Addison 2nd at Nike Outdoor

Tue, Jun 24, 2008

Grand Haven junior Becca Addison proved this past school year that she's one of the best prep female runners in the state of Michigan.

Saturday, she proved that she's one of the top prep 800-meter runners in the nation.

Addison completed a blistering 800 run in 2 minutes, 5.61 seconds, good for second overall at the Nike Outdoor Nationals, held in Greensboro, N.C. on the campus of North Carolina A&T University. Addison was bested by Jillian Smith, a runner from Manahawkin, N.J.

"She was the heavy favorite coming in," Addison said. "She already had (run) a 2:05 before Saturday."

Still, Addison made things interesting in the closing stretch, using a tremendous final kick to close the gap.

"She kind of hit the wall near the end, and I almost got to her," Addison said. "Sometimes I think I could have got her, but I was really happy with my performance."

Addison's time was five seconds faster than her previous best in the 800, which she established as a new school record at Grand Haven during the spring's track season.

Athletes are selected for the Outdoor Nationals by their times in track during the season. Addison only had the ninth-best time in the field of 25 girls in the 800 entering Saturday, but proved she could still rise to the occassion.

"There were three heats and my time came in as the ninth-best. Luckily, I just barely made it into the fastest heat," Addison said.

Addison wasn't the only local athlete to fair well at the event. Holland Christian graduate Brooke Eilers placed 11th overall in the 2-mile run, turning in a personal best time of 10:37.93. Her previous best in the event was 13 seconds slower. Eilers will run cross country at the University of Iowa in the fall.

Addison said she's now finished with competitive meets this year, and will take the next two weeks off to rest. Then, she'll be right back to intense training once again, in preperation for the fall cross country season. Last year, Addison helped Grand Haven finish second overall at the Division 1 state finals.

"I'll start running about 40 to 45 miles a week in a couple weeks," she said.