EAGLE ROCK, CALIFORNIA, July 12 — How apropos that the elite sections at the Sound Running Sunset Tour took center stage once twilight descended upon Eagle Rock. Occidental College’s Jack Kemp Stadium has long been a venue to polish or jump-start a season, and on this mild summer evening there was no better place for athletes to rev their engines heading into Nationals.
The 5000s provided not only excitement, but also a surreal atmosphere. With stadium lights not covering the entirety of the oval, the wavelights provided relief when runners were in the darkened areas, acting as beacons for runners and fans alike, illuminating legs around the curves.
The men’s start list was impressive, with most trying to crack either the World Champs (13:01.00) or USATF (13:12.00) qualifying standard. Wake Forest’s Rocky Hansen and Oklahoma State’s NCAA champ Brian Musau made for a formidable collegiate duo at the front, but had to deal with the likes of Dylan Jacobs, Bob Liking, Brian Barraza, Kasey Knevelbaard, Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva, Germany’s Sam Parsons and Canada’s Justyn Knight.
The wavelights were set to 13:00, so that made the task of the humans a bit easier. Assuming a portion of the pacing duties was Drew Hunter, who had just won a quick 1500 (3:33.41 PR) a mere 20 minutes earlier. After passing 1600 in 4:11.3, Hunter handed off to miler Gary Martin, who led India’s Gulveer Singh, Hanson, Musau and Jacobs.
Martin stepped off at 2800, leaving Singh in front going through 3000 in 7:50.08, with only Hansen and Musau on his heels.
Singh — who had earlier run a PR 3:36.58 for 1500 — soon dropped off, leaving the two collegians to fight it out. After Hansen took over following Singh’s departure, Musau decided it was his turn to lead with 3 laps left. The duo had split from the field after maintaining mid-62 pace from the beginning.
At the bell, Musau led Hansen by a step at 12:01.12, both needing a sub-59 to crack 13:00.
Musau gradually increased the pace down the backstraight before hitting the gas with a furlong to go. His 58.70 got him to the line in 12:59.82, with Hansen 7.95 back in 13:07.77. Both times were PRs. Next across — as 7 ran under 13:16 — was Jacobs (13:11.97), followed by Parsons (13:15.09).
Musau’s time — though not falling within what T&FN considers to be the collegiate season — was the second-fastest ever run by a college athlete indoors or outdoors and just the third ever under 13:00.
When asked if he was prepared to go under 13:00, Musau confessed, “I had to lie to my legs that you’re going on that pace, but in my mind and my heart, we are going for sub-13. Yeah, so I had to convince my legs we are going that fast.”
Hansen said, “Hey, two collegians just won the Sound Running Pro Invite 5K, so if that doesn’t say anything about the NCAA and how the point system should change for the NCAA Championships, I don’t know what does.”
The women’s 5000 provided equal excitement, with most chasing a qualifying mark (WC 14:50.00/U.S. 15:05.00).
The field included none other than AR-holder Alicia Monson, who was returning to action after a 16-month absence. Karissa Schweizer was also in the lineup, as were Courtney Frerichs, Bailey Hertenstein, Lauren Ryan, Allie Buchalski and Taylor Roe. For Roe, the start was her first at 5000 since she finished 8th in last summer’s OT final. Most of the Oklahoma State alum’s hot running in ’25 had come on the roads — including USA Championships at half-marathon, 4M and 10M, the last with an American Record 49:53.
Courtney Wayment and Lexy Halladay paced the early laps, taking the field through 1600 in 4:46.0. Wayment stepped off after 6 laps, leaving Halladay to lead Schweizer, Hertenstein, Roe, Buchalski and Ryan, through 3000 in 8:55.07, with Monson 5 seconds back in 9th.
The main field was a few meters behind Halladay, who was only a couple strides behind the lights which were set to 14:50 as she approached her drop-off point at 3600. That left Ryan, Roe, Schweizer, Hertenstein and Buchalski to sort things out.
With 2 laps to go, Roe led Schweizer, Hertenstein, Ryan and Buchalski with Monson within reach.
At the bell, Roe had broken Schweizer, Ryan and Buchalski with a 68 split, but still had to contend with Hertenstein.
With 300 to go Hertenstein made her move and poured it on. She sped 64.41 to finish in 14:48.91, a second in front of Roe (14:49.91), followed by Schweizer (14:54.94), Ryan (14:55.88), Buchalski (15:00.79) and Monson (15:01.63).
Other action included a quick men’s 800 where Navasky Anderson came off the bend with fury and held on to finish in a Jamaican Record 1:44.40, followed closely by Abe Alvarado (1:44.47), Matti Erickson (1:44.49), Hobbs Kessler (1:44.77) and Isaiah Harris (1:44.96).
The women’s 2-lapper followed with BYU’s NCAA 3rd-placer Meghan Hunter coming in with the fastest seasonal best. Here she took on pros Sage Hurta-Klecker, Maggi Congdon, Emily Mackay, Valery Tobias and Sammy Watson.
Watson led at 400 in 57.35, but once on the backstraight, Hurta-Klecker attacked and went by Watson. Mackay and Tobias followed suit, but it was Hunter who accelerated best and pulled away with 150 to go. She finished in 1:58.21, 0.34 ahead of Congdon (1:58.55) with Mackay 3rd (1:58.72), Hurta-Klecker 4th (1:58.89) and Tobias 5th (1:59.51).
For BYU senior Hunter, her winning time marked an 0.78 improvement of her PR.
Drew Hunter took the men’s 1500 in 3:33.41, ahead of Sair Salgado (3:33.87) and Sam Prakel (3:33.93).
Notably, 800 specialist Brandon Miller scored a 5-second PR with his 3:35.27 win out of heat 2.
In the women’s metric mile, Josette Andrew made it look easy with a 4:00.10 win over Riley Chamberlain (4:02.03) and Simone Plourde (4:02.91).
Isaac Updike was just 0.04 off his month-old PR in the steeple at 8:13.68. Canada’s Grace Fetherstonhaugh took the women’s race in 9:28.42.
SOUND RUNNING RESULTS
Men’s Events
800: I–1. Navasky Anderson (Jam) 1:44.40 NR; 2. Abraham Alvarado (US) 1:44.47; 3. Matti Erickson (Can) 1:44.49 PR; 4. Hobbs Kessler (US) 1:44.77; 5. Isaiah Harris (US) 1:44.96; 6. Alex Amankwah (Gha) 1:45.54; 7. Shane Cohen (US) 1:45.61.
II–1. Colin Sahlman (US) 1:46.25.
1500: I–1. Drew Hunter (US) 3:33.41 PR; 2. Sair Salgado (US) 3:33.87 PR; 3. Sam Prakel (US) 3:33.93 PR; 4. Foster Malleck (Can) 3:34.15 PR; 5. Morgan Beadlescomb (US) 3:34.20 PR; 6. Fouad Messaoudi (Mor) 3:34.58; 7. Wes Porter (US) 3:35.02 PR; 8. Eduardo Herrera (Mex) 3:35.03 NR; 9. Waleed Suliman (US) 3:35.09.
II–1. Brandon Miller (US) 3:35.27 PR.
St: I–1. Isaac Updike (US) 8:13.68; 2. Yasin Sado (US) 8:15.91 PR; 3. Geoffrey Kirwa (Ken) 8:17.66; 4. Daniel Michalski (US) 8:18.40 PR; 5. Ryuma Aoki (Jpn) 8:18.75 PR; 6. Ahmed Jaziri (Tun) 8:19.50; 7. Víctor Ortiz (PR) 8:22.31 NR; 8. Gable Sieperda (US) 8:24.17; 9. Aaron Ahl (Can) 8:24.30 PR; 10. Alec Basten (US) 8:28.23; 11. Benard Keter (US) 8:28.72.
5000: 1: 1. Brian Musau (Ken) 12:59.82 PR; 2. Rocky Hansen (US) 13:07.77 PR; 3. Dylan Jacobs (US) 13:11.97; 4. Sam Parsons (Ger) 13:15.09 PR; 5. Bob Liking (US) 13:15.28; 6. Brian Barraza (US) 13:15.44 PR; 7. Kasey Knevelbaard (US) 13:15.61; 8. Luis Grijalva (Gua) 13:17.74; 9. Gulveer Singh (Ind) 13:18.00; 10. Justyn Knight (Can) 13:18.90; 11. Anthony Camerieri (US) 13:23.80.
Women’s Events
800: I–1. Meghan Hunter (US) 1:58.21 PR; 2. Maggi Congdon (US) 1:58.55 PR; 3. Emily Mackay (US) 1:58.72; 4. Sage Hurta-Klecker (US) 1:58.89; 5. Valery Tobias (US) 1:59.51; 6. Sammy Watson (US) 2:01.38.
II–1. MaLeigha Menegatti (US) 2:01.16 PR.
1500: I–1. Josette Andrews (US) 4:00.10; 2. Riley Chamberlain (US) 4:02.03 PR; 3. Simone Plourde (Can) 4:02.91 PR; 4. Lucia Stafford (Can) 4:04.95; 5. Anna Camp-Bennett (US) 4:06.81; 6. Katelyn Tuohy (US) 4:08.35; 7. Mia Barnett (Swe) 4:08.38 PR.
II–1. Val Constien (US) 4:07.78 PR; 2. Angelina Ellis (US) 4:08.09 PR; 3. Jenn Randall (US) 4:08.18; 4. Sadie Sargent (US) 4:08.18 PR; 5. Sadie Engelhardt (US) 4:08.87 (x, 11 HS); 6. Carlee Hansen (US) 4:09.09.
III–1. Jessica McGorty (US) 4:08.53 PR; 2. Annika Reiss (US) 4:09.27 PR.
St: 1. Grace Fetherstonhaugh (Can) 9:28.42 PR; 2. Sarah Tait (GB) 9:34.01; 3. Logan Jolly (US) 9:37.14; 4. Alondra Negrón (PR) 9:40.68 PR; 5. Emma Gee (US) 9:44.15; 6. Amy Cashin (Aus) 9:44.45; 7. Rachel Anderson (US) 9:48.66; 8. Taylor Lovell (US) 9:54.06.
5000: 1. Bailey Hertenstein (US) 14:48.91 PR; 2. Taylor Roe (US) 14:49.91 PR; 3. Karissa Schweizer (US) 14:54.94; 4. Lauren Ryan (Aus) 14:55.88 PR; 5. Allie Buchalski (US) 15:00.79; 6. Alicia Monson (US) 15:01.63; 7. Ella Donaghu (US) 15:05.03; 8. Lucy Jenks (US) 15:05.29 PR; 9. Katie Camarena (US) 15:05.44 PR; 10. Amaris Tyynismaa (US) 15:06.69 PR; 11. Kana Mizumoto (Jpn) 15:06.98 PR; 12. Kayley DeLay (US) 15:07.77 PR.
10,000: 1. Senayet Getachew (Eth) 30:36.67 PR; 2. Asayech Ayichew (Eth) 30:47.24 PR; 3. Aynadis Mebratu (Eth) 30:53.29; 4. Sarah Chelangat (Uga) 32:01.15; 5. Konstanze Klosterhalfen (Ger) 32:09.79.
