Zach Steele won the Cascade Half Marathon on Sunday. (Photo Credit: Shelly Boekenoogen)
TURNER, Ore. – Zach Steele made history on Sunday morning on a chilly run not far from the Corban University campus, as while clocking a school record mark and winning the Cascade Half Marathon, Steele finished in an NAIA 'A' standard time to become Corban's earliest-ever qualifier for the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
With a winning time of 1:12.45 in the half marathon, Steele qualifies for the Marathon at the 2017 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala., set for late May.
"It was a great effort by Zach and this should rank him in the top-10 nationally," said Corban head coach Norm Berney. "Also, he set a school record by more than two minutes. It is a well-deserved honor and he sets an example for the team with his work ethic."
While running a solid first half of the race, Steele picked up the pace on the back half and finished at a blistering pace, crossing the finish line more than a minute ahead of the NAIA 'A' standard time and two minutes ahead of Corban's previous school record. During the race as a whole, Steele averaged 5:34 per mile.
The remainder of the Warrior track & field team jumps into action on March 3 at the Linfield Icebreaker and on March 4 at the Willamette Opener.
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