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Record run shocks Withers

Cardinal Newman senior surprised by his 4:10.7
time that broke 25-year-old record in 1,600 meters

March 16, 2004

By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Until J.K. Withers was on the home stretch on a hot day at Piedmont and heard the
stadium announcer give his time, he really had no idea he was running the mile of
his life.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the Cardinal Newman High senior blazed to the fastest
time in the state this year, shattering local records in the process.

"I was kind of shocked, I just didn't expect to run that," Withers said of his 4:10.7
time in the 1,600 meters, which he won by three seconds over top state competitor
Yosef Ghebray of James Logan. His time would have earned a third-place finish at the
state meet last season.

It also was a Redwood Empire best, knocking more than three seconds off a 25-year-old
mark, a 4:13.66, run by Petaluma's Dave Royal. It came in Withers' first competitive
1,600 of the year.

The time lowered Withers' personal best by 10 seconds in the 1,600, which is about
10 yards short of a mile. Last year, when Withers missed making the finals at the
state meet by one place, he ran 4:22 at the state trials.

Withers said he got so caught up in the race with Ghebray and Jake Schmitt of Redwood
that he wasn't even thinking about his time.

Ghebray led for the first three laps, while Withers and Schmitt stayed together about
10 yards behind.

Withers pushed hard on the last lap, overtaking Ghebray and running away from him
down the stretch. Ghebray ran a 4:13.6 and Schmitt a 4:15.2.

Withers ran the final lap in 1 minute, his fastest of the four laps.

"I was most focused on just reeling him in," Withers said of Ghebray. "By the start
of the last lap we were neck-and-neck."

"We were hoping he'd run a 4:15," said Cardinal Newman track coach Pat LaFortune.
"That last lap was a pure sprint."

Wither's time in the 1,600 equates to a 4:12.31 mile. It should open some eyes of
college coaches, some of whom were only mildly interested in Withers before Saturday's
mile. Withers said he had some contact with Oregon last year. Other schools that
interest Withers include UC Davis, Arizona State and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

"He's worked very hard and he's put in a lot of miles," LaFortune said.

Withers, who lives west of Santa Rosa not far from Sebastopol, didn't begin track
competition until his freshman year in high school. That has prompted LaFortune to
predict a strong college career.

"It's about six years (from when he started running as a freshman) when he'll be at
his best," LaFortune said. "He's got great potential."

Withers said he felt fine before Saturday's race but was a little worried about the
heat. Temperatures were in the 80s and it seemed even warmer on the polyurethane track.

"I felt pretty good right after the race, but you've still got your adrenaline.
Then I threw up on the synthetic field."

LaFortune said he was just as impressed when Withers came back to run a 49.8 leg in
the open 400 relay.

Withers, who finished eighth in the Div. IV state cross country race a few months ago,
is getting better because of experience and hard work, LaFortune said. The coach said
Withers wasn't prepared psychologically for the state track meet last year. "He was
in awe," LaFortune said. "He didn't think he belonged."

The only adjustment Withers said he made in training between the cross country and
track seasons this year was to allow himself less time off.

Withers said because he's gearing up for state and the meets just before state,
he'll probably run only three or four 1,600s, the next coming at the Stanford Invitational
in a couple of weeks. He'll also run the 3,200 there.

Withers intends to enter the 800, mile and 2-mile in upcoming high school meets.
On Wednesday, Newman hosts three Sonoma County League schools in a meet which will
include some rarely run races, such as 1,000 meters.

THE RUN OF HIS LIFE

4:10.7: J.K. Withers' time in the 1,600m Saturday; extrapolated, that would be a 4:21.31 mile

4:13.66: Previous Empire best in the 1,600, set 25 years ago by Petaluma's Dave Royal

4:20: Withers' previous personal best time in the 1,600

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