Eagleton Copper League: 1,000m

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Nicki, DoF

Charlie, Believers

Jarrett, Believers

Zach, DoF

Oddsmakers

Charlie vs. The Field (+12 seconds)

Nicki vs. The Field (+210 points)

Each of the following are even odds:

Zach vs. 2014 Muhl Indoor Scott Reutter (3:27.94)

Charlie vs. 2014 Muhl Indoor Zach (2:52.26)

Nicki vs. 2014 Muhl Centennial Conference Scott Reutter (3:17.74) 

Jarrett vs. Haverford's Jeff Ainsley's PR (3:04.55)

Narrative

Look, there's a lot to talk about in this event. For starters, it has four competitors which makes it the most crowded event in the Eagleton Copper League despite it being the shortest distance. Plus, it is the shortest event meaning that every second will loom large in the final points tally. I'm not sure any of these athletes truly prepared their bodies for the rigors of a short, speed based event like this and, ultimately, it is going to be hard for any of them to exceed their preseason point projections at 5k. The competition could swing on the 1,000 meters.

There is more than one major barrier in play here. Will Zach exceed 100 points? He needs to get to 3:29.48 to do it. Will Charlie break Zach's PR? It's something he is using as motivation as he visuals Eagleton. Will Nicki best her indoor 1k PR? The time of 3:12.34 looms as a very lofty mark, but if she can even get within sniffing distance, it means 700+ points. Will Jarrett break the 3 minute barrier? No.

It's a cat and mouse game as Zach chases Nicki, Nicki chases Jarrett, Jarrett chases Charlie and Charlie wonders if he will get the chance to race someone who can actually push him in a race. I mean that odds said he would get one of Fox, Ken, Luke or Flank, right?

Ultimately, when trying to gauge how well everyone did on race day, it's important to remember not to focus too much on times (regardless of slow some of us look in a 1k). The key result in this event will be whether or not Zach and Nicki average out to more points than Charlie and Jarrett. If that doesn't happen, it may be the end of Team DoF's hopes for stealing Week One.