By RJ Chavez
Nike OTC Elite runner Pat Casey, the owner of the fastest mile time in Montana, stormed past the competition in the men’s 3,000-meter run, winning with a time of 8 minutes, 5.61 seconds, 13 seconds ahead of second-place Jeramy Elkaim and also a new personal best.
Plus first place earned Casey a surprising $1,000 reward, something neither he nor Elkaim knew about until they heard it over the intercom seconds before the race had started.
Although for Casey, being out there competing again was the achievement.
In 2015, he began to have an awful pain in his right foot. One year later he had to call his entire 2016 season over because of plantar fasciitis. The injury in his foot required surgery and a four-month absence from running.
“I didn’t know if I was ever going to compete competitively again,” said Casey. “I began second guessing the surgery because I felt the same pain as I did before, and it seemed like it didn’t do anything.”
But a five-week trip with coaches and runners from Nike OTC Elite to Albuquerque, New Mexico, helped not only his training process, because of the altitude in Albuquerque, but also helped him realize he’d be back running in no time because of the support around him.
“Going up to Albuquerque was a good way for me to get my mind right and get ready for this season,” he said, “and I am very appreciative of the environment of professional running since I got back from the surgery.”
In his first meet since the surgery, the 26-year-old Casey felt most importantly that he can finally say that he’s healthy and in the mix again, something he hasn’t been able to say in two years.
Behind Casey was two-time All-American Elkaim. Last time Elkaim competed in the 3,000-meter event at the Oregon Twilight meet was back in 2015, when he finished fourth with a time of 8:18.95.
This year he clocked a time of 8:18.46, 30 seconds off his best time, which he achieved at the MPSF Indoor Track & Field Championships in 2015.
But at the end of the day, second place and 30 seconds off a personal best wasn’t anything to be frustrated about because he’s not training for the 3,000 meters and “apparently, I won prize money,” said Elkaim. “I can’t be mad about that — it was a happy accident.”
However, as of now there are no plans for the $600 reward. “It’s going straight to the back account right now,” said Elkaim. “I am just happy it went to the 3K and not the 1,500.”
This outdoor season, Elkaim will be focusing all his training for the 10,000 meters. It won’t be until June at the Portland Track Festival until he competes in a 10K event, but “getting a little bit of faster work today, which I haven’t done in a long time, will help me come June, and this is always fun.”
The only thing left for both Casey and Elkaim left to do is figure out what they’re going to spend their earnings on.
