Club performances steal headlines from Rupp record
By Kevin Sully
Monmouth, OR, April 27 - Not even Galen Rupp’s jaw-dropping performance in Palo Alto could stem the shockwaves still resonating through the Willamette Valley after Friday’s results from the University of Oregon Running Club.
The club made the 64-mile north-by-northwest trek to the track mecca of Monmouth, Oregon to compete against fields comprised mostly of NAIA and Division 2 and 3 talent.
The performances were headlined by sophomore David Reid’s thirteen second personal record in the 5,000 meter run. Reid’s time of 15:33 was good enough for twentieth place and led some to draw comparisons to some better known Ducks runners. “Rupp ran 27:33 and set an American collegiate record,” said longtime Duck track fan, Jacob Swinn. “Reid ran 15:33, which means his race took 12 minutes less. How fast can this Rupp guy really be?”

Paquet's triple gets off to a good start

"My legs felt like garbage," was all that Nick Johnson had to say about his 3:56 1500, a personal record. His time was fast enough to bring him up to second on the club's all-time list. Johnson's garbage-filled legs carried him from the middle of the pack and the halfway point of the race to a fourth place finish. 		Equally impressive in the 1500 was freshman Brad Russell, who finished his first race at that distance in 4:08. Even more notable than his time was the fact that he managed to stop after only 3.75 laps. For the Minnesota native, who had previously only run the 1600 meter distance, this was perhaps his greatest challenge. "I really felt like I had another 100 in me," Russell commented. "With that extra curve, who knows what could have happened? But once they handed me that popsicle stick, I knew it was all over - at least for now."
On the women’s side, club co-coordinators Allie Gruner and Annie Brandjord set personal records in the 1500. Their biggest challenges in the race centered around staying focused after fellow teammate and fashion connoisseur Sarah Marks revealed American flag designed racing shorts in her first race with the running club.
This prospect excited running club coach Tom Heinonen. “To have that type of fashion sense in her first race is really impressive,” said Heinonen. “This already puts her up there with Josh Hulst’s Under Armour and Justin Samudio’s basketball shorts, in terms of personal style.”
Some of the pre-meet hype did fizzle under the hot lights. Sophomore Matt Paquet had dropped hints earlier in the week that he was going to attempt to run the 800, 1500 and 5000 meter races. These rumors had evoked memories of another famous triple: Czech Emil Zatopek’s triple gold medal performance at the 1952 Olympics. Paquet’s plan was quickly derailed, however, when he did not race the 800. It turned from bad to worse when he dropped out after 10 laps in the 5000.

Marks' shorts proved problematic for the women's field

This is the second time Paquet has not finished a 5000 meter race. “Look, I knew the history and knew what I was up against. I felt a special bond to Zatopek’s accomplishments because we are both from Europe,” an inconsolable Paquet said after exiting the 5000. “I am trying to stay positive though, I may not of tripled but I did technically run 1.8 races, not many people can claim that. In fact it may be the most impressive 1.8 races ever compiled in one meet, I will have to check on that when I finish my bread.”
Hometown favorite Michael Phillips blasted the club's non-existent 100 meter dash record as he took first place in his heat, finishing in 11.74 seconds. The Monmouth native, however, soon turned his back on his cheering mob of fans. "There's nothing to do here," Phillips sighed. "The Burgerville isn't even open this late." How Phillips managed to run his outstanding time in the face of such adversity remains a mystery to all those in attendance.
It is not likely that the UO Club's impact upon the town of Monmouth will soon be forgotten. Such dominating performances have been seared into the minds of all in attendance, and will be remembered until they are supplanted when the Club return for next year's edition of the meet.

David Reid also contributed to this report.

Club trio sweeps top places at prestigious Salmon Run
- OAKRIDGE, OR

Members of the UO Running Club took the top three men's places and two of the top three women's at the annual Salmon Run in Oakridge, Oregon. Kevin Sully led the men in what he described as a "tempo run," winning in a blistering time of 36:32.
With this significant victory, many expect sponsorship offers to begin surfacing for Sully. He had planned to begin a teaching career in Los Angeles next year, but with this publicity, analysts expect to see him on the professional circuit next year.
Allie Gruner led the women in her third race ever and her first 10k, finishing in second place with a time of 42:04.
Sully was followed by Matt Nicholson in 36:40 and Justin Samudio in 37:30. The top three finishers were awarded the lavish gifts of $30, $20, and $15 gift certificates. Rachelle Kaplon took third place overall for the women, finishing in 43:38. The performace list was rounded out by Tom and Janet Heinonen, finishing in 43:58 and 53:07.
The men's clearly superior performance bodes well for the upcoming Guy-Girl Challenge Mile, tentatively expected to take place within the next few weeks.


Samudio, Sully, and Nicholson exalt in their victories

The following weekend featured eight runners competing at the Oregon Twilight Meet at Hayward Field. Ryan Nichols edged Justin Samudio in the 800, taking over the club record in the process with a time of 1:57.55. Kevin Sully set a personal best by a fraction of a second in the 5000, finishing in 15:55.49.
The high-level meet featured four last-place finishes by club runners, and the club swept the final two places in the mens' 5000.

Hulst smashes steeplechase record at Willamette
- SALEM, OR

Club member Josh Hulst blasted away the club's 3000-meter steeplechase record, formerly held by Nate Spinney, at Friday's Willamette Invitational. A spectacular time of 10:46.86 propelled Hulst to an 18th-place finish.
Hulst began the race consisently, running 80 to 83 second laps through 5 laps of the 7.5-lap race. Throughout the second kilometer of the race, Hulst passed three runners, and was looking strong going into the last third of the race. Then Hulst's race began to degenerate.
Hulst's sixth lap dropped to 90 seconds, which he followed up with two 93-second laps.
"I felt like an old woman," said Hulst. All three of the runners that Hulst had passed passed him back over this period.
"The race is made in the last kilometer," said club coach Tom Heinonen. This was true not only for Hulst, but for the eventual winner Steven Ault of Portland, who took the lead in the last three laps and finished with nearly an 8-second lead.
Hulst's performance highlighted one of the most spectacular team showings since the club's inception. Paul Lubliner was the club's lone personal record setter in the 1500. Kristin Wheeler, Shannon Stone, and Matt Paquet all set season bests in the 1500, and Laura Bocko had her debut performance in the steeplechase.
The predicted shining of Kevin Sully and David Reid in the 5000 was somewhat less bright than anticipated. Both were well off their personal bests; Sully's from the same meet last year and Reid's from the recent Willamette Opener.
Hulst leaps his first steeple since callage

"I saw David was right there, so I thought I was doing pretty well," reflected Sully. "Then I heard my splits, and I'm like, 'What the hell?'" Little did Sully know, Reid was far off his intended pace as well.
Justin Samudio's intense training over Spring Break paid off, bringing him to within two seconds of his all-time best in the 1500.
The club's next race is Friday, April 28 at the Western Oregon Twilight Meet.