Shelter Island’s Kal Lewis continued his outstanding indoor track season on Friday finishing fourth in an elite field of Big 10 milers with a very quick 4:07.14 clocking, his lifetime best and the second fastest indoor time ever for an Iowa freshman.
Following three consecutive weekends of outstanding personal best performances at 600 meters (1:21), 800 meters (1:54) and the mile (4:14), Lewis took his game to a whole new level on Iowa’s state-of-the-art, 200 meter, banked indoor track and field facility.
His time is his lifetime best by more than seven seconds and ranks Kal the 11th fastest University of Iowa indoor miler ever, right behind freshman teammate Max Murphy’s 4:06.70 mile of last month.
The race strategy
In an interview before the race, Lewis told this writer, “I want to run 4:08, or better in the mile this week. I plan to hit 2:03 or 2:04 at the half and stay close to the leaders for the next quarter and see what I have from there”.
On Friday he executed his game plan perfectly. His first 800 was 2:04.0 and he was in last place. “Coach Hasenbank told me that every runner in the race has a faster time than you, so sit at the back of the pack. Let them do the work until the last 400.”
The very coachable Lewis listened. He stayed patiently in last place going through three quarters of the mile in 3:05.52, still in last with two laps to remaining. Halfway through the penultimate lap, with just 300 meters to go, he made his move passing Wisconsin’s Ansul Fellman (4:09.89) and Iowa teammate Jeff Roberts (4:07.88) to cross the finish line in fourth place at 4:07.14.
Friday’s winner, Jackson Sharp of Wisconsin, led from wire to wire running his first sub-4:00 mile with a 3:59.25 Second and third were, Jordan MacIntosh (4:06.11) and Hunter Lucas (4:06.76) of Minnesota. Lewis, the only freshman in the race, was only a second out of second place.
“Coach’s strategy worked very well’, the young Hawkeye said after the race. “I was comfortable at the back of the pack and felt very good when I made the move with 300 to go. My legs started to give out with 50 meters to go, but I am very pleased with the time.”
The next meet for the Iowa Hawkeyes is the Big 10 Championships on February 25 to 27 in Geneva, Ohio.
