Battle Mountain runner posts second-fastest 3200-meter in Colorado high school history

Eight minutes, 41.05 seconds is a 3200-meter time that’s “crazy to even talk about,” said Rob Parish, Battle Mountain’s head track and field coach.

“I never in a million years thought I’d coach a nine-minute two-miler.”

Will Brunner and Porter Middaugh snuck under that barrier last April at the famed Arcadia Invitational. Last Saturday night in California, Middaugh provided an encore for the ages.

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The senior lopped 18 seconds off of Brunner’s school record (8:59.25), posting the second-best 3200-meter time ever run by a Colorado high school athlete. 

“Looking down at some other phenomenal runners on that list, I think it really started to set in just how fast it was,” Middaugh said of his 8:41.05. The Husky recalled watching Cole Sprout duke it out with Nico Young when Sprout ran his 8:40.73 Colorado-best at Arcadia in 2019. Since then, Young has notched NCAA records of 12:57.14 and 26:52.72 for 5,000 and 10,000 meters, respectively.

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Parish said non-runners have a hard time comprehending such times. Those willing to recall their elementary school mile run, however, could connect with one of the more remarkable features of Middaugh’s historic effort: his final four laps were covered in 4:15.43, a time which, on its own, would better Battle Mountain’s 1600-meter school record.

“I knew just by watching past races, seeing the way the race was playing out, as soon as we hit the mile, the pace was going to pick up, and as soon as we hit the 800 to go, the pace was really going to pick up,” Middaugh said.

“I just put myself in the mindset to respond.”

Brunner and Middaugh’s winter training indicated sub-8:50 was possible, Parish said. On a 35-degree day two weeks out from the event, the dynamic duo ticked off 16 65-second quarter-mile repeats.

“It’s this incredible account he’s been placing money into in lots of different ways — these workouts, triathlons — they’re adding to his fitness balance,” Parish said of Middaugh, who would have been the 2023 XTERRA USA champion this August at Beaver Creek if not for his older brother, Sullivan. “And he’s now getting a chance to draw on it.”

Instead of playing basketball this winter, Middaugh logged an hour run every morning and hopped in the pool with the Avon Swim Team five afternoons a week.

“I was definitely not the fastest swimmer there,” said the future Project Podium athlete, who also incorporated weekly 15-second inclined treadmill sprints with his dad at the Westin to improve his top-end efficiency.

“I think the biggest thing was more mileage under my belt, more workouts under my belt, and a little bit more confidence,” he replied when asked how he’s grown as an athlete over the last year. After placing fourth at the state cross-country meet, a race won by Brunner, Middaugh went on to place sixth at Nike Cross Nationals. He said the confidence-boosting performance “opened a whole world of possibilities.”

“I went from going to these races knowing those guys are on a different level to now, going into this track season, knowing on any given day, anyone can win and I can run with them,” he said.

On a night when 69 boys would dip under 9:00, Middaugh said he was just thrilled to be included in the ‘invitational’ field, the fastest of the weekend’s six 3200-meter sections.

“I wanted to compete,” he said, adding that his mindset was to “stay engaged and near the front of the race the entire time.”

The race didn’t go out particularly quick. American Fork star Daniel Simmons — who set the U.S. high school record this winter in the 5,000-meters — and Nike Cross Nationals champion JoJo Jourdon set the tone, coming through halfway in 4:21. Middaugh was tugged along at the mercy of the train, lurching between 65, 69 and 64 seconds in his opening three laps. Nestled in the middle of the group, he came through the first mile in 4:25.6.

“You couldn’t necessarily make a move when you wanted to,” Middaugh said of running with 38 athletes in what was, on paper, the best high school 3200-meter field ever assembled.

“For me, it was important that as soon as the mile crossed to get in a position where I could improve on the pace.”

Whereas 4:25 “felt hard” at New Balance Indoor Nationals in March — where Middaugh ran 9:03.04 in a full two mile — on Saturday, he was feeling “surprisingly good.”

“I had enough confidence to go for a little bit more,” he said. “Especially as it got closer to the finish.”

Brunner started out the race attached to the peloton’s rear, free to take the inside line and stay out of trouble. He came through halfway in 4:28, but then dropped a 70-second fifth lap. Even as the group pulled away, the defending Colorado state cross-country and 3200-meter champion didn’t give up. Instead, he sped up. His 2:12 final 800-meters got him within 0.26 seconds of his personal best.

“He put a lot of effort preparing for that race — months and months, all the thought. Both of these guys, they don’t leave anything to chance — nutrition, rest, preparation — it’s all full-tilt,” Parish said.

“So, it would have been easy to be disappointed in that situation, but Will did not throw it in. He stayed tough and competed right to the end even though it was probably not his best day.”

Meanwhile, Middaugh moved through the field in the sixth and seventh laps. Before the race, Parish provided his athletes two thoughts. First, with their legacies secure, they should “simply enjoy the moment.” Second, with 800 to go, don’t be afraid to take a risk.

“You’re really fit, you’re in this heat, you know, there’s nothing to lose,” Parish said. “I don’t know if that talk resonated with Porter, but he certainly acted on it. He took a swing.”

Middaugh’s 64-second penultimate lap put him within striking distance of Valor Christian’s Dane Eike. The thought of breaking the Colorado record — but losing to a fellow Coloradan in the race — drove the Husky deeper into the pain cave.

“That last 800 was one of the toughest two laps,” he said. In the final stretch, Middaugh, numb and nearly blacking out, drifted into lane four. He beat Eike by 0.35 seconds as Simmons raced to the win in 8:34.96.

“It was one of those sprints where I couldn’t see anything,” Middaugh said. Though the record was a motivator, it wasn’t the ultimate inspiration. When asked where his mind traveled to during his final strides, as his brain ignored his body’s pleas to slow down, Middaugh answered, “Just giving it my all was really important.”

Processing his athlete’s 59-second final lap and record time, Parish probably summed it up best.

“He is just,” the coach said before a brief pause to collect his thoughts. “He’s just very talented.”