Aug. 15, 1997
The Valley of the Sun: A Distance Runners Heaven
The 'Valley of the Sun' has traditionally been considered one of the finest training areas for distance runners in the country. Former U.S. Olympian Steve Scott gave the area its first world-class performer, and many Arizona State University graduates and distance runners continue to train in the area.
Several top distance runners -- Lisa Ondieki, Yobes Ondieki, Bill Rodgers, Rob deCastella, John Tracey and Dieter Baumann (the '92 Olympic 5,000 meter champion) -- also do the majority of their training in the Phoenix metroplitan area.
Such races as the Phoenix Marathon and Fiesta Bowl Mile, along with countless 10k and road races have strengthened the Valley's climb toward the top in the distance running community.
Presently, the likes of Arizona State graduates Todd Lewis, Kelly Cordell, Jill Sienicki, Treg Scott, Mike Scannell, Laura LaMena, Maria Trujillo and Jeff Smith have continued to pursue their running careers in Tempe.
"Once people see that other runners are having success here, they want to come down here to train with them," says Treg Scott, a former all-America at ASU. "The better the training competition and conditions, the more popular this area will become for distance runners."
Scott was a member of the American record-setting 4x800 meter relay team during his collegiate days and has beaten some of the nation's premier milers -- Jim Spivey, Steve Scott and Jeff Atkinson.
Former teammate Mike Scannell began his running days at Arizona State in 1981 as a walk-on. Following his graduation, Scannell, 27, continued to develop as a distance runner and won his initial marathon outing -- the 1987 Phoenix Marathon. Despite running in just four marathons, Scannell has made his mark in the event. He was ranked among the top 15 U.S. marathoners in 1989 and represented the United States at the '89 World University Games, the '87 and '89 U.S. Olympic Festivals. The 1980 graduate of Tempe's McClintock High School also competed at '88 U.S. Olympic Trials.
"I think that a great deal of my progress is due to the high quality of local runners," Scannell said. "The environment is also conducive to train year round. There are numerous places to train as well as different types of terrain (desert, green belt, hills), which helps with the training process."
The climate is also a positive for the distance runner, as this community receives more than 320 days of sunshine annually.
Scannell also feels that because more of the ASU graduates are living in the Valley, the area is quickly becoming a rising star on the distance running scene.
Meanwhile, LaMena enjoyed success during her Sun Devil career and has taken the next step in becoming one of the top female distance runners in the country. LaMena won the 1987 Pac-10 10,000 meter championship and later earned All-America accolades at the NCAAs.
The next fall, the 1988 graduate of ASU qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships, following the lead of '88 Olympians Lynn Nelson, another ASU product, and Trujillo.
LaMena feels that part of the reason for the recent success of Valley-trained runners is their efforts to train together and the experience they've gained from becoming more established on the distance running scene. LaMena won several big road races in 1992 and '93 is a former San Diego half-marathon champion (1990). She also recorded a 4th place finish at the 1990 TAC Championship (10k).
Trujillo, who was born in Mexico, compiled a solid collegiate career at ASU after transferring from Hartnell (Calif.) Junior College. She posted top finishes at the'83 World University Games (4th), '83 Boston Marathon (9th), '83 New York Marathon (11th) and the '90 Boston Marathon (3rd). She represented her homeland at the '88 Olympic Games in the marathon with a 25th place finish.
A former graduate assistant at Arizona State, Smith competed in the 1992 Olympic Trials in the 5,000 meters and steeplechase.
Lewis, a five-time all-America at ASU, finished sixth in the 5,000 meters at the 1993 USA Track Championships and was a member of the U.S. national team which traveled to England. Lewis was also a 5,000 meter participant at both the '93 Olympic Sports Festival in San Antonio and the '93 World Unviersity Games in Buffalo.
The accomplishments of the aforementioned runners, combined with the talent of such current Sun Devil stars as Christie Masson and Erin Scroggins, ensures that this strong heritage of distance runners with ASU ties figures to remain intact for years to come.