Déjà vu for the Nike Oregon Project

 

For the second weekend in a row, the spotlight was on the Nike Oregon Project. Mary Cain and Galen Rupp took center stage and were poised to break more American indoor records.

 

Rather than try and watch two separate meets at the same time, the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix graciously offered a convenient back-to-back showing for the fans. The venue would be different, but the story would remain the same.

 

First, ecstasy. Then, agony.

 

The penultimate event of the meet would feature Cain attempting to break (or officially validate) the girls’ indoor high school 2-mile record of 9:55.92, set by Melody Fairchild in 1991. She had already run 9:02.10 indoors a few weeks prior at the University of Washington, so this attempt seemed fairly inevitable.

 

Although Tirunesh Dibaba was clicking off NBIG-record splits, the fans with watches weren’t necessarily concentrating on first place. Mary Cain had once again bought herself a ticket to ride along in the train full of professionals. She neatly tucked herself into the pack and calmly clicked of estimated 73-second splits.

 

Unfortunately, Dibaba was so far ahead that 200m splits would be impossible to take due to the camera focusing on the lone Ethiopian. Thankfully, it was announced that Cain had split 4:50 for the first mile. Well under record pace.

Sorry for the quality.

There were some brief shots of Cain not just going for the record, but remaining calm in the pack, moving up through the field, and racing well-above her experience level.

 

She told milesplit.com that her goal for this race was to “just to run fast.” The record was an extra incentive.

 

Well, why not have both?

 

In the closing stages, the cameras switched from Dibaba to the chase pack where the real racing was happening.

 

On the final lap, Cain would begin to swing outside and move into fourth. In what was almost an exact replay from last week, she took a glance up right before the turn and began to kick for home.

 

Cain would not give up before the line. Behind Dibaba, Canadian Olympian Sheila Reid would finish second in 9:37.37. Nicole Sifuentes, who beat Cain a week ago at the New Balance Games Elite Mile, would settle for fourth.

 

Mary Cain would nip Sifuentes at the line to finish in third in 9:38.68. She isn't just in the business of shattering record, she's now stepped up to absolutely obliterating them.

 

Her improvement this indoor season has been unreal, but within the realm of reason for this special Nike Oregon Project member. Tonight, she passed 3000m in 9:04.51 while she ran 9:02.10 a few weeks ago at UW.

 

The sky’s the limit for the Bronxville junior. And to think, her so-called main event is the mile.

 

Before we could even get #cainmania trending on Twitter, Galen Rupp was toeing the line in the men’s 3000m.

 

Last week, Rupp fell exactly 1.03-seconds short in his American record attempt at the BU Terrier Invitational. He then traveled back to Portland, OR and geared up for another run at the history books.

 

This time, the record wasn’t his main objective. He was trying to just win the race.

 

Rupp had his hands full with a pair of talented Ethiopians, world junior 5k record holder Hagos Gebrhiwet and Olympic 5k silver medalist Dejen Gebremeskel in the field.

 

Determined not to fall short for the second week in a row, Rupp tucked himself behind the rabbits and clicked off 30.x splits that showed that he, like Cain, came to double dip.

 

Except at roughly 2100m, the story would change. While Rupp was firing on all cylinders to run away from his lone follower, Gebrhiwet was primed and ready. Gebrhiwet definitely moved to the front and made Rupp look like he was standing still.

Crap.

T wo things immediately came to mind. The first was if Rupp could close the gap over the last 800m to get a win in front of the Boston faithful. But even as Rupp began to slowly reel in Gebrhiwet, we realized, “Wait... He might miss the record. Again.”

 

He had worked too hard. He had come too far. He had to have remembered the sting of missing the record last week. “Come on Galen - keep it together!”

 

Coming off the final turn, we knew the feeling all too well. The seconds on the clock would be announced over the loudspeaker and Rupp would once again be unable to get to the line in time.

Sigh.

Gebrhiwet would break the tape in 7:32.87 and Rupp would have to accept the proverbial silver medal. His time of 7:33.67 would miss the American record by a mere 1.24-seconds.

 

Unofficial Splits:

59.85

1:30.43 (30.58)

2:00.92 (30.49)

2:31.43 (30.51)

3:02.10 (30.67)

3:32.60 (32.50?)

4:02.51 (29.91?)

4:33.03 (30.52)

5:04.10 (31.07)

5:34.07 (29.97)

6:04.85 (30.78)

6:34.xx

7:04.63

7:33.67

 

When it came to slim margins, Rupp would be on the other side of the looking glass. Gebrhiwet would add another World Junior record to his resume as he broke Isiah Koech’s previous mark of 7:23.89 7:32.89 by 0.02-seconds.

 

Rupp said in his post-race interview, “Records are always great, but I came in here to win more than anything else.”

 

He didn't get accomplish either of those goals, but that didn't hurt his post-race demeanor. The upbeat Olympic 10k silver medalist went on to immerse himself in the growing “Ruppmania” that has evolved into something serious over the last few weeks.

 

Perhaps “Ruppmania” isn’t the right nickname, but The Cuban. No, it’s not for the birthplace of his coach, but the fact that he’s been close, but hasn't earned the cigar.

 

Still, the last few weeks have been something special for the Nike Oregon Project and track fans. Mary Cain is on a Terminator-esque rampage while it comes to American records while Rupp has grown from a shaggy haired high schooler into one of the deadliest racers in the world.

 

How much longer can races like this keep happening? Well, hopefully forever. But until then, we’ll take a decent helping of agony for a bit of ecstasy.

Edit:

This was pre-race, but we call shenanigans.