Runners Race Today for a Shot at National Titles

The 21st Foot Locker Western Regionals will be run at Mt. San Antonio College today, with the top eight runners in the boys’ and girls’ seeded races qualifying for the national championships next Saturday in Orlando, Fla.

Grade-level races will be run from 7:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The girls’ seeded race begins at 1:30 with the boys following about 15 minutes later. The race is not sanctioned by any high school organizations and runners cannot wear their high school jerseys.

The course measures 5,000 meters, which is about 200 yards longer than the layout used for the Southern Section finals.

Among the girls with a good chance at qualifying for nationals is Fountain Valley sophomore Julie Allen, who finished second in the Division I state finals last Saturday.

Approximately 135 girls are expected to run in the seeded race. Last year, the winning time on the course was 17 minutes 51 seconds and eighth-place was 18:37. University’s Allyson Marquand finished seventh last season in 18:32.

Among the boys with a shot at the national team is Villa Park’s Augie Escobar, who won a Division II state title a week ago.

The boys’ race has approximately 250 runners entered. Last season the winning time was 15:30 and eighth was 15:52.