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Local Run Club hosts time trial

Posing with their baton, the winning 4X100 team included Elijah Blix, Eli Page, James Brant, and Cade Rosenberger. Blix and Page hail from Vinton, while Brant and Rosenberger both attend South Tama. PHOTOS BY JONATHAN MEYER

On Saturday, May 27, local run club and digital media outlet Tama Project Elite hosted a time trial event.

A time trial is defined as “A test of a competitor’s individual speed over a set distance.”

The local group set up two races with a certain goal in mind: achieve the fastest time possible.

Kicking off the night was a 5,000 meter run, which consists of 12 ½ laps of the track. Blake Keller was back in his winning ways, running a time of 17:13.

Keller is well versed in distance running after a lengthy career spanning from middle school through college. After running for North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, and then Loras in Dubuque, Keller took a much needed hiatus from running following his college graduation in 2020.

Braxten Rohrs (left) and Blake Keller (right) were awarded decorative pineapples in lieu of trophies after their respective wins. PHOTOS BY JONATHAN MEYER

Next up was the highly contested mile. This race was set up with a simple goal, to break the five-minute barrier. Racers lined up with two designated pace setters ready to take the field out ahead of 5-minute pace.

Pacers are a common occurrence in professional races and designated record attempts. Another name for pacer is “rabbit,” a term that comes from the 1920s when a mechanical rabbit was used in dog racing, giving the canine competitors something to chase after.

Rabbits Jonas Conner of Grinnell High School and James Brant of South Tama led the field through right on pace. This style of record setting racing proved effective for winner Braxten Rorhs, winning in a new personal best time of 4:48 over the four lap race.

After the group finished the serious racing, an impromptu 4×100 meter relay was held between two teams of distance runners.

Tama Project Elite can be found on both Youtube and Instagram.