Bruins hope to run down elusive four-minute record at Husky Classic

This week, as the UCLA track and field team travels to Seattle for the Husky Classic, a group of distance runners is looking to make history.

The senior trio of Austin O’Neil, Ferdinand Edman and Nick Hartle will compete in the mile and try to break four minutes – a feat that has yet to be accomplished by any Bruin in an NCAA indoor meet. Hartle – the team’s fastest 800-meter runner for the past two seasons – has been adjusting his training to handle the change of pace.

“I did a little more mile-specific training than 800-specific training,” Hartle said. “Running the mile sets me up well to get ready for (the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships) in two weeks. But the mindset is to try and run a really quick mile – to try and break four.”

Aliya Shirif will also be competing in Seattle this weekend, running the 3,000-meter race. The junior from Mesa, Arizona, posted a 9:37 in the event last season, and has not competed for the Bruins since the Lumberjack Team Challenge in Flagstaff, Arizona, back in mid-January.

“I’d like to run a faster time than I did this time last year,” Shirif said. “I also kind of feel like I just want to get out there and compete again. Run a good race and be competitive, and hopefully place well – so that’s another goal.”

LAST WEEKEND: Read the recap of UCLA’s performance at the Husker Invitational.

The Husky Classic features various nonconference opponents, such as Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia but still hosts Pac-12 teams including Cal, Oregon, Colorado and Washington. With the MPSF Championships only two weeks away, Shirif and the Bruins will shift their focus specifically to conference competitors – starting Saturday.

Shirif is not the only distance runner competing in Seattle, as she is joined by seniors O’Neil and Lane Werley. While O’Neil will run the mile and the 3,000-meter, Werley will run both the 5,000- and 3,000-meter races. Werley has been battling minor injuries, but is finally healthy five meets into the indoor season.

“This week’s been a lot better than the previous weeks at least for me,” Werley said. “A lot of the guys have been pretty consistent week in and week out, but I had a couple rough weeks of practice with some nagging injuries. It should all come together this weekend.”

Werley also noted the tenacity with which the distance group practices. Entering his fifth year on the track and field roster, the senior has yet to see anything like it.

“Over my five years here I’ve had a lot of great groups,” Werley said. “But these guys are definitely – as far as whole groups go ­– they’re definitely the most driven guys I’ve ever worked out with and competed with while at UCLA.”

Hartle also noted the determination of the distance group, and is confident at least one Bruin will make history.

“We have a bunch of good guys in the mile crew that have a really good opportunity of breaking four,” Hartle said. “I believe we got a few guys that could do it this weekend, and that would be really exciting to make history like that. I think we’re all going to have a big weekend.”