by Larry Eder
2013 Brooks PR Invitational Boys Mile: Early Season Showcase, by Kevin Mangan
Since it’s inaugural running in 2011, the Brooks PR Invitational has been all about showcasing. The fastest prep athletes are flown to Seattle to race on the fastest track and to put on an early season showcase of who to expect big things from once outdoor season rolls around. The Dempsey is completely transformed for this meet. The infield is dark and the only lights on are those above the track. Gone are the various field event runways and throwing cages, the focus is completely on the track. This meet sets the bar for the rest of the elite high school runners, as well those who aspire to be counted among them. The racers, the future stars of American running are surrounded by larger-than-life posters of the stars of today such as Katie Mackey, Angela Bizzarri and Mark Wieczorek. Like the pros of today, these prep stars were trying to make a statement during indoor track about their fitness and show their mettle for the upcoming outdoor campaign.
Perhaps the biggest statement of the night was made by Trevor Gilley, who threw down a 57 second final 400 to blow away the rest of the field. Once he took off with about 250 meters left, nobody else could keep up and Gilley, who placed last in this race a year ago, was the first to cross the line.
In a race featuring the likes of five guys with pr’s under 4:10, including a 4:02 guy in Jacob Burcham, there was some serious competition. Chris Marco of New Jersey set the early pace, holding a slight lead on the field with a 62 second first quarter mile. Everyone slowed down running a 66 quarter, with Marco still holding a slight lead. Marco dropped the pace on the third quarter and maintained his lead with a 61 second lap with Burcham just ahead of the chase pack. Going into the penultimate turn it was Marco and Burcham with Brock Baker close behind and Gilley gaining ground.
Coming out off the turn with just over 200 meters to go, Gilley dropped the hammer and never looked back, quickly gaining a 10 meter lead he would never relinquish and finishing in a US #1 4:08. Seattle’s own Joe Hardy finished strong down the stretch to take second just ahead of Brock Baker. Marco and Burcham faded to fourth and fifth respectively.
True to the name and motto of the meet, in the boys mile there were some early season pr’s resulting from putting the fastest athletes on the fastest track. Winner Trevor Gilley lowered his pr by just over a second and Brock Baker pr’ed by a second in a podium worthy effort. Some other competitors showed great promise with good early season races: Hardy and Baker had great finishes, Marco and Burcham ran well but faded a bit down the stretch. Look for these guys to be able to run more complete races as the season goes on and they get more training under their belts. But, with such a blistering kick to blow the competition out of the water and a pr so early in the season the rest of the 2013 campaign looks to be very promising for Trevor Gilley.
(Another impressive showcase of talent was by Bernie Montoya who also closed in a 57 second last lap to win the boys 2 mile earlier in the night, in an impressive 8:54. With his 4:01 adidas Dream Mile victory a year ago, Montoya may actually have the best shot of anyone in the prep ranks to break the 4 minute barrier, especially with such considerable fitness so early in the year).
1 Gillley, Trevor Ft. Worth, TX 4:08.24
2 Hardy, Joe Seattle, WA 4:09.88
3 Baker, Brock Murfeesboro, TN 4:09.93
4 Marco, Chris Toms River, NJ 4:10.43
5 Burcham, Jacob Ona, WV 4:10.93
6 Hirsh, Carl Brookfield, WI 4:12.01
7 Silva, Ryan Tuscon, AZ 4:12.89
8 More, Conner Ceder Springs, MI 4:13.52
9 Williams, Keith Spokane, WA 4:16.11
10 Domanic, Robert Carrollton, TX 4:17.10
11 Goodwin, Sumner Spokane, WA 4:17.78
12 Gibson, Patrick Bellingham, WA 4:18.16
13 Baptiste Tooley, Jean Portland, OR 4:24.43
