3. Sophomore Kate Murphy Shocks Herself With U.S. No. 10 All-Time 4:16.9 1500m
Kate Murphy nearly skipped the trip from Virginia to Oregon this weekend.
The rising junior at Lake Braddock High School was fatigued after a long season, where she most recently placed a disappointing eighth at the Brooks PR Invitational 2 Mile. Her time of 10:27.37 was off her best, but what the heck - why not travel to the West Coast to experience the Hayward Field of her favorite running idol, Jordan Hasay?
Turns out the USATF Junior National Championships was worth the trip, as Murphy kicked past Utah freshman Sarah Feeny with a blazing 62-second final quarter to finish all alone in 4:16.98 - the 10th-fastest 1500m time ever recorded by a high school runner and the second-fastest this year behind adidas Dream Mile champion Christina Aragon's No. 5 All-Time 4:16.36.
"I kind of visualized it before the race," she said, "visualizing really kicking, and I think that helps a lot."
Murphy's previous best for the mile/1600m/1500m runs was a 4:46 1600m, which she ran solo to win a local Virginia invitational meet.
"I don't even know, man, it's crazy!" she said after her stellar run. "Just all I'm thinking about is Jordan Hasay's time, 4:14, that's all I'm thinking about right now."
Murphy still has two years of prep running to catch Hasay's time - which currently ranks No. 4 on the All-Time list. Though college is still far on the horizon, she was already sporting a yellow headband and green "Oregon" t-shirt in the mixed zone after the race.
| Place | Name | Affiliation | Time | Heat (Pl) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kate Murphy | Unattached | 4:16.98 | 1 (1) | ||||
| 2 | Sarah Feeny | Utah | 4:21.50 | 1 (2) | ||||
| 3 | Stephanie Jenks | Unattached | 4:28.24 | 1 (3) | ||||
| 4 | Christine Bendzinski | Bucknell | 4:29.39 | 1 (4) | ||||
| 5 | Brenna Calder | Indiana | 4:30.49 | 1 (5) | ||||
| 6 | Melanie Vlasic | Pittsburgh | 4:30.87 | 1 (6) | ||||
| 7 | Taylor Roe | Unattached | 4:31.31 | 1 (7) | ||||
| 8 | Michelle Magnani | Unattached | 4:31.54 | 1 (8) | ||||
| 9 | Elizabeth Ramsey | Greensboro Pace | 4:32.12 | 1 (9) | ||||
| 10 | Jacquelyn Crow | Furman | 4:35.11 | 1 (10) | ||||
| 11 | Kylene Cochrane | Penn | 4:35.59 | 1 (11) | ||||
| 12 | Lauren Perry | Florida | 4:36.71 | 1 (12) | ||||
| 13 | Katie Moses | Clemson | 4:42.21 | 1 (13) | ||||
| Kaitlin Ryan | Unattached | DNF | 1, | |||||
| Jennifer Celis | Oklahoma St. | DNS | 1, |
5. Courtney Corrin Finds Her Groove
4. Heir-Apparent Drew Hunter Out Kicks Grant Fisher Again
3. Sophomore Kate Murphy Shocks Herself With U.S. No. 10 All-Time 4:16.9 1500m
2. Carlton Orange Goes Sub-1:50 In Style, U.S. No. 5 All-Time 1:47.67
1. Noah Lyles Is The Man Of The Meet
Top 5: USATF Jr. Nationals, Day 3