STANFORD, Calif. – When Angell Field was built sometime around the turn of the 20th century, it was among the gems of the track world. So many world and American records were set there that stone monuments were built to commemorate its rich history.
When Stanford built its first all-weather track surface inside Stanford Stadium in the 1960s, Angell Field fell into disrepair. The greatest racing at Angell Field may have been the automobile drag races between Stanford football stars John Elway and Ken Margerum, who lived in what is now the Stanford Visitor Center at the corner of the track, in the early 1980s.
Since then, Cobb Track and Angell Field has regained its glory, and the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, in its 20th year, has become the destination for fast distance-running, particularly in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Twice, the U.S. 10,000 record has been broken at the Payton Jordan, first by Meb Keflezighi (27:13.98) in 2001 and then by Chris Solinsky (26:59.60) in 2010. Numerous other national records have fallen as well.
Here is a rundown of what this year’s edition has to offer, with a summary of the top distance races, by race time. Keep in mind that sections, even as of late Friday afternoon, are subject to change. Qualifying standards for the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing are in parentheses.
5:34 p.m., Women’s steeplechase (9:44.00):
Colleen Quigley, one of the most versatile collegians in the country, returns to her specialty after impressive run in the 1,500/mile. With Boise State’s Marisa Howard in the race, this could be an NCAA preview.
Among the top competitors:
Jessica Furlan: Former Nebraska star broke the Canadian record by nearly 12 seconds last year … her 9:33.45 placed her No. 27 on the 2014 world list … it was a PR by 15 seconds.
Marisa Howard: The Boise State senior was the NCAA outdoor runner-up last year in 9:43.82, good for No. 15 on the 2014 U.S. list.
Aisha Praught: Finished fourth at the 2014 U.S. Championships in 9:34.69, placing her No. 31 on 2014 world list .. the former Illinois State star was the 2012 NCAA indoor mile runner-up … second at the 2014 Payton Jordan in a then-PR 9:42.08.
Colleen Quigley: Florida State junior and professional model was second in the 2013 NCAA outdoor championships … PR is 9:38.23, good for No. 5 on the all-time collegiate list … this will be her season steeplechase debut … placed fifth in the 1,500 at Mt. SAC in a collegiate leading 4:11.61 … third in the 2015 NCAA indoor mile.
Sarah Pease: Ranked No. 10 in the U.S. by TF&N in 2013 … former Indiana star ran PR of 9:48;.94 at U.S. Championships last year … fourth at 2010 U.S. Championships.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Shalaya Kipp (Colorado), 9:39.12
2013: Emma Coburn (Colorado), 9:28.26
2012: Shalaya Kipp (Colorado), 9:43.09
2011: Emma Coburn (Colorado), 9:40.51
2010: Lindsay Allen (Adidas), 10:02.66
2009: Lindsey Anderson (Nike), 9:35.30
2008: Anna Willard (Nike), 9:37.73
2007: Lindsey Anderson (Weber State), 9:39.95
2006: Lisa Galaviz (Nike), 9:46.87
2005: Lisa Galaviz (unat.), 9:50.93
6:01 p.m., Men’s steeplechase (8:28.00):
This field is missing UTEP’s Anthony Rotich, last year’s Payton Jordan runner-up, but otherwise has a strong collegiate group.
Among the top competitors:
Ben Bruce: Veteran won the Payton Jordan in 2009 and has been part of several outstanding races here … set PR of 8:19.10 in 2011 … didn’t compete in track and field at San Diego’s Mt. Carmel High, but snuck over to run the mile once and got suspended from the golf team … 2010 U.S. runner-up.
Ole Hesselbjerg: Eastern Kentucky senior is No. 2 (8:33.78) on the NCAA Division I season list behind Kebenei … third at the NCAA Championships last year.
Dan Huling: Ranked No. 2 in the U.S. in 2014 and 2013 by Track & Field News … 2013 World Championships qualifier … 2010 U.S. champ … second in the U.S. Championships last year … PB of 8:13.29.
Stanley Kebenei: Arkansas senior is No. 1 on the NCAA Division I season list (8:31.86) … runner-up at the 2014 NCAA outdoor championships.
Haron Lagat: Kenyan carries an 8:15.80 PR, from 2011 … ran 8:19.00 last year to place him No. 23 on the 2014 world list.
Jose Pena: Holds the Venezuelan national record of 8:20.87, set two years ago … broke his own national record of 8:24.06 from the 2012 Olympic Games … gold medalist at the 2013 South American championships and the 2011 Pan American Games.
Nouriddine Smail: Algerian-born runner has a PR of 8:15.89 … competed for France at the 2013 World Championships.
Tabor Stevens: Adams State senior ran PR of 8:32.50 while winning the Stanford Invitational for the second consecutive year … a two-time defending NCAA Division II steeplechase champ … the reigning NCAA Division II cross country champion.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Billy Nelson (Free Leonard), 8:28.49
2013: Matt Hughes (unat.), 8:21.34
2012: Kyle Alcorn (Nike), 8:26.66
2011: Billy Nelson (unat.), 8:22.44
2010: Kyle Alcorn (Nike), 8:27.95
2009: Ben Bruce (OTC Elite), 8:26.08
2008: Luke Gunn (Florida State), 8:31.17
2007: Mircea Bogdan (UTEP) 8:23.12
2006: Mircea Bogdan (UTEP), 8:31.72
6:17 p.m.: Women’s 800 (2:01.00):
The second- through fifth-place finishers at last month’s NCAA Indoor Championships are all in the meet, but one of them -- Oklahoma State’s second-place Kaela Edwards -- will run in the second section. That doesn’t include 2014 NCAA outdoor runner-up Claudia Saunders of Stanford.
Among the top competitors:
Melissa Bishop: The 2012 Olympian became the third Canadian ever to run under 2:00 … her 1:59.70 in Victoria put at No. 22 on the 2014 world list.
Hanna Green: The Virginia Tech sophomore is second on the NCAA Div. I season list … fifth at NCAA indoors … the ACC indoor champ has a PR of 2:03.18.
Claudia Saunders: Stanford junior was runner-up at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships … has a PR of 2:02.68 … anchored Cardinal to 4x1500 Penn Relays victory last week.
Jessica Smith: The 2012 Canadian Olympic semifinalist has a PR of 1:59.86 from 2012.
Chrishuna Williams: The Arkansas senior was fourth at NCAA indoors … second in the 400 and 800 at the Stanford Invitational last month … 800 PR is 2:02.95.
Olicia Williams: The Baylor junior was third at NCAA indoors and is fifth on the 2015 season list … PR is 2:03.21.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Karine Belleau-Beliveau (Les Vainqueu), 2:01.46
2013: Amy Weissenbach (Stanford), 2:04.24
2012: Morgan Uceny (Adidas), 2:02.46
2011: Christin Wurth-Thomas (unat.), 2:00.72
2010: Helen Crofts (Simon Fraser), 2:05.15
2009: Katie Waits (Reebok), 2:01.78
2008: Maggie Vessey (unat.), 2:03.56
2007: Madeleine Pape (Australia), 2:01.17
2006: Qing Liu (Chinese AA), 2:01.90
2005: Sherren Rhetta (South Bay TC), 2:06.52
6:25 p.m.: Men’s 800 (1:46.00):
Two of the top collegians – NCAA indoor champ Edward Kemboi of Iowa State and 2015 No. 1 Shaquille Walker of BYU – take on two-time Olympian Andrew Wheating, who withdrew from the U.S. team to compete at the World Relays this weekend.
Among the top competitors:
Boris Berian: The 2012 NCAA Division II indoor and outdoor champion at Adams State … ran 1:46.16 on April 11 to finish second at Sun Angel Classic.
Mac Fleet: Winner of the past two NCAA outdoor championships in the 1,500 while at Oregon … PR of 1:46.32 … No. 10 U.S. ranking in the 1,500 in 2014.
Edward Kemboi: The Iowa State senior is making his outdoor season debut after winning the NCAA indoor 800 title in March.
Luke Lefebure: NCAA outdoor sixth-place finisher in 2014 … PR of 1:47.64 … sought a fast time in last year’s Payton Jordan top section, but was slowed by sidestepping a fall.
Shaquille Walker: BYU sophomore won Sun Angel Classic on April 11 in a school-record 1:45.78, which is the NCAA’s leading time this year.
Mark Weiczorek: No. 5 in the 2011 U.S. rankings by Track & Field News, No. 7 in 2012, and No. 10 in 2013 … PR is 1:45.36 … 2006 NAIA indoor champion … coached Stanford’s Will Drinkwater at Gig Harbor (Wash.) High School.
Andrew Wheating: Two-time Olympian … the former Oregon star won at Payton Jordan in 2008 when he earned a stunning third at the Olympic trials to make his first U.S. Olympic team … 800/1500 NCAA outdoor double in 2010 was first in 16 years … PR is 1:44.56 … reached the 2012 Games in the 1,500 (PR 3:30.90).
Past 10 winners:
2014: Eliud Rutto (Middle Tennessee State), 1:45.37
2013: Brandon Johnson (HIS – Nike), 1:46.47
2012: Prince Mumba (Santa Monica TC), 1:47.04
2011: Prince Mumba (Santa Monica TC), 1:46.96
2010: Casimir Loxsom (Penn State), 1:46.74
2009: Duane Solomon (Charisma Sports), 1:47.36
2008: Andrew Wheating (Oregon), 1:47.82
2007: Lachlan Renshaw (Australia), 1:48.60
2006: Tetlo Emmen (unat.), 1:48.44
2005: Achraf Tadili (Nike), 1:46.59
7:34 p.m.: Women’s 1,500 (4:06.50):
The field is so strong that former Tennessee star Phoebe Wright is running in section two. An intriguing story will be how Stanford freshman Elise Cranny runs in the top section. U.S. steeplechase Olympian Shalaya Kipp, a two-time Payton Jordan winner, is running in the fourth section of the 1,500.
Among the top competitors:
Elise Cranny: The Stanford freshman ran her PR of 4:10.95 in the second section at Payton Jordan last year … the time was No. 3 high school time ever … set a U.S. junior 3,000 indoor record while placing second at the NCAA indoors in March … placed fourth at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships.
Brie Felnagle: The 2007 NCAA outdoor 1,500 champion while at North Carolina … began comeback in 2013 and earned a No. 8 U.S. ranking in the 5,000 from T&FN … has 15:14.33 PR.
Cory McGee: Former Florida star ran on the U.S. team at the 2013 World Championships after placing third in the U.S. final … 2013 NCAA runner-up in the 1,500 … was fourth in the 2014 NCAA indoor mile … PR of 4:06.67.
Stephanie Schappert: The Villanova senior ran down Stanford’s Elise Cranny on the final lap to win the distance medley relay at the Penn Relays last week … time for Round Two … has a 4:17.25 PR.
Kate Van Buskirk: Canadian was a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist in 2014 … ran 4:05.38 last year for No. 37 on the 2014 world list … has mile PR of 4:28.08 … 2013 world championship semifinalist.
Heather Wilson: Former Georgetown star has a best of 4:07.47, placing her No. 15 on the 2014 U.S. list.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Kate Grace (Oiselle), 4:07.35
2013: Treniere Moser (Nike), 4:06.40
2012: Anna Pierce (Nike), 4:07.00
2011: Katie Follett (Brooks), 4:08.95
2010: Jen Barringer (New Balance), 4:08.11
2009: Anna Willard (Nike), 4:06.90
2008: Shannon Rowbury (Nike), 4:07.59
2007: Lindsey Gallo (Reebok) 4:09.60
2006: Yuan Jin (Chinese AA), 4:11.66
2005: Katie Vermeulen (Nike), 4:10.25
7:46 p.m.: Men’s 1,500 (3:36.20):
This field is so loaded that two-time 800-meter Olympian Nick Symmonds and German Fernandez are in the second section (7:27 p.m.), if not for some last-minute maneuvering. An intriguing entry is Grand Blanc (Mich.) High School senior Grant Fisher, the two-time Foot Locker national cross country champion, who will race in the third section (5:15 p.m.) alongside New Zealand’s Hamish Carson (3:38.04 PR) and future Stanford teammates Thomas Coyle and Justin Brinkley. Fisher ran 4.02.02 to win the 2014 Dream Mile in New York.
Among the top competitors:
Oliver Aitchison: The Adams State freshman ran the fastest time at the Stanford Invitational last month of 3:40.77 despite coming out of the second section … 2015 NCAA Division II indoor mile champ.
Mike Atchoo: Former Stanford star won the Mt. SAC Relays 1,500 in 3:40.47 … anchored Stanford to NCAA indoor DMR title … has a mile PB of 3:57.14 indoors … NCAA outdoor 1,500 finalist in 2014.
Andy Bayer: The No. 7-ranked U.S. steeplechaser by TF&N … a 12-time All-America at Indiana now running for Nike … has a mile PR of 3:52.90.
Ryan Hill: Ranked No. 4 in U.S. for 2013 by T&FN in the 5,000, and No. 9 last year … fourth at the U.S. Championships last year, third in 2013 (5,000) … 10th at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.
Evan Jager: The American record-holder in the steeplechase (8:04.71) … ranked No. 2 in the world in 2014, the highest ranking for an American in the steeple since 1985 … sixth in the 2012 Olympics … three-time defending U.S. steeple champion.
Lawi Lalang: Kenyan won eight NCAA titles while at Arizona, including the 2013 indoor mile and 2011 cross country … carries a PR of 3:36.34.
Christian Soratos: Montana State senior was second to Mike Atchoo at Mt. SAC in 3:41.17 … 2015 NCAA indoor runner-up … described as the best collegiate miler not named Edward Cheserek.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Riley Masters (Brooks Beast), 3:38.42
2013: Chris O’Hare (unattached), 3:38.48
2012: Andy Baddeley (New Balance), 3:35.19
2011: Ben Blankenship (unat.), 3:39.49
2010: Dylan Ferris (Stanford), 3:40.07
2009: Matthew Centrowitz (Oregon), 3:36.92
2008: Kevin Sullivan (Reebok), 3:39.75
2007: Juan Luis Barrios (Mexico), 3:38.71
2006: Aucencio Martinez (unat.), 3:40.92
2005: Donald Sage (Stanford), 3:41.62
8:31 p.m.: Women’s 5,000 (15:20.00):
Kenyans Sally Kipyego and Betsy Saina have combined to win the past four 10,000-meter races at the Payton Jordan. Both are among the best in the world. In the 5,000, Kipyego and Saina were ranked Nos. 4 and 5 in the world for 2014 by Track and Field News.
Among the top competitors:
Abbey D’Agostino: The seven-time NCAA champion from Dartmouth has a PR of 15:11.35 … was fifth at the 2012 Olympic trials 5,000 as a sophomore … four of her NCAA titles came in the 5,000, indoors or outdoors.
Marielle Hall: The former Texas star won the 2014 NCAA outdoor 5,000 , pulling away from Stanford’s Aisling Cuffe late in the race … finished third at the U.S. Championships and earned a No. 6 2014 ranking from T&FN … 15:12.79 PR was No. 31 on 2014 world list.
Rachel Johnson: Big 12 indoor champ from Baylor was second in the 2015 NCAA’s indoors and seventh in 2014 outdoors in the 5,000 … also sixth in the 2015 NCAA indoor 3,000.
Sally Kipyego: Kenyan star was the silver medalist at the 2012 Olympics and 2011 World Championships in the 10,000 … won eight individual NCAA titles while at Texas Tech … has 5,000 PR of 14:30.42 … holds the Payton Jordan and track records from her 14:43.11 victory in 2011 … ranked No. 4 in the world for 5,000 by T&FN for 2014 … her season-best 14:37.18 was No. 4 on the 2014 world list.
Maureen Koster: The Dutch runner captured bronze at the 2015 European Indoor Championships in the 3,000 (8:51.10 PR) … for the former middle-distance runner, this will be her debut race in the 5,000 … competed in the 2013 World Championships in the 1,500.
Katie Mackey: Ranked No. 4 in the U.S. by T&FN for 2014 … third in the 2013 Payton Jordan in a PR of 15:04.74, good for No. 17 on the 2014 world list … third at the 2014 U.S. Championships in the 1,500 … owns a 1,500 PR of 4:04.60 … ranked No. 6 in the U.S. by T&FN in the 1,500 for 2014.
Riko Matsuzaki: Japanese star won the 5,000 gold at the 2013 East Asian Games in China … has a PR of 15:18.95.
Betsy Saina: 2013 NCAA 10,000 champion at Iowa State among her five individual NCAA titles … ran PR of 14:39.49 to finish fifth at the Monaco Diamond League meet – the No. 5 time on the 2014 world list … third at the 2014 Payton Jordan 10,000 in 30:50.30 … Kenyan ranked No. 5 in the world in both the 5,000 and 10,000 in 2014 by T&FN.
Dominique Scott: The South African from University of Arkansas is competing in her first 5,000 since finishing sixth at the 2014 NCAA outdoors … won the NCAA indoor 3,000 and anchored the Razorbacks to the DMR victory in the same meet.
Jessica Tonn: Stanford fifth-year senior ran PR of 15:32.26 at last year’s Payton Jordan … the five-time All-America was ninth at the 2014 U.S. Championships … fifth in the NCAA indoor 3,000 in March.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Sifan Hassan (Global Sport), 14:59.23
2013: Kim Conley (New Balance), 15:22.07
2012: Sally Kipyego (OTC), 14:43.11
2011: Nicole Sifuentes (Saucony), 15:27.84
2010: Shannon Rowbury (Nike), 15:00.51
2009: Jen Barringer (Colorado), 15:07.64
2008: Emily Brown (unat.), 15:19.57
2007: Renee Metivier Baillie (Nike), 15:27.57
2006: Isabella Ochichi (Kenya), 14:59.79
2005: Marie Davenport (Reebok), 15:32.74
8:50 p.m.: Men’s 5,000 (13:23.00):
This should once again be fast with Mexico’s two-time Payton Jordan winner Juan Luis Barrios and Norwegian miler Henrik Ingebrigtsen moving up in distance. Watch for local boy Diego Estrada, only a few months from his 1:00:65 half-marathon, to make an impact, and former Stanford star Garrett Heath. The second section brings together Stanford’s Sean McGorty, who ran 13:37.64 as a true freshman at Payton Jordan last year, and NCAA 1,500 leader Thomas Joyce of Cal, who beat McGorty in the Big Meet 1,500 three weeks ago.
Among the top competitors:
Juan Luis Barrios: A two-time Payton Jordan winner … won the Stanford Invitational on April 3 in 28:12.91 and took last year’s Kim McDonald 10,000 (27:34.40) … won the 1,500 in 2007 Payton Jordan … Mexican runner has won seven golds at the Central American and Caribbean Games in distances ranging from 1,500 to 10,000 … has a PR of 13:09.81 … two-time Olympian placed seventh in Beijing (2008) and eighth in London (2012), in the 5,000.
Kemoy Campbell: Arkansas senior was second at NCAA Indoor Championships in the 5,000 … has a PR of 13:32.82.
Paul Chelimo: Kenyan runner is a two-time NCAA outdoor 5,000 runner-up while at UNC-Greensboro … college PR of 13:21.89.
Trevor Dunbar: Former Oregon star earned a No. 10 U.S. ranking by TF&N … placed third in the NCAA outdoors and sixth at the U.S. Championships in the 5,000.
Diego Estrada: Salinas native out of Alisal High ran for Mexico at 2012 Olympics … now is eligible to represent the U.S. … on Jan. 18, ran the seventh-fastest half-marathon in U.S. history (1:00.51) … the former Northern Arizona star ran PR of 13:15.33 to finish third at 2013 Payton Jordan.
Garrett Heath: A nine-time All-America and former assistant coach at Stanford (class of ’08) … won an NCAA DMR title in 2007 …. ranked No. 6 in the U.S. in the 1,500 the past two years by TF&N … has excelled in short-course cross country, winning Scotland’s Great Edinburgh the past two years … set 5,000 PR of 13:16.65 at the 2014 Payton Jordan … seventh at 1,500 in 2010 world indoor championships.
Matt Hughes: Two-time NCAA steeplechase champion while at Louisville.
Henrik Ingebrigtsen: Norwegian Olympic miler steps up in distance … set PRs of 3:31.46 in the 1,500 (No. 13 on world list) and 3:50.72 for the mile (No. 12) last year … placed fifth at the 2012 Olympics in 3:35.43.
Lopez Lomong: The 2008 U.S. Olympic flagbearer and two-time Olympian ran the wildest 5,000 in Payton Jordan history … misjudged the finish, stopped and celebrated, then ran one more lap to finish in a meet-record 13:11.63 … one of the Lost Boys of Sudan and came to the U.S. at age 16, becoming a citizen in 2007 … ran his PR of 13:07.95 at this meet last year.
Riley Masters: Last year’s Payton Jordan 1,500 champ loves this track … the former Oklahoma star was second in the 2013 Payton Jordan 1,500 and first in 2013 Stanford Invitational … PB is 13:39.47.
David Torrence: Former Cal star is a two-time U.S. road mile champion … set the U.S. indoor 1,000 record last year (2:16.76) … a member of the U.S. 4x1500 that finished second to Kenya at the inaugural IAAF World Relays … 5,000 PR is 13:16.53.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Ben True (Saucony), 13:02.74
2013: Ben True (Saucony), 13:14.44
2012: Lopez Lomong (Nike OTC), 13:11.63
2011: Brandon Bethke (Quiksilver), 13:25.82
2010: Tiidrek Nurme (Estonia), 13:32.74
2009: Alistair Cragg (Adidas), 13:22.36
2008: Bernard Lagat (Nike), 13:16.29
2007: Adrian Blincoe (unat.) 13:27.34
2006: Alejandro Suarez (Mexico), 13:36.76
2005: Abdi Abdirahman (Nike), 13:28.57
9:08 p.m.: Women’s Kim McDonald Memorial 10,000 (32:00.00):
This race seems to be the realm of Betsy Saina, but an interesting subplot could be whether Emily Sisson or Kate Avery can challenge the collegiate record of 31:18.07, which was set on this track in 2010.
Among the top competitors:
Kate Avery: England’s reigning NCAA cross country champion from Iona … was the top collegian and sixth overall at the Stanford Invitational 5,000 (15:25.63) last month.
Emma Bates: Boise State’s reigning NCAA 10,000 champion … set a 5,000 PR of 15:32.46 to finish seventh at the Stanford Invitational last month.
Buze Diriba: Ethiopian has a 5,000 PR of 14:50.02 from the 2013 Bislett Games in Oslo … fifth at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow … earned a No. 9 world ranking in the 5,000 for 2013 by T&FN … won the 2013 world junior championship for 5K …making her 10,000 debut.
Emily Infeld: The 2012 NCAA indoor 3,000 champion while running at Georgetown for current Stanford coach Chris Miltenberg … some locals may know her for winning the 2013 Wharf to Wharf six-mile road race from Santa Cruz to Capitola.
Betsy Saina: 2013 NCAA 10,000 champion at Iowa State among her five individual NCAA titles … ran PR of 14:39.49 to finish fifth at the Monaco Diamond League meet – the No. 5 time on the 2014 world list … third at the 2014 Payton Jordan 10,000 in 30:50.30 … Kenyan ranked No. 5 in the world in both the 5,000 and 10,000 in 2014 by T&FN.
Emily Sisson: Providence runner may be shooting for the collegiate record of 31:18.07, by Iowa State’s Lisa Uhl at the 2010 Stanford Invitational … owns a PR of 33:02.88 … 2015 NCAA indoor 5,000 champ … owns 15:12.22 PR … ranked No. 8 in the U.S. in the 5,000 by T&FN for 2014.
Alisha Williams: Ranked No. 9 in the U.S. for the 5,000 by T&FN for 2014 … had a 2014 season-best in the 5,000 of 15:19.79.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Sally Kipyego (Nike OTC Elite), 30:42.26
2013: Betsy Saina (Iowa State), 31:37.22
2012: Betsy Saina (unat.), 31:15.97
2011: Sally Kipyego (OTC), 30:38.35
2010: Molly Huddle (Saucony), 31:48.59
2009: Rebecca Donaghue (New Balance), 33:08.97
2008: Shalane Flanagan (Nike), 30:34.49
2007: Jen Rhines (unat.), 31:17.31
2006: Dulce Rodriguez (Mexico), 32:19.58
2005: Amy Rudolph (Adidas), 31:18.96
9:45 p.m.: Men’s Kim McDonald Memorial 10,000 (27:45.00):
Last year’s 5,000 was one of the most memorable duels in meet history, with Ben True outkicking Hassan Mead while running the two fastest times ever at Payton Jordan, 13:02.74 to 13:02.80. This year, they duel again, but in the 10,000. Australia’s Ben St. Lawrence returns after winning this race in 2013.
Among the top competitors:
Bashir Abdi: Belgian competitor ran PR of 27:36.40 at last year’s Payton Jordan, good for the No. 16 on the 2014 world list … broke PR of 27:43.99 at the 2013 Payton Jordan.
Bobby Curtis: Ranked No. 4 in U.S. by T&FN for 2014 … second at 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships … ran 27:46.30 last year to finish sixth at Payton Jordan … ran PR of 27:24.67 at 2011 Payton Jordan … 2008 NCAA 5,000 champ at Villanova … top American at 2014 Chicago Marathon, in 2:11:20
Brendan Gregg: Three-time All-America at Stanford … placed seventh at 2014 U.S. Championships … ranked No. 8 in U.S. for 2014 by TF&N.
Christo Landry: Ranked No. 10 in the U.S. by T&FN for 2013 … ran a 2013 season best of 27:59.22.
David McNeill: A 2012 Olympian from Australia … starred at Northern Arizona … Oceania indoor record holder for 5,000 (13:36.41).
Hassan Mead: Ranked No. 4 in the U.S. 5,000 by TF&N for 2014 … placed third at U.S. Championships in same event … lost close duel with Ben True at Payton Jordan last year, running 5,000 in PR 13:02.80.
Sean Quigley: Ranked No. 4 in the U.S. by TF&N for 2014, and No. 7 in 2013 … placed fourth at 2014 U.S. Championships … set PR of 27:50.78 at 2013 Payton Jordan.
Jake Riley: Eight-time All-America at Stanford … won the 2015 U.S. Club Cross Country championship, leading Hansons-Brooks Distance Project to the team title … two-time top-five finisher in the NCAA 10,000.
Aron Rono: Ranked No. 7 in U.S. for 2014 by TF&N … eighth at 2014 U.S. Championships … ran PR of 27:31.15 at 2011 Payton Jordan.
Ben St. Lawrence: Australian won the 2013 Payton Jordan 10,000, outkicking two Japanese runners for the victory … 20th at 2012 Olympics … ran PR of 27:24.95 at the 2011 Payton Jordan, finishing third.
Ben True: Ranked No. 4 in the U.S. by T&FN for 2013 … PB is 13:11.59 … placed fourth at the 2013 U.S. Championships in both the 5,000 and 10,000 … top U.S. runner at 2013 World Cross Country Championships.
Ryan Vail: Ranked No. 3 in the U.S. by TF&N for 2014 … placed third at the U.S. Championships … No. 2 U.S. runner at 2015 World Cross Country Championships.
Past 10 winners:
2014: Juan Luis Barrios (Nike), 27:34.40
2013: Ben St. Lawrence (Melbourne TC), 27:37.55
2012: Cam Levins (Southern Utah), 27:27.96
2011: Bedan Karoki (S&B), 27:13.67
2010: Chris Solinsky (Nike/Kimbia), 26:59.60
2009: Tim Nelson (Oregon TC), 27:36.99
2008: Craig Mottram (Melbourne TC), 27:34.48
2007: Galen Rupp (Oregon), 27:33.48
2006: Alan Webb (Nike), 27:34.72
2005: Takayuki Matsumiya (Konica Minolta) 27:50.20