By Maggie Vanoni
After competing side-by-side in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Team Run Eugene’s Tripp Hurt outkicked teammate Isaac Updike in the final meters of the homestretch to win with a personal best of 8 minutes, 39.39 seconds.
Updike finished second with a time of 8:40.05.
“Our plan was to get him under 8:40,” said Updike. “I went into the mindset of getting him under, and he worked his butt off the entire time. I tried to race him down the homestretch, but he earned that.”
The time qualified Tripp for the U.S. outdoor nationals, one of his goals. Now he’s working for the chance to make the final in the event. And he’s doing this by working for a living both on and off the track. He works shifts ranging from five hours to nine hours at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Hurt said he is more confident and feeling less pressure of this year after one year of being on Team Run Eugene during 2016. He admits that coming straight out of college the year prior was hard on him, but this year is he ready to put this new mentality into achieving his season goals.
“I’m a little bit more mature,” said Hurt. “And now it’s like let’s have some fun with it and let’s go get a PR. I have to make sure I get everything right in early June, and I think that will get me to the USA final.”
This upcoming summer will mark Hurt’s second year with the Eugene team, and he calls the experience with his teammates a blessing.
“We have a lot of people from diverse backgrounds, and everybody really wants it,” said Hurt. “Everybody is out here because they really want to do it. And that brings in an entirely different mindset. I really enjoy it day in and day out.”
Hurt will continue to pursue his goal of making the U.S. nationals steeplechase final by taking a break from the event and focusing instead on his 1,500-meter race.
“I ran a lot of steeples last year trying to get the Olympic qualifier, and I burned a little too much, so maybe one or two more,” said Hurt. “I want to PR in the (1,500) this year. I would like to run 3:43, and I really feel like I can do it.”
Hurt will run in next week’s Portland Twilight Meet, and he said his next steeplechase race will take place in early June at Portland’s Track Festival.
