Jorda Hasay and Becca Friday led the University of Oregon Athletes at the Texas A & M Modo Challenge.  Both ran the mile and clocked 4:37 & change placing 1 - 2 in the evvent.  Both narrowly missed the NCAA qualifying time.  Trevor Dunbar competed for the first time as a Duck in the men's mile. 

Laura Carlyle set a new OSU record in the Mile with a time of 4:46, while Brandin Cooks ran 6.81 in the 60 Meter Dash establising another record.  They were in action with the team at the UW Invitational, which was held on campus at the Dempsey Center.

Maddie Meyers Maddie Meyers ran 10:02 in the 3K placing third  against her field of collegiate athletes and Tatum Taylor zipped 6.79 in the 60 Meter Dash.  Hannah Cunliffe also impressed in the 60 with her time of 7.61.  

Nathan Weitz at Foot Locker (pic by Colleen Collins) Northwest runners were honored by Gatorade as part of its selection of male athlete of the year for 2010.   Nathan Weitz of Shadle Park, who placed third in the nation at Foot Locker topped the list  for Washington, while Travis Neuman of Summit, the Oregon 5A champion, headed the Oregon guys.  Travis placed 7th in the Northwest Regional.   Dallin Farnsworth, a two-time Idaho State champion from Highland & an eleventh place Foot Locker National runner led the way in that state.  Miles Knotek of Seward won the 3A Alaskan championship.   Knotek & Neuman are juniors and will return next year.    Following is the company announcement for all four runners.

There were numerous ahtletes with Northwest ties in last weekends US Marathon Trials covered in the article,   For the men former Centennial runner Ryan Vail placed 11th in 2:12;43, Max King of Bend placed 19th - 2:14, Ryan Bak, also from Bend 23 - 2:15, Craig Leon of Eugene 26 - 2:15.42, Mikhail Sayenko of Bellevue 30 - 2:16.40 & Juan Carolos Trujillo of Idaho 58 - 2:20.    Kenyon Neuman, whose brother Travis is the current 5A XC champion from Summit, placed 72nd in 2:22.33, while former West Linn star Dan Browne finished 82nd in 2:42.  Browne represented he US in the 2004 Olympics in both the marathon and the 10K.     Women with local ties include Jeannette Faber of Portland, who was 21st in 2:36, Amanda Rice of Portland  50  - 2:41, Christina Overbeck of Portland 108 - 2:48, Mattie Suver of Washington 123 - 2:50.23, Wendy Terris of Milwaukie 126 - 2:51.36, Hallie Jansen of Portland 2:53, Rachel JAten of Spokane 136 - 2:53.46, Meghan Arbogast of Corvallis 143 - 2:58.53 & Liana Bernarde of Medford 147 - 3:01.14.   Former Olympians, who raced, include Deena Kaster (6 - 2:0.40, Magdalena Lewy Boulet (10 - 2:33.42), Jen Rhines 21 - 2:43.35 plus Katie McGregor, who has not been an Olympic athlete but has represented the US a number of times (11 - 2:34.01.

Meb with Oregon's Dan Browne at 2010 Foot Locker An interesting take on the US  Marathon Trials and  the sponsorship of the  male winner Meb Keflezighi.

It may have been snowing outside but it was warm inside at UW's Dempsey Center.      Tera Novy and Brittany Gappa led the way for Washington, while Kristen Coffman & Mary Kate McGwire impressed for Oregon on Saturday.  

Emily Nist  Katie Knight at Northwest Regional Allie Ostrander of  Alaska, Emily Nist of Idaho, Katie Knight of Washington and Sara Tsai of Oregon have been named as thier state's top harriers for the Fall 2011 Cross Country season.   They now share nominatins with young ladies from the other 50 States, as potential American Athlete of the Year, who Gatorade will name later.

Hood River girls at Concordia Adidas A new hormone, Irisiin, has been discovered, which appears to fight obesity & diabetes and is a by-product of exercise.   A new report by scientists at Harvard sheds new light on the benefit of exercise and its impact on the entire human system and not just muscle, heart and lungs.  

Jordan Hasay will lead Oregon at the 2012 Olympic Trials The city of Eugene turns 150 this year as it anticipates the US lympic Trials.  Looking forward also includes a tip of the hat to the past and Bill Bowerman.

Katie Knight leads the way at Border Clash (pic by Angela Collins) A number of Northwest runners have been nominated for the Inland Northwest Youth Awards, which will be anounced in mid-February.   Included on the list are:   Kinsey Gomez - the Coeur d' Alene runner, who now runs for Oregon State, won Idaho 5A titles in the 1600 & 3200 Katie Knight - the North Central star set a course record in winning the 3A XC championship in 17:10.6 and was third at Nike & now 4th at BUPA International. Baylee Mires - the Mead runner, who is now at the University of Washington, won the 4A 800 Meters in 2:10 & was  2nd in the 400M (57.44) Kenji Bierig - the Lewis & Clark star won 4A titles in the 3200M & 1600M. Nathan Weitz - the Shadle Park star earned his second trip to the presitgious Foot Locker meet, where he placed third in the nation.  He was 2nd in 3A XC. Others nominated include Anande Egland - 1A Pole Vault record of 11-06, Austin Pruit - 200M wheelchair winner in the International Paralympiscs, Jon Knight - coach five time North Central, which won its 5th straight 3A crown,.     One wonders how Andrew Gardner of Mead was left off the list after placing sixth in the nation at Foot Locker but that is another story.

Andrew Gardner, Nathan Weitz & Katie Knight before heading to Scotland Northwest runners Andrew Gardner & Katie Knight were two of the America 's best in Scotland on Saturday.