Personal Records Torched At Brooks PR

Bethany Michalak ran 4:37.39 for a personal best, and Colorado All-Time No. 2.

...

Several Colorado state champions headed west to Seattle, Wash. for the first national-caliber meet this week - the Brooks PR.

Needless to write, Colorado was well-represented. 

Girls 2 Mile

The girl's 2 mile was the first final of the day, and starring for Colorado was Emma Stutzman

The opening quarter was a solid 78-seconds, which was comfortable for the Pomona senior, who had run 9:56 in the 3,200 at lower elevations, and 10:12 in Colorado's thin air this season. 

The Colorado 5A 1,600 & 3,200 state champ and 1,600 state-record holder sat on the rail through much of the opening laps.

The field hit the mile in 5:00 with Stutzman sitting in third. 

Leah Stephens and Ellie Shea gradually pushed the pedal to the floor heading into the second mile, creating some separation. Though Stutzman continued to battle to keep the gap from growing too much.

With a lap to go Stutzman chased from around two-seconds back, though the gap would remain.

Shea took the victory in 9:53 with Stephens a second back in 9:54.

Stutzman finished third in 9:55.75. 

The performance slashed a few more seconds off her Pomona school record, and was the second-fastest in the 2-mile ever by a Coloradan, surpassing Melody Fairchild's 9:55.91 from 1991. It was just four-seconds off Brie Oakley's 9:51.33 from the 2017 edition of Brooks PR. Additionally, it was a US No. 3. 


Boys 400

The 400 featured the top-two quarter-milers in the country: Mead's Tavon Underwood, and Sidi Njie.

Underwood made up the stagger on Nije by the 200, and powered over the final 200 meters.

The Colorado 4A 200, 400, and 800 state champ came away with the 400 meet record of 45.78 - that's his second time under 46-seconds this season.

Girls 800

The opening lap of the girl's 800 was packed.

The entire field - including Niwot's Madison Shults - were in the mix through bell lap, which they ran in 62-seconds. The 4A 800 state champ clung to the field as the pace picked up into the third 200.

And then the kicks began. 

The final 200 was the difference maker in this race, as with most 800s. 

Allison Ince took the victory by one-hundredth of a second, running 2:04.82

Shults kicked late to finish fourth in 2:06.69.

Girls 100H

Colorado hurdle star Gabriella Cunningham sat in the blocks of s stacked field in the girl's 100 hurdles.

Despite hitting several of the early hurdles, the 100H and 300H state champ finished eighth in 13.80

Akala Garrett took the victory here in 13.13.

Boys 100

The boys 100 featured 4A 100 state champ Joseph Ciccio.

Amari Turner won this event with a 10.64 clocking.

Ciccio finished fifth in 10.99.

Girls Mile

At last month's Colorado State Championships Air Academy junior Bethany Michalak became the second-fastest 1,600 runner on Colorado soil, clocking 4:42.

She took a massive slice out of that time Wednesday.

The early pace was hot.

Michalak settled behind the leaders and cruised through the opening quarter in 67ish-seconds - or about 4:30 pace.

She moved up on the outside passing the 800 around 2:17.

The pace continued to be fiery, with six still in the mix at the bell. 

Michalak tracked back in fourth as the bell echoed across the field in 3:27. 

Colorado's eyes were on Michalak, and Katie Rainsberger's Colorado all-conditions mile record (and Air Academy school record) of 4:36.61.

But as history would play out, that record would have to wait another day...

Jane Hedengren won the event in a meet record of 4:35.69.

Michalak was a close third with a late kick, finishing in 4:37.39 for a new personal best, and Colorado All-Time No. 2 indoors or out - add that it was a Colorado No. 1 outdoors.