The Excitement is Far From Over

By Scott Bush

The TCS NYC Marathon went off without a hitch Sunday, with some impressive results across the board. While track and field ended two months ago and major marathon season is officially over, as a fan it’s a good time of the year to step back and relax…until you realize there’s plenty of action ahead over the final two months of the year.

Here are five (really more than that) different events to zero in on, each with their set of storylines to follow.

.US National 12K (11/16 - Alexandria, VA)

Last year, the final race of the USA Running Circuit season saw Molly Huddle take on Shalane Flanagan in a clash of the champions (Huddle won), while Aaron Braun ran away from a loaded men’s field to win the men’s crown. The inaugural .US National 12K showed the potential of USATF staged events and it’s worth expecting an even better show in 2014. 

The women’s race is stacked. While Flanagan is set to sit out this time around, Huddle is back and seeking her fourth USARC win of the season and the overall title. She won’t be alone up front though, as fellow Olympians Kim Conley and Janet Bawcom pose a threat. Throw in Laura Thweatt, Emily Infeld, Sara Hall, Rachel Ward, Kellyn Johnson Taylor, Jen Rhines Brianne Nelson and a handful of first year pros and you see the makings of a tremendous race. 

On the men’s side, there’s isn’t as much star talent, but the race may offer as much excitement. Defending champion Aaron Braun returns to action, seeking a repeat, but he’ll find stiff competition from Ben True, Olympian Diego Estrada, USARC standings leader Christo Landry, World XC medalist Bobby Mack and others. 

The .US National 12K is the perfect way for the USA Running Circuit season to conclude and must watch for any distance running fan.

2019 World Championships Announcement (11/18)

On November 18, the IAAF is expected to announce which bid city wins the right to host the 2019 World Outdoor Championships. The race is between Eugene, Barcelona and Dubai. On paper, Barcelona is the favorite given their strong infrastructure and international must-see status, while Doha is a close second in infrastructure and their pockets are deep. However, Eugene gives the IAAF a real chance to stage the most notable event in track and field (outside of the Olympics) in the United States, which it has never done. 

The challenge for Eugene comes down to the small size of the city, the challenge of traveling there and a lack of hotel space, while Hayward Field needs to triple in size in order to host the event. That sounds like a mighty mountain to climb, but if anyone can pull it off it’s Vin Lananna and his TrackTown USA team. It helps that Eugene staged a successful IAAF World Junior Championships this past summer and already owns the 2016 World Indoor Championships (hosted in Portland) rights. Will they earn the trifecta and bring home the last piece of the puzzle? 

There is no track and field team in the world stronger than the United States. None. From a television and sponsors perspective, there are few countries who can compete. The scale for which Eugene is measured is fair, so the best fans can do at this point is cross their fingers. If Eugene does win the bid, it’s a massive cause for celebration.

NCAA DI XC Championships (11/22 - Terre Haute, IN)

Can anyone really knock off the Colorado men? How about Edward Cheserek in the men’s individual race or Michigan State in the women’s team race? While Colorado may not be able to claim their all-time best status just yet, the way the Buffaloes are running is simply magnificent. They are a legit six deep, with the abilities to place all six in the top 15-18. Extend the race distance out to 10k on a course they always seem to do well on and all the cards are stacked in their favor. We’ll see if any teams can challenge. However, while Colorado is the heavy favorite, the race for 2-3-4 is wide open and there a dozen teams who on the right day can take home a trophy. 

For Cheserek, he’s the heavy favorite. He’s yet to have an “off” race in college and is as dominant of an athlete as we’ve seen in some time. His race tactics are worth watching. It’s easy to think he’ll hang back and just kick to victory, but what if he really lays it on the line and goes after greatness? Just as fun, the women’s individual race is anyones to take. No one has dominated yet this season. While regionals could be telling, at this point it looks to be a battle of 8-12 individuals and could see a blanket finish over the final 400m. 

Then you have the women’s team race. Michigan State is six deep, loaded with senior talent and continues to storm their competitors, but there’s still a question if they can come up big on the national stage. The Spartans aren’t exactly a consistent contender for a trophy. The fun part comes on which teams step it up over the final two races of the season. One returning scorer or one injured scorer changes the team outlook dramatically. The Spartans are the favorites, but they certainly aren’t invincible. 

Turkey Trots (11/27)

Not sure if you’ve noticed over the past few years, but Turkey Trots are booming. The annual Thanksgiving morning road race numbers continue to creep up every year and because of this more and more professionals are participating. There are two in particular to keep track of, the Manchester Road Race and the Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot. The two races are a showcase of pro talent and should be once again in 2014. 

In 2013, Sam Chelanga and Alice Kamunya outran the stacked fields at the Manchester race, while David Torrence out kicked Diego Estrada and Kim Conley edged Sally Kipyego in Silicon Valley. While you may head out and run your own Turkey Trot race Thanksgiving morning, while you’re in your food comma after dinner make sure to fire up the computer and check out the results (on RunnerSpace.com, of course).

Nike Cross Nationals & Foot Locker Nationals (12/6 + 12/13)

Last year at Nike Cross Nationals, fans witnessed a historic race on the girls side, as Alexa Efraimson, Elise Cranny and Sarah Baxter clashed for national bragging rights. It was a race to remember, as Efraimson charged home victoriously, a big mark on a memorable season.

This year, the marquee individual match-up resides on the boy’s side. While it remains to be seen where the top competitors decide to go (NXN or Foot Locker), what we do know is a heap of talent returns. The top three boys from last year’s Footlocker race, Grant Fisher, John Dressel and Matthew Maton, all return, while talents like Elijah Armstrong, Alex Ostberg and Conner Mantz may easily pull off an upset. Eight of the top 13 finishers from Footlocker 2013 are back for their senior seasons and its anyones guess who comes out on top. Hannah DeBalsi, a junior from Connecticut, is the top returnee on the girls side.

From a team perspective, the race for the NXN crown is wide open. There are plenty of teams across the country who continue to show enough talent and depth to win in Portland, but the question lingers of which teams show up the first week in December. Even more worth the watch is how teams and individuals react to the new course of Nike Cross Nationals. The Portland Meadows course has long been criticized not necessarily for the layout, but for the mud pit it becomes if it rains. A new course with better course conditions should elevate the event.