Switching Races in Mid-Stride

As he started training for his final high school track and field season last winter, Doug Nichols focused most of his thoughts and energies on one event: the 400-meter dash.

Little did he know that a different event, the 800 meters, loomed in his near future.

“I didn’t know I was going to run the 800,” said Nichols, an Edison senior. “But my coach (Stan Stauble) knew. He planned on it. He was training me for it all along.”

The differences between the 400 and 800, runners say, go much further than the difference in distance. The 400 could be described as a one-lap race of all-out strength and speed. The 800 is more tactical, and, many times, runners benefit more from strategy than speed or endurance.

Either way, the transition between the two can take weeks, even months before the runner feels comfortable.

In early spring, Stauble, who also coached Edison freshman Shelley Taylor to a whirlwind season this year, asked Nichols to run an 800 in practice. Nichols did, and ran impressively for his first try, finishing in 2 minutes 1 second.

A week later, he made his competitive 800 debut at the Beach Cities Invitational, lining up against a quality field that included Corona del Mar’s Eddie Lavelle.

After out-kicking Lavelle in the final stretch, Nichols won in 1:55.9, just a half-second off the meet record.

A week later at the Arcadia Invitational, Nichols placed fourth among a national-class field in 1:53.93.

And a week after that, Nichols ran a 1:52.54 to place third behind Canadian Mike McLean and Mexico’s Arturo Espejel at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays. His time was the fastest in California at that point, and the third best in the nation.

But the best performance for Nichols, who has been selected boys’ track and field athlete of the year by The Times, came at the Masters meet.

Running with his right shoe untied and flopping off his foot, Nichols placed second in a lifetime-best 1:51.94, the 13th-fastest time in county history.

And less than 40 minutes later, he ran a lifetime best split of 47.9 in anchoring the Chargers’ 1,600-meter relay to fourth-place victory in 3:16.92, a school record.

Although his season ended with a minor disappointment--he was fifth in the state meet in 1:53.94--Nichols said he is pleased with the way the season went.

“I think it turned out pretty well, a lot better than I expected, really,” Nichols said.

“Even though I didn’t think I would (run the 800), I liked it the whole time. . . . I learned a lot. The race itself, it’s fast enough that you don’t get too tired, but long enough that you have time to think about what you’re doing.”

ALL-COUNTY BOYS’ TRACK Based on best Southern Section meet results

Tim Martin San Clemente 100 meters 10.5h, 10.91 Tim Martin San Clemente 200 meters 21.96 Joe White Capistrano Valley 400 meters 48.89 Doug Nichols Edison 800 meters 1:51.94 Mike Nielsen Mater Dei 1,600 meters 4:11.56 Jimmy Rodriguez Santa Ana Valley 3,200 meters 9:05.96 Louie Muniz Woodbridge 110 High Hurdles 14.91 Louie Muniz Woodbridge 300 I. Hurdles 38.76 Greg Ramsey Loara High Jump 6-7 P. Singbandith Magnolia Triple Jump 50-3 Jason Neben Orange Lutheran Long Jump 23-0 3/4 Chuck Underwood Esperanza Shotput 56-11 Chuck Underwood Esperanza Discus 164-7 Eric Whitcomb Valencia Pole Vault 15-4

h--hand-timed.