Marquand of University Makes Final Run at 1,600

The last mile is typically the hardest for distance runners, even those as talented as University’s Allyson Marquand.

Marquand most likely ran her final 1,600 at the Southern Section Division III preliminaries Friday at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach. Afterward the usually stoic senior covered her face in disappointment as she walked off the track.

“It looks like I might have soccer next weekend, so it’s probably my last [1,600],” Marquand said. “I was trying to go for a good time, but it didn’t work too well. There was a little bit of wind out there, it’s so frustrating.”

Marquand is one of top age-group soccer players in the country and is going to Stanford on a soccer scholarship.

Marquand posted the top qualifying time in the four-lap race (5:01.18), which was more than 17 seconds faster than the second-best time turned in by teammate Jessica Howard.

But Marquand is scheduled to compete with her club soccer team at the State Cup finals in San Juan Capistrano next Saturday--about the same time the 1,600 will get under way at the Division III finals at Cerritos College--and was hoping to go with a bang in the event.

Marquand said she was aiming to break her personal best in the event (4:55.43), and she didn’t hold back at the start, covering the first lap in 1:09.3.

“That’s too fast,” Marquand said. “But I knew I had to go out fast and I knew there wasn’t going to be anyone right with me in my race, so I wanted to get a good start, but it was a little too fast. And then the wind, I really started to battle it on the straightaway right here.”

Marquand came back three hours later to record the top qualifying time in the 3,200 (10:42.54), which missed her lifetime best (10:39.17), but was still about 38 seconds faster than Howard’s second-place time. Marquand hopes to return from her soccer game in time to run in the 3,200 next weekend.

Other qualifiers included Laguna Hills senior Ashley Furst, who posted the top times in the 400 (57.49) and 800 (2:20.65).

Costa Mesa senior Bruce Hancock had the top qualifying times in the 800 (1:58.66) and in the 1,600 (4:27.14).