Story by Tony Jones

The feeling going into the FLMW meet was qualifying.  No one wanted to outright say it, but getting tenth place was no different than first.  Several high-powered athletes probably knew they would easily qualify for the national championship that will be contested in San Diego, California in two weeks.  For starters, Chris Derrick (Sr., Naperville, Il.) may have figured he had two national championship races to run on top of what he has endured in his magical season.  Mike Fout (Sr., LaPorte, Indiana) knew he had already run a tough post-season opener at the Mid-East championships against some pretty stiff competition.  So, in short, it was more getting on the course, getting in the run, and getting out of the cold to warm San Diego.

The race started out normal – fast – as a tremendous pack formed at the top of the first hill past the opening half-mile.  Things slowed down the next half-mile or kilometer.  Fout and Derrick were joined by top ten pre-meet favorites such as Illinois veteran Kevin Havel, and Minnesota stalwart Rob Finnerty.  Havel and Finnerty probably have had the most pressure on them since their freshman years.  Both came in great resumes, but Havel said previously, “I finally figured how to race this post-season.” 

Maverick Darling (Michigan) and Eric Fernandez (Missouri) were up with the leaders as they hit a deliberate 4:50 first mile.  The pack barely thinned out as the second mile was approaching.  It seemed to take quite awhile after the lead vehicles passed before the runners would rumble past.  Finally, two miles in a still moderate 9:40 with Derrick and Fout at the front.