The Stanford Invitational was, for many years, my first elite outdoor meeting of the year. Held at the end of March most years, it was a meet I ran in 1980 (as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Games under late Brooks Johnson) and observed for many years.
From the 1990s to 2013, I visited many years, going out to see early-season elite events on Friday and visiting with the ubiquitous Aggies, one of the most iconic running clubs in North America.
The Aggies were born at the U.C. Davis campus, I believe, and there are many life members, now called ancients. From Peanut Harms to Terry Boynton to Jeff Shaver to Doug Steadman to Stacey Geiken to Charles Alexander, the Aggies have athletes, young and not-so-young, who run, jump, throw, and drink adult beverages in moderation.
When I returned to California (2014-2022) to spend time with my parents, I visited each year.
One of my favorite weekends was the Stanford Invitational, as the Aggies would show up, from my former coaching partner, Joe Mangan, to Jeff Shaver, it was always good to catch up with this fine group. Sometimes, even David Frank would be there.
This year, I was unable to attend. Dwayne “Peanut” Harms was asked to cover both the Stanford and the Arcadia events for me. Dwayne is an athlete who has run from a 48 split on the relay to a 4:08 mile, and at one time held the AR for half marathon for his then mid-thirties age group (Oakland Half, 1983?). Dwayne has been an Olympic coach (Nigeria), a US team coach (World XC), a college coach, a community college coach, and now, a high school coach. Any young athlete who is fortunate enough to work with my friend is a very lucky human being.
This is how Dwayne Harms, my spiritual leader, (along with the late Jan Johnson and the late John Powell, I have given this title to only a few, meaning that “Nut”, as some call him, is a huge influence on my life.
Of the Stanford Invite, Dwayne noted:
“All BYU, all the time. Women’s 10k seemed like a two-person match race, with a ‘toe to toe’ 25-lap ‘hammer time’ competition. It was surreal as the other 15-plus people in the race, with all due respect, were like extras in a Hollywood movie. Lady BYU dominance continued today with multiple distance victories. I did not stay for the Men’s 10k. “
Dwayne added: “Hendregen and Koseki co-athletes of the meet with Whitaker (2:01.44), an Honorable Mention.”
I then asked our Sunday Aggie newsletter group to provide thoughtful comments on the women’s 10,000m.
I was hoping to do a homage to Don Kardong’s famous story, “Thirty Phone Booths to Boston, Tales of a Wayward Runner.”
Gary Gellin noted: “There’s got to be something in that tea they drink at BYU,” alluding to the absolute dominance of the BYU team at the Stanford Invite.
Charles Alexander, coach at Los Altos High School, former Kinney XC Champion and Stanford Track & Field distance runner, noted the following:
“Jane H. and Pam Kosgei traded laps throughout the race, making it seem like they planned to help each other, until Jane dropped a 66.12 last lap to Pamela’s 69.54. Jane lapped the entire field except for two runners.
It was a perfect evening, no wind and cool but not cold.
We sat near Ed Eyestone, at the 100m start. That’s him in the blue in one of my photos. He cheered the BYU women, but did not shout instructions or splits like he did with the men.”
Jane Hedengren’s 10,000 meters was masterful. She ran the second 5,000 meters faster than the first and finished with the last kilometer in 2:53.12, after averaging 3:03-3:04 per kilometer for the first nine kilometers. Well within herself, her debut at 10,000m, in 30:46.80, set a new NCAA record, breaking the former mark set by Parker Valby, of 30:50, by four seconds. Jane’s NCAA Indoor season, in which she set the NCAA record in the 5,000 meters and won both the 3,000 m and 5,000 m at the NCAA Indoors, suggests an amazing career ahead of her, with careful management of her racing and training.
Based on the recent results from the Stanford Invitational held on April 3–4, 2026, here are the top 3 finishers for the primary track events in agate style. (results developed in agate style from TFRRS.com, with assistance of Gemini A.I. )
Men’s Track Events
100m: 1. Jordan Coleman (Unattached) 10.32; 2. Nathan Rider (Sacramento St.) 10.45; 3. Jason Wells (San Marcos) 10.51. 200m: 1. Jordan Coleman (Unattached) 20.61; 2. Nathan Rider (Sacramento St.) 20.98; 3. Jason Wells (San Marcos) 21.01. 400m: 1. Zachary Ryan (Stanford) 47.25; 2. Ryce Reynolds (Stanford) 47.88; 3. Alexander Rhodes (Washington) 48.12. 800m: 1. Zane Bergen (Stanford) 1:48.55; 2. Colin Abrams (Stanford) 1:49.12; 3. Gabriel Ajaegbu (Stanford) 1:50.04. 1500m (Invitational): 1. Carter Cutting (BYU) 3:41.32; 2. Brayden Packard (BYU) 3:46.12; 3. Lex Young (Stanford) 3:46.49. 5000m (Invitational): 1. Leo Young (Stanford) 13:24.84; 2. Gavin Sherry (Stanford) 13:30.15; 3. Patrick Koon (Stanford) 13:35.22. 10,000m (Invitational): 1. Habtom Samuel (New Mexico) 27:26.54; 2. Joshua Bell (Stanford) 28:37.14; 3. Paul Bergeron (Stanford) 28:44.20.
Women’s Track Events
100m: 1. Hannah Rutherford (Stanford) 11.65; 2. Sydney Barta (Stanford) 11.82; 3. Elena Cooper (Stanford) 11.94. 200m: 1. Annalies Kalma (Nevada) 23.74; 2. Hannah Rutherford (Stanford) 24.12; 3. Sydney Barta (Stanford) 24.33. 400m: 1. Annalies Kalma (Nevada) 52.73; 2. Samantha Ennin (Stanford) 53.88; 3. Chloe Symon (Washington) 54.41. 800m: 1. Juliette Whittaker (Stanford) 2:01.44; 2. Chloe Foerster (Washington) 2:03.15; 3. Roisin Willis (Stanford) 2:03.88. 1500m: 1. Juliette Whittaker (Stanford) 4:12.33; 2. Sophia Kennedy (Stanford) 4:14.55; 3. Chloe Foerster (Washington) 4:15.10. 5000 m: 1. Zofia Dudek (Stanford) 15:42.20; 2. Riley Stewart (Stanford) 15:55.12; 3. Hanne Thomsen (Stanford) 16:01.44. 10,000m (Invitational): 1. Jane Hedengren (BYU) 30:46.80; 2. Pamela Kosgei (Kenya) 30:49.99; 3. Edna Chelulei (Kenya) 31:33.57. 400m Hurdles: 1. Tess Stapleton (Stanford) 57.17; 2. Vanessa Mercera (Kansas State) 57.38; 3. Brianna Green (VS Athletics) 57.46.
