Take Two: Sundown Track Series Set For Distance Fireworks

* Colin Sahlman and Judson Greer, who battled to the finish in the mile at Sundown Track Series Meet #1, are scheduled to battle over 3200 meters on Saturday in Meet #2 at Eastmark High. (Credit: Harold Smith)


Because of technical issues at the venue, there will not be a livestream from this event. Races will be posted to MileSplit after the meet. 


The second installment of the Sundown Track Series, the brainchild of Newbury Park's Sean Brosnan, is full of changes from Meet #1 held two weeks ago. But what won't change is the expected fast times run by an impressive collection of elite runners. 

Saturday night's Meet #2 has moved to Eastmark High in Mesa, AZ. The timer is now Finished Results (download and follow their live results app), and many of the elite runners are switching their event from Meet #1. 

This is an open meet where athletes will compete unattached in the mile and 3,200 meters scheduled to start at 5 p.m. PST. 

Three of the returning event winners from Meet #1 are scheduled to compete here but all three are set to change events. 

CHECK OUT HEAT SHEETS AND THE TIME SCHEDULE FOR MEET #2


Colin Sahlman, a junior at Newbury Park, was an impressive winner in the mile, overcoming Texas standout Judson Greer over the final 100m to win Meet #1 in a US No. 1 outdoor time of 4:09.86.

This week, Sahlman is scheduled to switch to the 3,200, in a field that also includes Greer, Newbury Park teammate Nicholas Goldstein and Greer's compadre from Tinman Jr. Elite, Larry Josh Edwards --  who currently owns the No. 1 3,200m time over the indoor season.

Beckman (SS) senior Joshua Schuld, the Meet #1 winner for 3,200m (9:26.60) is not among the early entries for Meet #2. 

In a post-event interview, Brosnan shared that Meet #1 was essentially a warm-up for his athletes. 

"The big meet in their eyes and in my eyes will be on the 27th," he said in reference to Meet #2. "That 3,200 is going to be pretty loaded. There's going to be some fast times. I might not have all of my guys running ... I have some top guys and they're going to do some good stuff."

Sahlman has gone 8:55.55 for 3,200m, as has Goldstein, with Greer and Edwards just a tick back. The current national leader is Texan Ben Shearer at 9:06.20.


WATCH FULL MEET #1 REPLAY


Brosnan's reference to a loaded 3,200 may equally apply to the expected girls field, which is led by CA stars Mia Barnett, Harper McClain and Samantha McDonnell, WA's Ella Borsheim, and CO's Katelyn Maley, the mile winner at Meet #1 when she out-battled McDonnell to finish in 4:54.24 (currently U.S. No. 1). 

Barnett, the heavily decorated distance star now at Crescenta Valley (SS) -- who's headed to the University of Virginia -- last ran a competitive 3,200 in May 2019 when she PR'd 10:22.51. McClain, the University of Oregon-bound cross country state champion from St. Helena (NC), went 10:29.68 for seventh in the 3,200 final at the 2019 State Meet.

McDonnell, a junior whose 4:55.27 runner-up time for the mile in Meet #1 sits at US No. 2, hasn't run a 3,200 in competition since April of 2019 according to MileSplit database, and undoubtedly she is set to crush that PR. 

Borsheim, a junior from Tacoma (WA) Bellarmine, has a database best for eight laps of 10:29.49. Maley, a sophomore at Basalt (CO) HS, has a best of 10:34.36.

The expected field also includes Fiona Hawkins, an Adams State signee from Newbury Park; Anna Weirich, headed to UCLA from San Jose Harker (CC); and Furman University-bound Sierra Bower, also from Basalt.

The women's mile field is topped by Phoenix (AZ) Desert Vista sophomore Lauren Ping, who ran away with the 3,200 at Meet #1 with a US No. 1 time of 10:33.84, some eight-plus seconds faster than the current US No. 2. Ping has also gone 4:49 for the mile. 

Her teammate, Katie Sigerud, a junior who placed second in the 3,200 at Meet #1, also moves down to the shorter distance. 

Challenges to Ping are expected to come from a pair of NorCal distance standouts in juniors Riley Chamberlain of Del Oro (SJ) and Cate Joaquin of St. Francis (SJ). Chamberlain, a two-time state champion in cross country, PR'd for 1600m at 4:44.80 in July.

Joaquin, one of the state's longer distance stars, has gone 4:54.79 for 1600m. 

The men's mile field entries includes Sebastian Barclay (San Diego Torrey Pines), Vincent Mestler (Eugene (OR) Sheldon), Noah Espeleta (Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman), Angus Fitzgerald (Simi Valley (CA) Royal), Lex Young (Newbury Park), Bryce Gilmore (Carlsbad (CA) Sage Creek), Austin Clayton (Glendale (AZ) Mountain Ridge) and Jayson Velarde (Canyon County (CA) Canyon) among a field of nearly 50 entries. 

Young, a sophomore and younger brother of former XC national champion Nico Young, led or was among the top two in the 3200 race at Meet #1 before stepping off with two laps remaining. Looks like he's set for a little speed work here.

Mestler, meanwhille, is the younger brother of Oregon athlete Jackson Mestler and is an Oregon signee himself. As a sophomore, he ran 4:01.16 for 1,500m and 8:37.03 for 3,000 meters. He's entered in both the mile and the 3,200m. 


Sundown Track Series Meet #2 Schedule

(Heats go from slow to fast)

Times are Mountain Standard

6:10 pm - Women's Mile H1

6:20 pm - Women's Mile H2 (Fast heat)

6:30 pm - Men's Mile H1

6:40 pm - Men's Mile H2

6:50 pm - Men's Mile H3 (Fast Heat)

7:05 pm - Women 's 3200m H1

7:25 pm - Women's 3200m H2 (Fast Heat)

7:45 pm - Men's 3200m H1

8:05 pm - Men's 3200m H2

8:25 pm - Men's 3200m H3 (Fast Heat)