Marielle Hall got a race in this week and a pretty fast one.
Hall, a Haddonfield High School graduate, and the rest of the Bowerman Track Club, coached by Jerry Schumacher, got in what was essentially an intrasquad time trial with officials and FAT timing equipment, and Hall ran 15:30.86 in the 5,000.
That’s well off her PR, but considering everything that’s going on right now it was an encouraging result in the middle of a spring without any real track meets.
Hall was one of five women in the 5,000, which was held unannounced at Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore., Tuesday with no fans in attendance.
Hall’s PR is 15:02.27 from early last July in Asuza, Ariz. That’s No. 23 in U.S. history and earned her aNo. 37 world ranking last year
Elise Cranny won in a world No. 1 14:48.02, No. 11 in U.S. history. In a limited spring, Hall’s time is No. 14 in the world.
This was Hall’s first race since she won the U.S. 15K title in Jacksonville on March 7 with a time of 48:52.
It was her first 5,000 since she ran 15:20.73 in Boston in late February and it was her first outdoor race since the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, in September, when she placed eighth in the 10,000 in 31:05.71, No. 6 in U.S. history and a qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics, if they are held.
Hall is No. 8 in U.S. indoor 5,000 history with a 15:06.05 in New York in 2016. Rancocas Valley graduate Erika Kemp is No. 17 on that list with her 15:14.76 in Boston in February.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 