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Best Of DyeStat: Stories Of The Year 2020Published by
Even Without The Meets, There Was Always Something To Write About In 2020By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor If 2020 were something to be reviewed, I'm not sure it would earn half a star. These 12 months took a serious toll on our population, on the sport of track and field, and the world in general. But even in the darkest moments of the year, there were important stories to tell. It was a year for growth and understanding. Of resiliency. And most of all, patience. I'd like to extend a public thank you to the group of writers and reporters that pitched in and kept the ball rolling at DyeStat.com. Editor Erik Boal and mainstays Mary Albl, Todd Grasley and Dave Devine all make important contributions routine. Freelancers Theresa Juva Brown, Kris Rhim, Angela Mercurio, Marlowe Hereford and Landon Negri added stories of great value. Elizabeth Carey began a column, Running Issues, in January and kept plugging away through the year with submissions about important topics every two weeks. Student writers such as Fiona Max and Lily Dozier and E.J. Holland and Brenna Cohoon and Ciera Sesock and Sydnee Walker and Trey Cunningham added insight and perspective as well. In case you missed them, here is some of our best work from 2020.
January 13th: We welcomed columnist Elizabeth Carey to the group and launched "Running Issues." The author of the new book 'Girls Running' is a great fit and writes with authority about hot topics around health, wellness and self-improvement.
15th: Taylor Ewert, shares in her own words, how she navigates her senior around big goals on the track and on the roads as one of America's premier race-walkers.
16th: Erik Boal and Ciera Sesock write about Alaskan cross country standout Kendall Kramer's other talent, which has taken her to the U.S. junior skiing team.
19th: On-site coverage of the USATF Cross Country Championships in San Diego, with a big assist from Landon Negri. (Photo above by Chuck Utash)
21st: Mary Albl writes about recent Foot Locker champ Zofia Dudek, who is pursuing goals in Michigan as well as Poland.
26th: Coverage of Olympic Trials 50k walk.
27th: Elizabeth Carey's column goes into unprecedented DyeStat territory as she addresses girls about periods and how missing them is not OK.
27th: The first mention of Coronavirus in a DyeStat setting appeared with this brief that stated the new virus could disrupt the World Indoor Championships. Sure enough, two days later, it did.
30th: Todd Grasley highlights the former high school track stars lining up in the Super Bowl, led by Kansas City burner Tyreek Hill.
30th: Prep phenom Tamari Davis turns pro. February 4th: At just 5-2, Leah Pasqualetti is rising to big heights n the girls pole vault.
5th: Dave Devine's first long-form piece of the year paid homage to The Barn, a special place to all who have come through the Christian Brothers Academy (NJ) running program.
6th: Nico Young has his eyes on the high school indoor 3,000m record at the upcoming NYRR Millrose Games. A few days later, he got the job done. (Photo above by John Nepolitan)
6th: Katelyn Tuohy makes more history with her record fifth Gatorade national award.
9th: NYRR Millrose recap highlights new American indoor recorfds for Donavan Brazier, Ajee' Wilson and Elle Purrier.
13th: With a story that would be revisited later in Zooms, Mary Albl tells the story of Ithaca College's NCAA Division 3 champion Parley Hannan, and how running is a tool fight her private battle with mental health.
16th: Sydney Thorvaldson closes Simplot Games with an awesome 3,200m.
18th: Connecticut standout Sean Dixon-Bodie looks like a solid bet to break the national high school record in the triple jump even though opportunities are few and far between.
21st: Todd Grasley writes about a revitalized Marvin Bracy, who is feeling good about his pursuit of an Olympic team berth.
Feb. 21: Guest writer and 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year Angela Mercurio on U.S. indoor long jump champion Quanesha Burks.
26th: An historic recruiting haul is coming to North Carolina State, writes Theresa Juva Brown.
27th: Pole vaulter Kayla Smith's comeback from six surgeries is a source of inspiration for a strong Georgia women's team.
29th: Adam Kopet writes about the men's Olympic Trials marathon, Scott Bush about the women
March 2nd: Dave Devine writes about the incredible versatility of high school jumper Morgan Smalls.
3rd: Elizabeth Carey writes about Tierney Wolfgram's experience at Marathon Trials.
8th: Fiona and Isabel Max are members of a senior class who were born in the wake of 9/11. They are planning to return to New York for New Balance Nationals Indoor.
9th: Kris Rhim writes about North Carolina A&T's standout freshman Randolph Ross ahead of NCAA Indoor meet.
11th: Derek Holdsworth's long, winding path to an NCAA Championship meet is just around the corner.
11th: Grad student Na'Asha Robinson of Alabama A&M using her final season of eligibility at an HBCU and could be one to watch at NCAA Indoor .
11th: The threat posed by the Coronavirus has touched off a flurry of cancellation news. This updated news feed captures much of the early avalanche of pandemic-caused mayhem. NBNI and NCAA Indoors, two events were heavily promoting and previewing are among the events to shut down.
12th: Emily Lipari remaining 'optimistic' as life changes by the hour.
16th: After talking to agent Ray Flynn, a few thoughts on what's going on and how to make sense of it.
18th: Dave Devine pieces together a viral moment involving Rebecca Mehra and her kind heart.
19th: Ciarán ó Lionáird pens a letter to runners, reminds them they are built for this.
19th: Allyson Felix takes stock of the situation a week into the emergency.
22nd: Elizabeth Carey offers mental health tips for athletes.
23rd: Fiona Max gets real with other Elite camp runners in a ground-breaking peer-to-peer piece.
28th: Fiona Max asks top boys how they are adapting and killing time.
29th: Brittney Reese contemplates the new situation.
30th: Laura Duffy shows how to make your own mask at home
April 2nd: Erik Boal writes about the financial crisis looming over collegiate athletics if football can't get off the ground in the fall.
3rd: Utah standout Thomas Boyden showed the promise of the Class of 2020 just before the season was shuttered.
8th: Reaction to the lost season in California.
14th: High school senior E.J. Holland from Ashland, Ore. says work with what you've got and make the best of it.
21st: Dr. Jeff Messer delves into the science and points to the reasons why it's a good idea to keep working out amid the pandemic.
25th: Runners who are also medical front-liners are focused on the job.
27th: Marlee Starliper talks about missing her senior season.
30th: Cole Sprout time trials 8:49 for 3,200 meters in Colorado.
30th: Landon Negri analyzes how the week of the annual UCLA-USC dual leaves both programs feeling sense of loss with the meet not being held for the first time in 87 years.
May 17th: High schooler Lily Dozier writes about how Washington state prep athletes are reacting to the loss of the season.
20th: SOLO SZN - Dave Devine writes about Leo Daschbach and his virtual efforts. (Photo above from Highland TF/XC twitter) Three days later he broke 4 minutes in a secret pop-up meet in Sacramento.
20th: Clayton Murphy vows to fight for the Akron men's cross country program.
26th: Minnesota high school freshman Maya Mor raises money for United Way's COVID-19 relief fund.
27th: Alicia Monson faces an uncertain immediate future as a new pro.
27th: Feature on multi-sport talent Bailee Thomas of Central Oklahoma.
The Day Track And Field Shut Down - A DyeStat Series May 27 - Division III - by Mary Albl May 29 - Division II - by Doug Binder May 30 - Division I - by Erik Boal June 2nd - As protests over the death of George Floyd gain momentum, Elizabeth Carey weighs in with 'On Race and Racism'
9th: List of College track teams cut due to the pandemic.
11th: Franklin Portillo makes his own hurdles out of PVC pipe in order to compete in virtual nationals.
13th: Desert Dream Last Hurrah is a reality in Arizona and perhaps serves as a model for those yearning to hold meets.
16th: Ashley Spencer talks to Kristian Rhim about race.
18th: Loudoun Valley VA former track athletes lead community protest. (Doug Johnson photo above)
19th: Kamilah Journét pushes back against casual racism.
24th: Runners log 90 miles in Ohio for dual purposes.
24th: Summer running camps industry wiped out by cancellations.
26th: Farewell to the Class of 2020. July 1st: Dave Devine's deep dive on the boys track standouts from Hopkins High in Minnesota intersects a dream season in 2019 with the unrest in Minneapolis in 2020. (Photo above by George Jackson)
3rd: Fall cross country is anyone's guess
7th: Athletes competing virtually get first chance to run at new Hilmer Lodge Stadium at Mt. SAC.
9th: Aisha Praught Leer is determined to take action in the fight against racial injustice.
10th: Shelby Houlihan and Karissa Schweizer of the BTC make use of friendly pacing to go well under the U.S. women's 5,000-meter record at an intrasquad meet at Jesuit High in Portland. Yes, we were there. And Moh Ahmed runs 12:47 for the fastest 5,000 ever by a Canadian.
16th: Sandi Morris invited some friends to vault on the runway she built with her dad in South Carolina.
18th: Big Friendly 2 pops up at McKenzie River track. Yes, we were there, too.
31st: Molly Huddle adapting, waiting on next oppportunity to race. August 7th: Stanford alums Valarie Allman (above photo), Elise Cranny, Grant Fisher and Sean McGorty cherish their link to history-making summer.
14th: Utah begins high school cross country season, while other states are in holding pattern.
14th: Jasmine Todd uses artwork for good cause.
18th: Victoria Jackson says time is now to confront issues in college athletics.
18th: Rene Paragas steps down as cross country coach at Saugus High. September 1st: Running Issues: Dear Freshmen
8th: McKenzie Track comes through the fire in Oregon.
18th: Boxes of running shoes a small gesture in time of great need .
24th: In spite of everything, Sara Hall is pointed toward a big year. October 3rd: Newbury Park CA, without an official season, rolls at Desert Twilight in Arizona.
10th: Boise girls using NXV as motivation, writes Marlowe Hereford. (Michele Carney photo above)
11th: Julia Flynn leads the charge toward Michigan state meet for Traverse City Central.
15th: Kentucky grads, Colorado residents and engaged couple Hiruni Wijayaratne and Luis Orta representing Sri Lanka and Venezuela at World Half Marathon Champs.
19th: Track photographer Walter Pinion leaves legacy of positivity.
27th: Elizabeth Carey writes that voting can be a team effort, highlighting the effort of college sports teams to register athletes ahead of the election.
29th: In a new era of online learning, Dave Devine shows how Christian Taylor has engaged with classrooms both virtually and in person.
30th: Russell Dinkins frames the argument for men's college track and field programs as well as anyone.
November 4th: Jenna Hutchins has emerged as a major star ahead of the Tennessee state meet.
13th: Marathoner Bennett Shaw brings persistence to daily front-line fight against COVID-19
14th/15th: Previews and On-site coverage of the XC Town Meet of Champions in Indiana.
18th: Small school Montana athlete Sam Smith gets a rare big-stage opportunity with Nike Cross Virtual.
24th: Nike Cross Virtual closes in dramatic fashion.
December 2nd: Ashton Eaton reflects on passing of Rafer Johnson. (Photo courtesy Ashton Eaton)
3rd: Casey Clinger returns to the track for his first ever 5,000 meters.
5th: Luis Grijalva, Shelby Houlihan shine at Sound Running Meet in 5,000s. 6th: Rachel Schneider, Eric Jenkins win the hot 10,000s.
10th: Dave Devine recounts the story of Abdul Alzindani's 1995 Foot Locker championship.
16th: C.J. Albertson excited to return to competiton at The Marathon Project in Arizona after setting multiple unique records by himself during pandemic.
18th: Martin Hehir to go from Front line to Starting line at The Marathon Project.
20th: Sara Hall, Martin Hehir seize on opportunity in Arizona, highlighting historic depth for Americans at The Marathon Project. |
