With the Texas State Meet Approaching, Reed Brown Wants to Become Double State Champion and Break Four Minutes in the Mile

By Adam Kopet, DyeStat Editor

Reed Brown has two goals remaining for his senior year at Southlake Carroll TX, as reported by Greg Riddle of the Dallas News.

He wants to win the 1,600 and 3,200 meters at the Texas State Meet, preferably in record times, and break four minutes in the mile during the postseason.

The first goal will be hard enough. Brown will face off against defending state 1,600-meter champion Sam Worley, of Canyon TX. A year ago, after winning the 3,200 in a state meet record time, with Worley finishing second, it was Worley who turned the tables in the 1,600.

The two have continued to duel all season. At the Texas Relays, both competed in the open mile against college and professional runners. Brown placed fourth in 4:03.23. However, on the day it was Worley taking home the accolades, winning in 4:00.61.

Now they will face off again at the state meet. This year, Worley has opted for the 800/1,600 double, so the two runners will only race each other in the one event. However, winning might require breaking four minutes.

While just over nine meters short of a mile, four minutes means a lot to Brown. He no longer sees it so much as a barrier, but a goal.

Last summer Brown attended the Nike Elite Camp where he met high school and American record holder Alan Webb. He used his time with Webb, learning as much as he could about what it takes to break four minutes in the mile.

It is Brown's hope he will be able to put that advice to use. He has already been invited to compete in the mile at the Brooks PR Invitational and the adidas Boys Dream Mile in the postseason. Both could provide the chance to not only become the 10th high school boy to break four minutes, but to solidify himself as the best high school distance runner in Texas history.

However, Brown's task might not be so easy. In addition to facing Worley, future Oregon teammate Cooper Teare, of St. Joseph Notre Dame CA, has also come close to running under four minutes in the mile. Teare leads the nation with his 4:00.16 from the Mt. SAC Relays. He took a second attempt at the Sacramento Meet of Champions where he ran 4:01.29.

As the high school track season begins to move into its final phase, only time will tell whether Brown will be able to apply the knowledge he gained from Webb.

"Tell them that Alan Webb says hello, and I say, 'Get out there and make it hurt and get it done,' " Webb said.