Pair of distance runners set USU records at UW
The name of the game this weekend was distance running. The Aggie harriers used this weekend to shine in preparation for the Western Athletic Conference indoor championship meet in two weeks.
Leading the pack for the Aggies, literally and figuratively, were juniors Daniel Howell and Ruth Hilton, who both smashed school records in the 5-kilometer and 3-kilometer runs, respectively, at the ultra-competitive Flotrack Husky Classic, hosted by the University of Washington.
Every year the Flotrack Husky Classic attracts the cream of the crop of distance runners from around the nation for some of the fastest and most competitive races of the year.
“The thing we do with the distance runners is give them an opportunity to run at sea level, which gives them an advantage,” said head coach Gregg Gensel.
Many other schools come with a similar idea, and Howell and Hilton both battled in the midst of deep packs, with Howell finishing 40th out of 88 men and Hilton finishing 39th out of 81 women. Both of them emergeded with school records and conference-leading times.
“It’s really exciting,” Hilton said of racing amidst such a talented field. “It’s a lot of fun to have a competitive field to get yourself running faster than you’ve done before. That was a pretty tough race. I think I left it all out there.”
“It’s good for now,” said Daniel Howell of the record time. “My goal right now is to focus on conference in two weeks and see what we can do there.” Howell was quoted near the end of last Cross Country season as having a goal to break the school record in the 5k.
Also worthy of note was Kim Quinn’s 5k time of 17:06.22, which is the second fastest all-time 5k by an Aggie female. Hunter Nelson and Eric Larson also ran solid miles, maintaining a semblance of the Aggie pack, finishing neck and neck in 4:10.46 and 4:10.57, respectively. All three of these marks are top in the conference.
Meanwhile, in the more familiar locale of Nampa, Idaho, the main battery of Utah State’s track onslaught competed well against more familiar foes. Clint Silcock brought home his fifth consecutive high jump title with a jump of 7’2.25″ inches. Another Aggie who may be growing used to winning this season, Armahd Lewis, notched back-to-back first-place finishes in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.79 and the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.79. Freshman Tanner Hunt continued to show promise, nearly capturing first place in the 400-meter, running a 48.42.
Utah State was tops in both men’s and women’s pole vault, with Sonia Grabowska beginning to hit her stride with a vault of 13’3.5″, and John Johnson, winning his second consecutive title, jumping just short of his last mark with 16’6.75.
Along with Grabowska’s top mark, Katelyn Heiner and Hannah Williams ran first-place times in the 400-meter and mile, respectively. Heiner raced to a 55.81 finish. Williams crossed the line in 5:02.07. Freshman Chari Hawkins had one of the busier weekends for the Aggies, placing third in the 60-meter hurdles with a 9.06, and second in the heptathlon with a score of 3,718 points.
Gensel and his Aggies will now set their main focus on the conference championship meet in Boise.
“We try and make sure everybody is improving and hitting on all cylinders. Improvement – that’s the plan to begin with. You want the marks to be progressive. We’ve been able to accomplish that in improving and taking steps towards the Conference meet. We taper and get ready. We fine tune,” Gensel said.
– michael.d.rees@aggiemail.usu.edu