They scheduled the best for last at “distance night” of the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene: the 10,000 meter race.
The crowd stayed until after 9 pm to cheer for Galen Rupp, a native of Oregon and former U of O star. Rupp reportedly asked for a fast 10K race.
The Nike Oregon Project runner hoped to break his own American record, set in 2011. As the laps ticked by, he remained in the lead group of four to six runners, holding a pace almost equal to his record time. But with two laps to go, he took the lead.