July 5, 1997 Bowdoin College Track at Whittier Field, 5:30 PM Brunswick, Maine
Additional Story by Steve Viatones
The NYNEX Women’s 5,000 meter event was expected to be exciting with 14 entries including Lynn Jennings, Gwen Coogan, Melody Fairchild, and 15:35 Mexican runner, Maria Louisa Servin. A last minute scratch by Jennings went almost unnoticed by the crowd as Fairchild led out forcefully, followed closely by Coogan, Servin and Canadian Tania Jones. In spite of the fact that Jones dropped off the pace after 1,200 meters; Servin began to struggle after 1600 meters, and Coogan fell back by 3,000 meters, Fairchild was not to be denied her opportunity to run the sub 15:40 qualifying time required for the World Championships.
Appearing to gain energy and resolve with each lap, Fairchild astonished the crowd with her gutsy run, much of it in lane 2 as she began to lap some very fine, and well known runners in the closing laps. With the crowd on its feet, roaring and clapping, Fairchild clipped off 75 second laps like clockwork. On the final lap. needing only an 82 to qualify, Fairchild accelerated. In the home stretch, she roared into overdrive, logging 15:30.97 the fastest 5,000 run by an American woman this year,and breaking Jennnings 15:39.22 meet record in the process. If this was American track, Maine’s fans were hooked.
An astonishing 9 of 12 meet records were broken on a magically clear evening with still, dry air and temperatures in the low 70’s. Alisa Hill took the Goodwin’s Volvo Women’s 800 in 2:05.18 breaking Dartmouth’s Cuyler Goodwin’s ’96 meet record of 2:13.63. Jean Fletcher of Phoenix Track Club was second in 2:06.17 and Adina Valdez, of West Chester Track Club, third in 2:06.86.
In the Men’s 800, Issac Turner of USC led for much of the race, but 1997 NCAA Indoor National Champion, David Krummenacker took the Goodwin’s Volvo Men’s 800 in 1:46.39, establishing a solid meet record for this event held for the first time this year. James Njoroge (1:46.68) and Jamacian World Trials champ, Alex Morgan (1:47.63) took second and third respectively in a hotly competitive field.
Held for the fourth time this year, the Maine Distance Festival was organized with the express purpose of providing a domestic meet in a beautiful location for athletes not making the annual pilgrimage to Europe after the USA Nationals. Site of the 1972 Olympic training camp, and a secret summer getaway for the rich and famous from all over the country, coastal Maine is lovely in summer. With such a beautiful facility at Bowdoin College, nestled unused among the tall pine trees in July, what an inspiring place to run, or to watch track! For four years in a row, the meet has offered milers the opportunity to be the first to break the four minute barrier in the state of Maine. Each year a new record has been set, however, this year’s Sea Fax Mile winning time fell “a gnat’s eyelash” short of the mark leaving Maine natives Eric Nedeau and Sam Wilber both anxious to return for the chance to be the first.
With one lap to go, Nedeau, Wilber, Andrew Downin, Scott Anderson, and Jonathan Swanson were all within striking distance. With 200 to go, Wilber and Nedeau surged then were passed by Downin. At the final turn, with Nedeau in fourth, it looked like Downin’s race. Downin led Scott Anderson into the stretch when suddenly Nedeau cranked out a phenomenal kick, passing Wilber, then Anderson, and just before the line, Downin. Nedeau finished in 4:00.51 to Downin’s 4:00.89. Anderson took third in 4:01.23. “Coming off the turn, oh I was hurting.” Nedeau said. “I was feeling sorry for myself. Then I heard the crowd….There were 1,500 people cheering and it wasn’t for the other guy. I told myself to suck up the pain, deal with it. I drew my strength from that crowd.” Brookline High School’s Jonathan Riley came up just a bit short in his effort to break four minutes before starting at Stanford this fall finishing 7th in 4:07.16.
In the women’s Sea Fax Mile, Kathy Franey of Nike International battled Gina Procaccio, and the doubling Alisa Hill, successfully for the win in 4:33.50 to break Hill’s 1995 meet record of 4:34.81. Hill took second in 4:37.30 with Procaccio third in 4:44.22.
The Lamey Wellehan Men’s 5,000 was another record breaker as Joe Lemay’s 1995 14:14.34 was demolished by Andre Williams who ran away from the field in 14:00.49. Australia and Georgia State’s Andrew Leatherby took second in 14:19.60 with Kent Thompson third in 14:24.78.
Lamey Wellehan “Best of Meet” awards, based upon points earned on the Gardner and Purdy Computer tables, were awarded to Melody Fairchild for her spectacular solo effort in the 5,000 and David Krummenacker for his 1:46.39 800 meters.
Maine Distance Festival Fields: Results
800 men
David Krummenacker Georgia Tech 1:46.39 James Njoroge New Balance 1:46.68 Alex Morgan World Express Track Club 1:47.63 Aaron Samansky Reebok Aggies 1:47.84 Willie Best Fredericton TC 1:48.82 Andy Keith New Balance 1:49.71 Isaac Turner University of So. Cal. 1:49.89 Think Ly University of Maine 1:51.39 Joe Loner Penn State 1:52.60 Sebastian Ouellet Unattached 1:52.79 Joe King World Express Track Club 1:53.31 Elliott Gaskins Reebok Enclave 1:53.37 Chris Downe Bowdoin College 1:56.07 Logan Powell Unattached 1:56.86 New Event Meet Record
800 Women
Alisa Hill New Balance 2:05.18 Jean Fletcher Phoenix Track Club 2:06.17 Adina Valdez West Chester Track Club 2:06.86 Staci Hubbard Fleet Feet 2:07.54 June Parks Central Mass Striders 2:09.57 Chris Gentile ASICS 2:09.57 Alanna Yakiwchuk Echo Athletics 2:10.71 Jennifer Waeger Central Mass Striders 2:12.37 Dianne Wiseman Grand River Runners 2:15.14 Rebecca Tetu Quebec 2:15.28 New Meet record: old Cuyler Goodwin 2:13.63 (96)
Mile Men
Erik Nedeau New Balance 4:00.51 Andrew Downin Reebok Enclave 4:00.89 Scott Anderson Reebok Enclave 4:01.23 Sam Wilbur New Balance 4:02.87 Jonathan Swanson Club Northwest 4:04.96 Daniel Hill Unattached 4:06.41 Jonathan Riley Brookline HS (MA) 4:07.16 Ethan Craine Unattached 4:08.46 Tom Bima Echo Athletics 4:08.70 Jim Formica Northeastern University 4:11.00 ?? ?? 4:12.04 Frank Elms Central Mass Striders 4:15.02 Sylvain Stotzer Quebec 4:21.79 New Record: Old Steve Agar, Farm Team 4:01.33 (96)
Mile women
Kathy Franey NIKE International 4:33.50 Alisa Hill New Balance 4:37.30 Gina Procaccio NIKE International 4:44.22 Jackie Concaugh Power Bar 5:06.42 New Record: old record Alisa Hill 4:34.81 Foot Locker (95)
Steeplechase Men
George Yianelis Boston Running Club 8:49.52 Jean-Nicolas Duval Quebec 8:52.06 Jason Cullinane New Balance 8:52.75 Artie Green Athletes Anonymous 9:01.42 Doug Consiglio Farm Team 9:04.57 New Record: old record Rob Cook Club Northwest 8:50.08 (96)
5000 Women
Melody Fairchild NIKE International 15:30.97 Gwyn Coogan New Balance 16:14.84 Tania Jones Ottawa Lions 16:33.41 Michele Cormier Fredericton TC 16:46.44 Kim Saddic Reebok Enclave 16:53.47 Cathy Stanmeyer Reebok Enclave 17:06.15 Naoke Ishibe BAA 17:09.27 Christine Snow Reaser BAA 17:18.61 Amy Cashion Central Mass Striders 17:46.02 DNF: Maria Luisa Servin; Kristin Pierce BAA Fairchild runs World Champs qualifier. New Record: old record Lynn Jennings NIKE International 15:39.22 (96)
5000 Men
Andre Williams Reebok Enclave 14:00.49 Andrew Leatherby Georgia State 14:19.60 Kent Thonpson Unattached 14:24.78 Mark Vilardo Univ of West Virginia 14:27.02 Justin Reid West Chester Track Club 14:27.81 Kevin Sullivan West Chester Track Club 14:28.81 George Luke Greater Lowell Road Runners 14:39.16 Steve Kempainen Boston Running Club 14:39.16 Brian Culley Adidas 14:47.48 New Record: old 14:14.34 Joe LeMay Adidas (95)