Photo from left: Sherod Hardt, Brian Shrader and Steve Magnuson all go under 9 minutes in the 3200 meter run at the Arcadia Invitational in California last weekend.
It was the most anticipated race of the Arcadia Invitational for distance fans and it turned out to be the most exciting! It looked like a Foot Locker Nationals reunion as runners from eleven states stepped to the line.
Sherod Hardt (Sr., Queen Creek, AZ) took the early lead at the curve and set the pace with a 30.9 200 and a 66.2 on the first lap. Hardt led the second lap in 70.1 for a 2:16.3 800 where Parker Stinson (Sr., Cedar Park, TX) moved to the front to start the 3rd lap.
Sherod Hardt leads a tight pack of runners in the 3200 meter run invite at the Arcadia Invitational
Stinson and Hardt led the way for two more laps with Walter Schafer (Sr., Cherry Creek, CO) in third and Matt McElroy (Sr., Edison, CA) in 4th.
The tight pack of runners hit the half way mark in 4:29 and it became obvious they were shooting for a sub 9 minute 3200. Hardt decided to take the lead again pushing he pace even harder and trying to put some distance between himself and the rest of the field but Schafer and Stinson stayed close as Jake Hurysz (Sr., Eastern Alamance, NC) made his way to 3rd.
Steve Magnuson (Sr., Ironwood Ridge, AZ) and Brian Shrader (Sr., Sinagua, AZ) were cruising in the back and started to make a move to the front as Stinson started to surge ahead of Hardt. Twenty runners were still bunched together with anyone of them in position to win.
With a time of 6:44.8 and two laps to go Shrader took the lead and started to pull away from the group. As the bell rang for the final lap Shrader took off but at the 200 mark several runners jumped into overdrive and started to sprint for the finish with Hurysz leading the way. Hurysz passed Shrader and without slowing down kept looking back over his shoulder as he flew to the finish line.
Hurysz won the race in 8:47.76 with Shrader finishing 2nd in 8:53.09 and Brondon Lord (Sr., Baylor, TN) taking 3rd in 8:55.42. In total 17 runners cleared the 9 minute mark before the number 6 runner was DQ for cutting in before the zone.
Brian Shrader's time puts him at the 2nd fastest all time Arizona 3200 mark. Steve Magnuson finished 10th with an 8:58.27 and the 4th fastest all time Arizona 3200. Sherod Hardt finished 15th with an 8:59.09 and the 7th fastest all time Arizona 3200.
Billy Orman (Jr., Tuba City, AZ) ran in the seeded race (not quite sure why he wasn't in the invitational race) and placed 2nd in 9:05.73. Orman led for several laps and looked strong though out the entire race.
Billy Orman leads the seeded 3200 meter run at the Arcadia Invitational
