ATHLETE OF THE WEEK : Instead of Resting on Them, Alsen Adds to His Laurels

For the second time in two weeks Saturday, Ian Alsen of Granada Hills High upstaged some of the nation’s better-known track and field athletes to win honors as a meet’s top performer.

Alsen outshone competitors such as Michael Bates of Amphitheater High in Tucson, Ariz., and Travis Hannah of Hawthorne and was named athlete of the meet in the Arcadia Invitational at Arcadia High.

Two weeks earlier, the Highlander senior had upstaged Quincy Watts of Taft, the No. 1-ranked high school sprinter in the nation by Track and Field News, to earn the honor in the Pasadena Games at Occidental College.

Alsen, the 1987 Kinney West Regional cross-country champion, won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs in both meets.

His times of 4 minutes, 9.67 seconds in the 1,600 and 8:59.54 in the 3,200 at Arcadia were personal bests and the fastest outdoor high school times in the nation this year.

“This time, it was easier mentally,” Alsen said Monday. “Because I knew what to expect. I knew how I’d feel after the first race and I knew how to pump myself up for the second race.”

Although Alsen said the 3,200 took more out of him than the 1,600, the longer race was more enjoyable because of the quality of competition.

“It seemed like a different guy was taking the lead every lap,” Alsen said. “I’d respond to one move and someone else would do something and I’d have to respond to that. It was exciting because I was getting challenged every lap.”

Reggie Williams of River City High in West Sacramento was Alsen’s final challenge in the 3,200.

Taking the lead with 500 meters remaining, Williams tried to run the sting out of Alsen’s scorching kick, but he failed as Alsen sped past him with 100 meters left.

“I really felt good,” said Alsen, who uncharacteristically threw his arms up as he broke the tape at the finish. “I felt really good about it because I had responded well to everyone’s moves.”

For all his recent success, however, Alsen is not as obsessed with winning and running fast times as in the past.

“I want to run as fast as I can get,” Alsen said. “But I don’t want to put any basis on time yet. If I run fast and I win, fine. But putting myself in position to win is more important.

“If I do that and and I still get beat, then it means the other guy was better than me.”

So far, that hasn’t happened.