Ketchikan's Updike 12th in steeplechase at US Olympic Trials

When he graduated from Eastern Oregon University a year ago, steeplechaser Isaac Updike of Ketchikan faced a decision: Put his business degree to immediate use or pursue an elite running career?

He chose the latter, and he's happy he did.

Updike generated a massive breakthrough this season, trimming more than 15 seconds off his personal best, qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials and meeting his goal of making it to the final at the Trials.

Updike on Friday finished 12th in the 15-man field, clocking 8 minutes, 42.92 seconds at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, which he now calls home.

While that time was slower than his preliminary-round performance — fifth in his heat in 8:37.14 — and his personal record of 8:31.42 set earlier this year, Updike said his experience at the Trials proved sublime.

"I'd say it was a 10 out of 10,'' he said by cellphone.

Updike's improvement this season has convinced the Team Run Eugene athlete to continue his running career with an eye on the 2020 Olympics and the 2021 World Championships — the latter of which will be held in Eugene.

"I've always had the support of my parents, my coaches and all my teammates and I don't want to be an athlete who left too soon,'' he said. "I'm just going to keep doing this until I don't, then I'll be done.''

In Eugene, a distance-running mecca, Updike trains with his team and works 20 hours a week for Dick's Sporting Goods as part of its national Contenders program.

At just 24, Updike's career is clearly on the rise. Many distance runners peak in their late 20s and early 30s, so he has ample time to gain strength, speed and experience.

Updike hung with the leaders in the 3,000-meter event that requires runners to negotiate a water barrier seven times and clear 28 other barriers. Those barriers are essentially thick, weighted hurdles that barely budge if a runner hits them.

As the field covered a slowly-paced opening 1,400 meters, Updike ran with the pack and sat just 1.20 seconds out of the lead. That's when American record-holder and race winner Evan Jager began to push the pace. Jager reeled off a 64-second lap and followed with 62-second circuits on each of the last three laps.

Jager (8:22.48), Hillary Bor (8:24.10) and Donn Cabral (8:26.37) went 1-2-3 to book passage to the Rio Olympics.

Updike said he would have preferred a faster pace early in the race. Trying to cover Jager's big surge was draining, he said, especially off a modest early pace.

"It felt good, but it was tough — it was like I expected,'' Updike said. "They're essentially another level from me. It was a matter of how long I could hang with the big guys.

"They just put in a two- or three-lap surge, and to shift gears off a slow pace is hard.''

Updike raced in front of his parents, Karen and Greg, and several friends and Team Run Eugene teammates.

Updike is one of five Alaska-connected athletes competing at the Trials.
Former Eielson star Janay DeLoach, the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the women's long jump, finished third in her signature event to qualify for her second Olympics.

Soldotna distance runner Allie Ostrander on Friday posted the fourth-fastest 5,000-meter time in the semifinals and races the final Sunday.

Former Bartlett High shot putter Jordan Clarke finished ninth and former Soldotna athlete Paige Blackburn finished 21st in the discus.

Updike, who initially wasn't certain he would pursue running after college and wasn't even sure he rated as a "Contender'' when he applied to the Dick's Sporting Goods program, has come a long way.

And while he has put aside a typical business career, he's still in business — the business of running.