The Distance Quad- State Track Series Part 1

My research series coming up has involved a lot of digging, and I'm ready to start putting pieces together. I've learned things that I can't help but share with others, because I find them to be truly amazing. What athletes have done at state track and state cross country over the years boggles my mind, and I wish I could go back and see them! In all of these posts, I am indebted to Brad Leingang, track and field coach at Bismarck High, for his incredible work piecing together all the state track results dating back to 1903, the first year a meet was held. His work is here: https://bismarckhighthrowers.weebly.com/all-time-state-track-meet-results.html
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Updated 4/4/2021

In many states, rules or competition make it impossible (or virtually impossible) to do more than one or two distance events at state. In North Dakota, an athlete can compete in up to 4 events at state track, and doing the distance quadruple (800, 1600, 3200, 4x800) at state track therefore becomes something a runner can aspire to do. The runner would need to have qualified for all four distance events, and then compete in all four of them in the span of about 30 hours against the state's best runners, often in the less-than-stellar late May weather. The 1600 usually falls early Friday afternoon, followed by the 4x800 a few hours later. Saturday brings the 3200 early in the afternoon, with the 800 a few hours later. Many times the 800 breaks into two groups: the fresh athletes up front, and the tired athletes in the back racing because they CAN. In fact, no one blinks an eye at the fellow who won the 1600 and 3200 and is far behind in the 800 because it's understood that they are exhausted. I myself sucked wind in the back at the end of my distance quad senior year, and when I went to apologize to my Coach, he told me not to worry about it; doing all four is hard!

However, every so often an athlete comes along who defies expectations and asserts themselves among some of the state's greats. These athletes not only won a state championship in a distance event, but three or even FOUR. Every one of these athletes could, within reason, be argued to be one of the greatest distances runners in state history. Some athletes have state records, but could never get that third or fourth event title.


First, here are the athletes who won three individual distance titles, but were never part of a relay that won them a fourth title. Also notice how many of them also won state cross country that school year:

1.) Syd Lahtinen, (New Town) 1986-1987. Times of 1:57.20, 4:23.11, and 9:36.79. He also won state cross country that school year.
2.) Kevin Miller, (Rugby) 1989-1990. Times of 1:55.91, 4:21.02, and 9:22.15.
3.) Corey Ihmels, (Williston) 1991-1992. Times of 1:55.56, 4:16.58, and 9:03.65 (Class A state record until 2012). He also won state cross country that school year.

4.) Becki Wells, (Dickinson) 1992-1993. Times of 2:13.19, 4:44.44 (still the Class A state record), and 11:09.29. She also won state cross country that school year. 
4.) Corey Wiley, (Litchville/Marion) 1997-1998. Times of 1:56.95, 4:19.41 (class B record until 2015), and 9:27.02 (class B record until 2015).

5.) Carly Emil, (Mandan) 2000-2001. Times of 2:17.05, 4:56.19, 10:52.68.
6) Ross Schilling, (Harvey) 2002-2003. Times of 1:58.42, 4:22.83, and 9:42.82.
7.) Sam Larson, (Jamestown) 2006-2007. Times of 1:56.80, 4:20.25, and 9:24.18. He also won state cross country that school year.

8.) Asha Smith, (Watford City) 2013-2014. Times of 2:14.54, 5:00.47, 11:16.99.
9.) Hunter Lucas, (Fargo Davies) 2016-2017. Times of  1:55.45, 4:13.81, and 9:21.09. He also won state cross country that school year.
10.) Karley Ackley, (Grand Forks Central) 2016-2017. Times of 2:15.43, 4:57.63, and 10:46.22. Also worth noting that her 4x8 took second, but ran the 3rd fastest time in state history at the time- 9:25.71. She also won Class A state cross country that school year.
11.) Isaac Huber, (Edgeley-Kulm) 2017-2018. Times of  1:56.77, 4:22.56, 9:40.94.
12.) Isaac Huber (again) 2018-2019. Times of 1:56.13, 4:17.58, and 9:27.89. He also won state cross country that school year.

Next, here are the athletes who won three individual distance titles AND were part of a relay that also took first place, aka the Distance Quad:

1.) Claude Smith, (Grand Forks Red River) 1975-1976. Times of 1:57.6 (880), 4:18.47 (mile), and 9:33.8 (two mile). The two mile relay's time was 8:03.47.
2.) Tayna Fischer, (Bowman) 1989-1990. Times of 2:21.75, 5:22.14, and 11:29.26. The 4x800 relay's time was 10:15.58.

3.) Beth Hoge, (Bismarck Century) 1998-1999. Times of 2:17.34, 4:58.65, 10:48.54. The 4x800 relay's time was 9:29.79. 
4.) Carly Emil (again), (Mandan) 2001-2002. Times of 2:17.76, 4:57.16, and 11:04.73. The 4x800 relay's time was 9:47.21.
5.) Ross Schilling, (Harvey) 2003-2004. Yes, he won three events in 2003 (see above), but in 2004 he followed it up with a team title in the 4x400 (not 4x8, but close enough for me). Times of 1:56.42, 4:25.64, and 9:44.71. The 4x4 Relay's time was 3:30.06.
6.) Brittany Brownotter, (Bismarck High) 2013-2014. Times of 2:18.72, 5:03.29, and 10:53.33. The 4x8 relay's time was 9:29.88.
7.) Lana Krack, (Thompson) 2018-2019. Times of 2:18.21, 5:04.38, and 11:08.00. The 4x8 relay's time was 10:04.33.

The final section is going to be the athletes who, for one school year, dominated everything distance running in North Dakota. These folks won the individual state cross country title in the fall and then came back in the spring to not only complete the distance quad, but WIN all four events. Setting aside finishing times and whether or not they break records, a distance runner in North Dakota really cannot accomplish any more than this without going to regional and national meets. You may recognize many of these names on the top-ten lists I've been compiling. Here they are:

1.) Joan Hammeren, (Bismarck High) 1982-1983. Won the 1982 Class A Girls State XC Meet, and at the 1983 Class A State Track meet won with times of 2:13.32, 5:15.10, and 11:11.15. The 4x4 relay's time (again 4x4, but close enough) was 4:02.16.

2.) Rob Heen, (Williston) 1986-1987. Won the 1986 Class A Boys State XC Meet, and at the 1987 Class A State Track meet won with times of 1:54.89, 4:12.76, and 9:19.84. The 4x8 relay's time was 7:59.46.

3.) Tanya Fischer, (see previous section- Bowman) 1993-1994. Won the 1993 Class B Girls State XC Meet, and at the 1994 Class B State Track meet won with times of 2:18.82, 5:20.02, and 11:39.53. The 4x8 relay's time was 9:45.11.

4.) Lindsay Anderson, (Leeds/Maddock for XC and Benson County for Track) 2006-2008. She did this two years in a row! First, she won the 2006 Class B Girls State XC Meet, and at the 2007 Class B State Track meet won with times of 2:18.08, 5:06.80, 11:07.01. The 4x8 relay's time was 9:48.05.

She then won the 2007 Class B Girls State XC Meet, and at the 2008 Class B State Track meet won with times of 2:19.36, 5:12.39, and 11:05.90. The 4x8 relay's time was 10:01.82.

5.) Jake Leingang, (Bismarck High) 2012-2013. Won the 2012 Class A Boys State XC Meet, and at the 2013 Class A State Track meet won with times of 1:57.25, 4:13.69, and 9:24.48. The 4x8 relay's time was 8:05.92.

6.) Ryan Wheeling, (New Town) 2015-2016. Won the 2015 Class B Boys State XC Meet, and at the 2016 Class B State Track Meet won with times of 1:58.01, 4:20.54, and 9:30.74. The 4x8 relay's time was 8:12.63.


Amazing isn't it? Next up in the State Track Series will be looking at the winning times at the state meet over time. Have they slowed, sped up, or stayed around the same area recently? We'll find out!