1975 AAU meet in Salt Lake City, Utah

After our season ended in Track and Field I heard about an allcomers meet held at the University of Utah stadium.  It was on a Saturday so I drove up to run.  It was the weekend before school got out for the summer.  I was excited to run.  I wasn't sure who I would run against.  The state record for high school runners was 4:16.4 and I had run 4:21 at our region meet.  I was hoping that by the end of my next year I could get close to this time and break it.  There were only about 5 or 6 runners when we took off.  One was running for the University of Utah.  I followed him and we took off.  we ran the first lap in 65 seconds, the next lap in 65 for a 2:10 half and another lap in 65 to hit 1320 in 3:15 so I was running slightly faster than when I ran 4:21.  With 330 yards to go the college runner started running faster.  I took off with him,  I stayed close all the way around the track.  With 100 yards to go or the whole straightway I passed him and ran as hard as I could to the finish.  I won.  was very surprised and finished with a time of 4:16.6  Just  a few tenths of a second slower that the state record for high school runners. I had run the last lap in 61 seconds.  I was elated.  Bob Wood a coach and long time agent for running was there and he was very excited.  I see Bob from time to time and he still remembers that race.  I do not think I have had a more exciting race before or since.  I had taken 5 seconds off of my time for the mile run