Oakley ready for fast final

Nike Cross Nationals champion looks to make most of only 1,600-meter championship during indoor season in showdown with defending-champ Halladay at Simplot Games

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

When it came to cross country, no female runner in the nation could keep pace in the fall with Grandview CO senior Brie Oakley.

But the Cal signee has extra motivation in indoor track, especially running her only two 1,600-meter races of the winter at the 39th Simplot Games at Holt Arena in Pocatello, Idaho.

Oakley, the Nike Cross Nationals champion and Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, led all qualifiers Thursday by clocking 4 minutes, 59.96 seconds in her first 1,600 of the year after running 10:41.42 in her 2-mile opener Feb. 4 at the Air Force High School Indoor Open.

"It might have been a little faster than a prelim should have been, but I just wanted to make sure that I qualified and make sure I did what my body felt," said Oakley, who ran 4:58.47 outdoors in the 1,600 at last year's Colorado state meet.

"I know I'll be ready for Saturday."

With her plans to run both the 2-mile and 5,000 meters March 10-12 at New Balance Nationals Indoor at The Armory in New York, Oakley wants to take advantage of a competitive 1,600 final to not only run a personal best, but challenge the meet record of 4:46.97 set in 2014 by Sarah Feeny of Ogden, Utah.

"I want to get it," Oakley said. "Just from last season in track, I didn't finish on the note in the mile that I wanted to. I just want to get a really fast mile in. I really like the 2-mile, but I just want to get better at the mile and show that I do have speed in the shorter distances."

The biggest challenge for Oakley will likely come from Mountain View ID freshman Lexy Halladay, who won the 1,600 last year in 4:53.40.

"I just really like to have people to race, because it doesn't happen very often in Idaho. Especially with Brie, the national cross country champion, it's going to be a great experience," said Halladay, who placed 16th at NXN.

"I feel stronger, I just haven't really had a chance to prove it yet. I'm excited for Saturday to be able to show it."