Some quick hits for a Thursday morning:
- Under Armour Dark Sky’s Jack Anstey, an Australian who lives and trains in Flagstaff, finished a close second in the Albie Thomas Mile Thursday, a race which served as the Australian Mile Championships.
Anstey was edged out at the finish line by Jesse Hunt, 3:59.09 to 3:59.26. They were the only two runners to go sub-4 in the race. This was Anstey’s outdoor debut after a highly successful indoor season in which he ran a 3:51.51 mile at the Trials of Miles meet on March 2 at the Armory in New York. A month earlier, he ran 3:52 indoors in Boston.
Although the mile is not an Olympic event, it bodes well for a fast 1,500 for Anstey, which will enhance his chances of making the Australian Olympic team.
- Hoka NAZ Elite’s Stephanie Bruce is on the start list for the Night of 10,000 PBs on May 18 in London. This race is sort of the British version of The Ten, held March 16 in California, in which eight men and three women achieved the Olympic 10K standard of 27 minutes (men) and 30:40 (women).
Bruce, 40, has raced only once since giving birth less than a year ago to her daughter. That was the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:47:42). Bruce has not raced a 10K on the track since 2022 (31:39.39 at The Ten). She no doubt will be shooting for at least the U.S. Olympic Trials standard of 32:25. Bruce’s PR in the event: 31:24.47 in the 2020 edition of The Ten.
British Marathon Olympic qualaifier Calli Hauger-Thackery, who lives in Flagstaff, also is on the London start list.
- Great work by the Coconino County Supervisors and NAZ Elite’s Ben Rosario and Ted MacMahon to ensure safety on Lake Mary Road. Last week, the supervisors voted to designate a 21-mile stretch of Lake Mary Road as a “recreational corridor,” with more signage and expanded bike/pedestrian lanes. Rosario tresified in favor of the measure before the supes. Full story in the AZ Daily Sun.
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