'Too Easy 
From regionals chess game to nationals checkmate?

by Richard Gonzalez, editor of DyeStatCal

Kiptoo...much too smooth.
Mo'.... did not 'go'.
Rupp... did not step up.
'Tuz... chose to cruise.

And all of this could very well spell doom for the heralded Northeast Region, once the nation's top 32 male individuals clash at the Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego next weekend.

In a unique but welcomed chess match which unfolded along Mt. SAC's storied hills at the Foot Locker West Regionals on Saturday, the favored "Big Four" of the West Region -- New Mexico's Shadrack Kiptoo, California's Mohamed Trafeh and Mark Matsauk and Oregon's Galen Rupp -- seemed to benefit from enough pre-race hype to possibly intimidate much of the competition in dictating the mid- and late-race tempo without major challenges to their qualifying bids, thus allowing for somewhat steadied efforts en route to qualifying.

"It was easy, run just to qualify," smiled the soft-spoken Trafeh, the Mt. SAC course co-recorholder who advanced from this meet a year ago to place seventh at nationals. "No need to go faster."

"The pace was slow, but that was ok," explained a relaxed Kiptoo, a 3:41/1500-meter talent and the national title favorite when the Morley Field showdown at Balboa Park takes place this coming Saturday. "I just wanted to get top 8 today. I did not want to win, and I didn't try to, but it happened that way. I tried to let the others do the work. Next week, we all go fast."

"This felt good, never anything too hard," shared Matusak, a 4:11/9:04 track talent as a sophomore last spring who handled his first interstate challenge with ease.

"I felt much more in control than last year," said Rupp, who had to throttle it at this meet in 2002. "It played out way better this time around."

The West Region team, which was trounced at the national finals after a grueling regional challenge a year ago, could very well benefit from a 'semi-controlled' effort here, as 6 of DyeStatCal's 8 pre-meet picks to advance came through. Joining the aforementioned quartet to advance were favored selections Stuart Eagon of Oregon and Tom Wyatt of Washington, as well as mild qualifying surprises Evan Garber of Washington and Alex Dunn of California.

The early tempo was an honest one, with a horde of individuals trekking the double Valley Loop in pack formation, eventually spilling across the mile mark in 4:45. By that point, Rupp, Eagon and Trafeh appeared to emerge among the pacesetters, with Matusak and an arms-flailing-around-a-sharp-turn Kiptoo working their way safely into the top 10 roughly 40 yards into the ascent of Switchback Hill. Rupp worked the tempo well while cresting the top of the incline, then opened a gap on the downhill.

"He worked the downhills" added Matusak, "and that took us along." By the crossover point, a lead pack of eight developed (including 6of the 8 mentioned above, but with Utah's Steve Strickland and Arizona's Charles Hampton in position, rather than California's Dunn and Washington's Wyatt, at this point) that begin gapping the field. Approaching the two-mile mark and the steep incline know at Poop-Out Hill, it was Rupp's postseason training mate, Stuart Eagon, that seized the lead, with a pack of seven seemingly within about four seconds.

Rupp crossed two miles first in clocking at 10:00, meaning both the mile and two-mile splits for the leaders matched those from last year's race here. The difference? This time, the pack had distanced itself, and poised veterans up front were in no mood to pound without need.

The lead crew trickled around the base or Reservoir's backside, with members no doubt mentally gathering themselves for any approaching challenge. Coming up Reservoir, it was again Eagon that regained the lead, with a legion within a few strides.

Just past the crest of Reservoir, it was Trafeh that made a strong move to eventually seize the in making the turn onto the airstrip, holding about a three-stride advantage over Kiptoo.

"I just wanted to sit on him, not win it," admitted Kiptoo, "but I have a habit picking it up with 800 (meters) to go. I tried to hold back, but the pace was too slow and I couldn't help myself. The course was difficult, but the pace was ok."

Kiptoo's time was 15:32 for the 5k layout, which appears to run about 55 seconds (for boys) slower than the conventional 2.91-mile course. A 14:37 effort on cruise control? Not bad.

The amazing thing regarding Kiptoo's showing, however, was the fact he had run two workouts since last month's state meet, with sickness axing out one week's workouts since, then an injury sidelining him from any road/track work for the next three weeks. Instead, he cross-trained in the pool. "I had no running for several weeks, but it was ok today," he explained.

Trafeh, happy to see Kiptoo scurry away while opting to save his own energy for next week's nationals, took second in a comfortable 15:35. Rupp and Eagon (15:37/15:38) also advanced without problem to net coach and famed one-time American marathoner Alberto Salazar two individual qualifiers. Mead's Evan Garber, in position throughout the final two miles, claimed fifth, two seconds ahead of Matusak (15:42 to 15:44). Dunn, 12th with less than 700 meters to go, unleashed a fierce kick along the last 300 meters to reel in five runners and place seventh, leading to his beaming smile afterward.

Wyatt, hampered by sickness in recent days, mustered the strength to close well in netting the last qualifying spot in 15:46. Utah's Strickland and Arizona's Charles Hamption, both of whom came up just short in gutsy efforts over the final mile, earned the alternate's positions. Washington's David Kinsella, one of the nation's new national-caliber talents, was in advancing position late in the race, but took a nasty spill descending Reservoir Hill and never regained the form needed to finish within the top eight.