PORTLAND — Going into the men’s 3,000 at the USATF Indoor Championships, many thought Galen Rupp would be at a disadvantage. The former Duck had competed and won at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials just one month prior, setting up a tough double for the Nike Oregon Project star.
“You can’t take too much time off, ’cause you have to come race here,” Rupp said.
He was up against a loaded field, featuring some of the top distance runners in the country, at the Oregon Convention Center. The most decorated was Bernard Lagat. He is the American record holder in the 1,500 and mile indoors, as well as the 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 outdoors. Lagat has claimed thirteen medals in the World Championships and five gold medals in the Olympics.
Lopez Lomong has competed in two Olympics and has a personal best of 7:44.16 in the 3k.
Rounding out the field of former Oregon runners were Trevor Dunbar and Eric Jenkins. Jenkins won the NCAA Indoor title in this event last year after a duel against former training partner and Duck star Edward Cheserek.
Of course Rupp topped the field on paper, sporting the American record with a time of 7:30.16. When he was announced the crowd rose to its feet, roaring in approval while craning to snap a photo. By the time the race neared completion the focus had shifted away.
The initial start was called back, an unusual occurrence for a distance event, although no runner was disqualified. Moments later the gun went off without a hitch, and the runners jockeyed for position as they prepared for the 15-lap race on the 200-meter track.
Rupp settled into the middle of the pack early alongside Jenkins and Lagat as a pack of teammates sprinted out to the lead. Representing Bowerman Track Club, Lomong, Andy Bayer, Ryan Hill and Evan Jager controlled the pace.
“I look back and think about what if a college coach could have recruited all of us, it would have been so great,” Hill said. “It feels like an all-star team.”
The group looked the part in the race, working together to keep the pace high. They wanted to sprint out to the lead and force the rest of the field to keep up.
“I wasn’t ready for it to be a time trial; that was smart of them,” Jenkins said. “So I’ll just try to keep it in the back of my mind going forward.”
The front pack, led by the Bowerman crew, gapped the rest of the field by the 1,000 mark.
“There were so many good closers,” Hill said. “We didn’t want it to be an eight-minute race and go home disappointed.”
Jenkins, forced to change his tactic as he realized he wouldn’t be able to wait them out, fought to close the distance and regroup with the leaders. Lomong dropped out after leading for most of the way, allowing Jager to take over. The second pack began to move in.
On the final lap Hill moved into the front, running strong after slotting behind his teammates for most of the contest. Paul Chelimo pushed him in the final stretch, but Hill was able to hold on for the victory.
Hill won in 7:38.60 and Chelimo finished second in 7:39.00. Jenkins and Lagat battled for third, which Jenkins snagged at the line in 7:41.19.
“I was just in a bad place from the start,” Jenkins said. “I just didn’t quite have it to make the team this time.”
As for Rupp, he finished back in the pack, taking eighth in 7:48.34.
“Based on all the marathoners I know, they aren’t ready a month after,” Hill said. “So unfortunately we knew it was going to be really tough for him to be a factor, but the fact that he finished is pretty impressive.
“I have no regrets,” Rupp said.
Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur