I can’t wait for the girls 800 meters at the Drake Relays friday.. It has been the marquee race the last couple of years at Drake and the field is loaded again! Sioux City East Super Soph Shelby Houlihan comes in with the best time of 2:10.68.. Last years Champ Colette Gnade of Waukee is right behind with a time of 2:10.95. Here is a list of some of the top runners competing this year.. (Listed in the order of how I think they will finish)…

1. Shelby Houlihan : The best foot speed in the field and if she runs a smart race and does not try to go out to fast.. she we will win in a record breaking time of under 2:10.. Ashly Miller of Tipton has the record (2:10.10)

2. Collette Gnade: The defending Champ is the toughest runner in the field.. She some how finds a way to win the close races.. She is the bully in the race and has talent and the guts to win again this year…

3. Sara Stoakes: The North Tama senior also has the speed to win this race.. She has to stay close and use her sprinters speed to win.. That’s why the finish could be special.. alot of sprint speed in this group…  Stoakes has already run 2:11.25 this season.

4. Ellen Dougherty: another 400 runner that has the endurance to win the race. Dougherty should push the pace early and try to hold off the rest of the field..

5. Katie Flood: The top distance runner in the state..but she has battled injuries.. Does she have the speed to stay with a very fast group?.. Probably not but never count a runner with her talent out.. 

    Those should be the top five.. but Karly Cochrane and Alex Wilson of Mount Vernon have both run under 2:17.. and running against this kind of talent should give them new PR’S. 

  According to TV-9′S Kaj Omara the wind could be a problem..(25-30 mph). Drake stadium usually blocks the wind and the warm temps. (80-85). I think the record will be shattered.. The only question who will it be?

Iowa has produced alot of division one middle distance talent over the last few years..Ellen Ries (Mizzou)..Dinsdales and Miller (Nebraska)..Betsy Flood (Iowa).. But this years group of runners could produce 7 or 8 more division one runners..