MIAC Track 2024

I got to watch Kevin Arthur in person earlier this year. Very impressive.

Also have enjoyed watching Fiona get better and better; just such a smooth racer, and that was a great back-to-back 5k/mile performance. Coach Balder-Lanoue is such an amazing person, and absolute class, that I’m glad she was “rewarded” (to the extent any of us is entitled to anything) with a runner like Fiona in her career.

Been a great meet to watch so far, but my heart hurt at no Johnnies in the 5k.

He may not be the fastest guy on the track but he’s easily one of the hardest workers on Bethel’s team. Also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, he’s always going up to guys after their races to chat and congratulate them. I mean he ran his cool down with Bati yesterday, and talked to multiple opponents after the mile about their races. He’s just a guy trying to get better and based on his improvement from last year to this year, he’ll probably be faster than you by next year. I won’t tolerate any slander of that man

My man is dropping is apparently dropping an average of 3 minutes a year in the 5k. He probably was just planning out a race strat with Bati for 2025 outdoor 5k

I know the announcer is a staple in the MN Track Community, and has a distinctive voice, and it's good that he does the MIAC meets.

BUT

He has a habit of simply repeating the teams in order during the race.

Coooncodia ........ Bethel...... St Olaf. Its Concordia followed by Bethel and then St Olaf. Concordia....

You get the idea.

Congrats to Bethel for winning the meet! The power of god on their side was too much for the rest of the conference. Anyway, here are the real standings, with points only from distance events (800 and up) as well as the DMR

St. Olaf 71
Carleton 38
Scholastica 37
St. Johns 29
Mac 22
Gustavus 14

I thought the announcer was great. You don’t know how hard that is until you try it yourself. And, I was happy the Oles had an announcer and music.

I’d thought the rumors about how big of a jerk their coach is weren’t true, but we saw it time and time again this weekend. I don’t think I saw the guy smile once all weekend either. Their team was supposed to finish fourth, so he should have been happy to be in third.

I was very impressed with the Macalester and Carleton distance men. They really showed out. The Oles and Johnnies were as expected. Concordia is a couple picked away from being outright dangerous.

Post MIAC Thoughts-

Bethel sprints race like they have a gold-medal winning coach. Seems like they set a dozen facility records. Only four distance points but almost snagged some in the 5000m. Adding Smith back Outdoor will make them even more dangerous.

Boone & Lars bit off more than they could chew. Seems like they should have entered more selectively to maximize points. They couldn't catch the Johnnies, but would have easily topped the Oles.

Remember last year when people asked who Tommy Allen was during Indoor? He answered this weekend. St. John's will be a problem outdoors.

Tucker Wallin could have been a huge difference maker for Gustavus who had a rough weekend. I doubt Gustavus offers the grad programs he's looking for anyway.

The Oles had an okay meet. They don't look like the same team as in the Fall and that's likely due Power's coaching getting exposes. After seeing that facility and knowing the high school PR's I have so much more respect for coaches at Macalester and St. John's who develop true D3 caliber runners and not guys that likely should be running D1. As the last poster said, his team clearly doesn't like him and I doubt he lasts there much longer. The way his hurdlers were dominated by Bethel makes me think he's just checked out.

What does this mean. Hes too good at recruiting? Mac has a freshmen that ran 1:54 so that theory goes out the window. Please explain what this could possibly mean

Both things can be true. Good recruiting and good coaching, whether that's Power, the assistant, or the old women's coach's husband.

Gael Manzur Strandlund 10:16 senior year to 15:05 Indoor as a sophomore

Parker Max 10:13 as a senior to 8:36 as a sophomore

Sean Hartney 4:36/2:01 to 8:39 (25:00 in XC)

Jackson Marsh - 4:42 to 4:24/2:33 as a JR

Gabe Estrada - 2:08/4:39/10:35 HS to 1:54 (split)/9:34 steeple/25:48

And of course the original KevBot - 5:09/10:02 3K (rumor is Phil thought it was a 3200m) to 15:20/31:38/25:41

For every blue chipper that chooses the Oles, there are a dozen others that develop over time.

It’s too bad Bati was hurt. Would have been impressive to see what he could have done had he been 100% Kelly was only two seconds off the championship record and he did the lion’s share of the work. Pun intended. As the Carls roll back into form and the Mac Pack continues such impressive improvement the Outdoor 5K could be spicey. A healthy Bati will likely lap the field (maybe twice) in the 10K.

Lots of MIAC squads running the DMR at Wartburg this week. Will be interesting to see what they actually run.

Looks like he's healing up nicely. Bati is entered for the 5K/3K double at La Crosse.

Lelinga entered in the 800 at La Crosse, and my old high school teammate told me they're going to try to pace him to 1:53

Too bad he followed Boone out on the outside at conference, he finished like a freight train.

Likely would put him in contention to be the top freshman in the country and on the bubble to make the meet. He will dominate the MIAC the next four years and add much needed distance points for Bethel.

Kelly not racing this weekend, despite being in a dangerous spot. Another questionable coaching choice by Power. Scholastica is wisely racing Boone and looking to secure a DMR bid. Bati has moved to the Wartburg 3K. His PR is off a double. It doesn't seem a stretch to think he could run 8:15 with company. That will be close to getting him in. Would be fun to see some non-Northfield faces representing the MIAC at Nationals.

In what world is Will Kelly in a dangerous position?

You really have no idea whats going on do you. People like you kill these threads

What's annoying about you is you refusing to give credit when credit is actually due and going back to your old desperate talking points. (Power Bad, "sources" say everyone hates him (just you at this point), Olaf done.) Kelly just steamrolled the MIAC. Are your picks Bati and Boone guys who can hang with Kelly on a fresh day? Yeah. But for whichever reasons last weekend they did not, and naturally, you'll turn a blind eye to that.

Most MIAC guys are great competitors and get along and generally want the best for each other. You're the standout negative presence in the conference. It's Minnesota D3 running, you chump.

Roll Cobs, Roll!

And how about those Saints with the MIAC record?