Zags To Race Under The Lights At Duane Hartman
4/24/2014 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
SPOKANE, Wash. — Coming off a week where a number of athletes raced on the national stage at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays in California, the Gonzaga track team will stay home for its next meet. Make no mistake, that doesn't mean the lights won't be just as bright at the local theater.
The Bulldogs will compete at the Duane Hartman Invitational, a two-day meet at Spokane Falls Community College. Running events start Friday night at 7 with a twilight 5K, meaning the Zags will race under the lights at the blue track.
"There is something about running under the lights, an energy," said Pat Tyson, Gonzaga's program director and men's coach. "I think it's like a rock star — they're on stage, the lights are on and there's an energy from the crowd."
The Bulldogs seem to be gaining plenty of verve as the outdoor season nears its culmination. At the Mt. SAC Relays alone, Gonzaga runners set nine personal bests to go with two school records, upping the number of GU records broken this season to five.
Besides Friday's 5K, the majority of racing will take place Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Bulldogs will compete in many of their signature events, including the 800 meters, the 1,500 and the steeplechase.
"We're hoping to see that last bit of improvement as we head down the final stretch," GU women's coach Patty Ley said. "We want to finish off what we've done so far this season, so we should see some good improvement."
Including the Duane Hartman Invitational, only three meets remain for the Zags. That means just three chances left for GU runners to post a time fast enough to qualify them for the West Preliminary Championships. Only athletes who boast the top 48 times in a particular event at the conclusion of the season will advance to the meet in Fayetteville, Ark.
Currently, Willie Milam ranks in the top 30 for the 5,000 meters, while Nick Roche and Patrick Richie possess the 29th and 47th fastest times, respectively, in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Robert Walgren, meanwhile, sits slightly above the cut in the 5K at 52.
