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New Pro Tyler Day Feeling Ready to Take a Crack at Olympic Standard in 10,000 at Sound Running Track Meet

Published by
DyeStat.com   Dec 3rd 2020, 12:29am
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NAZ Elite Newcomer And Former NAU Star Prepared To 'Get On The Train' In Fast 10,000

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

In a year where very little has gone according to plan, Tyler Day is in no mood to complain. 

Yes, he was there in the Albuquerque Convention Center when the NCAA Indoor Championships were canceled and his final college racing experience was lost.

It was a bitter pill at the time, sure. 

But the three-time national champion with the Northern Arizona University cross country team and American collegiate indoor record holder in the 5,000 meters simply moved to another training group in Flagstaff, Ariz. – the HOKA ONE ONE-sponsored NAZ Elite – to begin his professional running career. 

This weekend, he will race on the track for the first time as a pro at the Sound Running Track Meet in California. Friday's schedule features six sections of the men's and women's 5,000 meters. Saturday's schedule is made up of four 10,000-meter races and Day will run with the fastest group at 10:05 Pacific.

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"I want to do this 10K as a benchmark thing," Day said. "The last time I did one was at Austin for NCAAs (2019). My PR is two years old. Mentally, I don't feel fresh but on paper I'm doing things (in workouts) I've never done before. I want to take a crack at the Olympic 'A' standard and hopefully it's the start of an eventful 2021.

"I want to feel the pain again, the discomfort that comes with it."

Day said there has been adjustment period to life as a pro. The volume of work is higher, the reps have gone up along with the intensity. 

But there have also been some new wrinkles to life with a new group of runners in Flagstaff and it's 7,000 feet of elevation. Coach Ben Rosario sends the group to different trails and training locales than Northern Arizona coach Mike Smith uses. 

"At NAU I was running in the same places for six years," Day said. "There are cool little twists that come from new places. Honestly, I ended up being on the better half of things this year. I got a job straight out of college. Not being able to race for a while was tough. But I'm fortunate and I'm embracing the new challenges."

 

The fastest section of the men's 10,000 on Saturday night features many of the best runners in the U.S. taking aim at the Olympic standard of 27:28 and the U.S. Olympic Trials standard of 28:00. (The Trials will accept the top 24 men whether they have achieved the standard or not). 

Among the luminaries in the men's 10,000 are Edward Cheserek, Hassan Mead, Eric Jenkins, Leonard Korir, Connor McMillan, Hilary Bor, Emmanuel Bor and Sam Chelanga

Cheserek might be the most likely to nail down the Olympic standard. He ran 27:42.69 to win the 10,000 at the Under Armour Sunset Tour event Aug. 29.

Day will get a chance to see where he stacks up, but all indications are that he belongs. 

His first professional racing experience came at the Michigan Pro Ekiden, where he split 28:46 on the road for 10K and helped his NAZ Elite team win the relay. 

"For me, it was kind of nerve-wracking," Day said. "It was my first professional race and I'm on the outskirts of Detroit running my Ekiden leg with seven other people. Honestly, I was freaking out."

But Day rose to the challenge. 

And now he's ready for a 10K experience on the track that could be similar to the 2018 Stanford Invitational, where Day ran his PR time of 28:04.44. 

Everyone has the same goal: Push and keep pushing in a race against the clock. 

"There is a conductor at the front of the train and you ride it until the rabbits step off," Day said. "This race is star-studded and stacked. I'm happy to get on the train. I do believe it will be that kind of situation."

Similarly, the men's 5,000-meter fields are loaded with top collegiate and professional talent. 

The fastest section, the sub-13:15 group, includes Drew Hunter, Ben Blankenship, Sam Parsons, Sam Prakel, Luis Grijalva and Cooper Teare

On Nov. 22, Grijalva (NAU) beat Hunter (Tinman Elite/adidas) in a pop-up 3,000-meter race in Arizona, 7:42 to 7:45. 

The Olympic standard is a very fast 13:13.50 and the Trials standard is 13:25. 

The second-fastest section also is brimming with talent. Northern Arizona freshman Nico Young will get his first taste of elite level competition and run in a field that includes Matthew Centrowitz, Casey Clinger, Vince Ciattei, Charlie Hunter and Andrew Jordan

Aside from the standards that are important checklist items, most will be content just to have a racing opportunity. 

All athletes will have to adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols, including two negative tests in the week prior to the race.

"Racing is something we've always taken for granted in the U.S.," Day said. "It's ultimately a blessing just to be able to race right now, whether it's high school, college or all the way up to the pros. I'm just honored to be accepted into this meet."



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