In her first outdoor college meet, Vanderbilt freshman Sofia Day of Mainland Regional ran a big PR of 4:32.32 Thursday to win the 1,500 at the River City Relays at Hodges Stadium on the North Florida campus in Jacksonville.
That’s the equivalent of a 4:54.11 full mile. Day’s lifetime best was a 4:55.19 last month indoors in Nashville. Day won by a full 20 meters over Ana Markovina of the host Ospreys.
Day came through 1,100 meters in 3:23.86 and then closed in a blazing 68.47 for her final 400 meters.
Day doubled back Friday and ran 2:12.21 in the 800. That’s an outdoor PR and just off her lifetime-best 2:02.05 from the 2024 indoor Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze.
Day ran one 800 indoors last month in Nashville and was timed in 2:12.88. That was part of a double where she ran a lifetime-best 4:55.19 mile.
Day had a very abbreviated outdoor season as a high school senior, with just two low-key 400 races. These were her first 800 or 1,500 / 1,600 / mile races outdoors since June of 2024, when she won state Group 4 titles in the 800 and 1,600 at Delsea.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 