next week.
Oregon may suffer another setback in its attempt to break records, one that won’t be fully detailed until race day: lack of competition. The Ducks and a cadre of Oregon Track Club Elite runners are the only confirmed participants in the race. Lananna has mentioned in previous interviews that Auburn, Arkansas and Washington would be joining the field, as well as postcollegiate teams from Australia and New Zealand.
“Right now, it’s going to be a challenge because we’re not having a lot of takers,” said Dan Steele, associate director of track and field. “If the event goes off, my guess is it’s up to the fans to carry them through. We’ll see how loud that Hayward Field crowd can be.”
Conventional wisdom dictates that the presence of competition begets faster racing times. More teams opting to compete in this unconventional relay race only heightens the glory and the spectacle.
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Oregon tries hand at world relay record
Daily Emerald
May 7, 2009
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