Ventura CA Senior, Who Opted Out Of Running For Her School This Outdoor Season, Will Make Season Debut At Sound Running Track Fest, Followed By Racing At Music City Track Carnival, HOKA Festival Of Miles, Brooks PR Invitational

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

John Nepolitan photo

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Sadie Engelhardt’s return to racing is closer than you think.

The Ventura CA senior will be making her long-awaited outdoor season debut next week at Occidental College at the Sound Running Track Fest on May 24 after dealing with Achilles and quad injuries that have kept her out of competition the past couple of months.

She plans to race the 1,500 meters at the Sound Running Track Fest, which begins a stretch of four meets she will be attending, including the Music City Track Carnival in Cleveland, Tenn., May 30-31, the HOKA Festival of Miles in St. Louis on June 5, and the Brooks PR Invitational in Renton, Wash., on June 8.

“I haven't been that excited to get back on a track in a very long time.,” Engelhardt said in a DyeStat Discussions interview due for release on Monday.

“I’ve had a good amount of time to gear up for those races, so I'm feeling strong.”

The last time Engelhardt raced was at the Millrose Games in New York City on Feb. 8 earlier this year. In the women’s Wanamaker Mile, Engelhardt broke Mary Cain’s indoor high school national record in 4 minutes, 27.97 seconds.

“It was a great night,” Engelhardt said. “I think The Armory environment was just insane and so historic. Like, you can just feel it when you walk on that track how many fast people have been there before you.”

Engelhardt is still waiting to hear what section of the women’s 1,500 she will be running at Sound Running Track Fest. Her hope is to be in the fast section but is just excited to get back out on the track for the first time in three months. The notable names entered in the women’s 1,500 include Oregon’s Klaudia Kazimierska, American record holder Shelby Houlihan and steeplechase specialist Gabbi Jennings.

“Super excited to get after it,” Engelhardt said. “Honestly, don’t know where I’m at, but the workouts have been pretty promising.”

On Dec. 11, 2024, Engelhardt announced she would forego her senior track season in the state of California to instead focus on racing against professional competition as an NIL-sponsored athlete with New Balance. The state of California doesn’t allow its high school track and field athletes to compete in both high school and out-of-state competitions during the regular season. 

“I really wanted to see how well I could do until August,” Engelhardt said. “I think this this gives me the best bet especially with how the season is going now. I feel like August is gonna be my peak anyways.”

Engelhardt’s early-season race plan includes an 800 at Music City Track Festival, a mile at HOKA Festival of Miles and a two-mile at Brooks PR. The mile and two-mile races will be both against Timpview UT star Jane Hedengren.

“She deserves obviously like the stuff she’s done; she deserves all that credit,” Engelhardt said. “Super excited to get after it. I think it should be a fun race.”

Engelhardt is set to continue her racing career at North Carolina State, where she will be enrolled in the fall.