By Christopher Hunt
Imagine you walk onto an empty track, in a nearly empty building. There are a couple guys with stopwatches and a few people near the track that promise to clap when you wiz by.
Imagine that you’re trying to break a national record. You are Chanelle Price.
OK, that may be an exaggeration. But the truth is, that the stand had nearly cleared by the time the Easton Area (Pa.) senior made her attempt to rewrite the national high school record in the 1,000 meters. And like always, after the first two steps, Price never saw another runner in the race until she turned around at the finish line.
Price won the invitational event at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in 2:45.76, two seconds off the record set by Sarah Bowman of Warrenton, Va. three years ago (2:43.40). Price, who committed to Tennessee, did capture the meet record of 2:47.21 set in 2005 by Kate Doswell of Richmond, Va. Her time is fastest in the nation this year and the third-fastest in United States history.
“I’m happy that I was able to break the meet record but disappointed that the national record didn’t fall today,” Price said. “I think I went out a little too hard and it did catch up with me in the end.”
Price made certain the race resembled a time trial right from the gun despite a field that included Kristin Reese of Carmel, who has committed to Stanford. Price ripped through the first 400 meters in 60 seconds; then barreled through the 800 mark in 2:08.0. The strain began to show in her face.
“Going into the fifth lap, I tried to relax but my hamstrings really started tightening up and I just tightened up,” she said.
Price is acknowledged that she is accustomed to running alone, but 1,000 meters is a tough distance to run when you’re trying to run faster than anyone else ever has in the United States.
It’s really hard,” she said. “People don’t understand how tough it is to run by yourself sometimes. It’s really just me against the clock.”
Paige Johnston of Midlothaian, Va. finished second in 2:51.05 and Reese was third in 2:52.06.
The girls 4x800-meter relay was more contested early on but Eleanor Roosevelt, took control and reminded people that it is still the best 2-mile relay in the country. Dominque Lockhart, Brittany Ogyn-Mokun, Amirah Johnson and Tasha Stanley won the race in 8:59.37, the fastest time in the country this season. The time ties Suffern for the second-fastest in the U.S. all-time.
Johnson gave her team a gap on the third leg but Stanley, with a torrid first 400 meters, decided the race with a 2:12.1 anchor leg. She covered the first two laps in 60 seconds. Stanley said as soon as she took the baton she was thinking of breaking nine minutes. Cardozo finished second in 9:07.69 and Holy Names third in 9:10.11.
“This is our first meet that we could put together a relay and say that we’re back and that his relay is just as good or maybe even better than the relay we had last year,” Stanley said.
YOU'VE GOTTA SEE THIS RACE VIDEO
(2 camera angles on every lap)
The boys 4x800 relay was the most exciting of the scholastic events. Eleanor Roosevelt built a substantial lead until just before the second baton exchange. Then the leaders just bumped and elbowed each other and switched back and forth.
They race belong to anyone with enough energy to take it all the way until the final 75 meters when Liam Tansey of Morris Hills went wide on the final curve. His 1:55.7 anchor-leg led to Morris Hills winning in 7:56.42 with Sean Poherene (2:00.9), Vinny Chisuano (2:00.6), Lucas Clyne (1:59.2) and Tansey. Seven teams dipped under eight minutes. Warwick finished second in 7:56.68 and Colonie third in 7:57.13.
“I was real wide on the last turn, like all the way in lane 3” Tansey said. “There was a lot of bumping and jostling. My team, they did a great job of hanging back and staying out of trouble. .. This is really a great experience. There are a lot of college teams here and I love of people that I look up to. It’s really cool running with them.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.
Photos by www.wingedfootfotos.com
