Wetmore-Wednesday Top Races: Goucher Rises To The Top
April 15, 2020 | Cross Country, Track and Field
BOULDER – Colorado track and field and cross country program has a special history, one that began to hit full-stride under head coach Mark Wetmore.
CU track and field will take a look back at every year under Wetmore and recap the best races and teams of every calendar year.
In all sports the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) is a title rarely given without debate. In the major sporting leagues it is all about rings, especially in 1997 when the NBA's goat Michael Jordan was finishing up his fifth of six titles. In track things are the same, nothing trumps a title. In CU track and field there are arguably three to five goats, but on the men's side of the debate there is only one - Adam Goucher.
ADAM GOUCHER 1997 INDOOR 3,000 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Adam Goucher is a name that all distance fans should know, but in 1997 he was still unproven despite a runner-up finish in cross country as a freshman. That all began to change after the indoor season of the redshirt sophomore. Goucher redshirted the 1996 indoor season to train for the 1996 Olympic Trials. After a disappointing trials, Goucher needed minor knee surgery in July of 1996, forcing him to sit out and redshirt the 1996 cross country season. He kicked back up his training in the middle of January.
With just weeks of training under his belt, Goucher still managed to take home the first 3,000 Big 12 Championship and assisted in the DMR title. His title time from Lincoln was 8:01.23, setting him up as an underdog for the monstrous title fight coming to Indianapolis in two weeks.
"No one has run that fast on a flat track like Goucher did at Nebraska," said Wetmore. "But Carswell ran that time at Madison Square Garden where he was breathing about 40 percent cigar smoke, and Wilson is the defending champion. It should be a heck of a race."
Ian Carswell of Harvard was the favorite with a 7:57.21 entering the title. Defending National Champion Ryan Wilson of Arkansas ran 7:59.07, putting Goucher in at third entering the race.
Add a pinch of uncertainty into the recipe as the CU track team was hammered with a cold just weeks before the championships. Ironically the same year as the famous 'Jordan Flu Game,' it didn't affect Goucher as he entered primed to return to the top.
In 1997 the 3,000 had prelims … not a problem for Goucher though. Goucher put down the top qualifying time of 8:07.81 over Wilson, both of which were trying to run conservatively but were forced to pick it up but the other contenders.
"A lot of the other guys had heroic kicks, so they had to respond a little bit," said Wetmore. "Adam wasn't trying to win – they were just making sure they would qualify."
Race day came and Goucher was ready to fly. The gun was off and so was Goucher. The first 1600 meters came at a 4:19 pace with Goucher leading the whole way. Wilson and Carswell were 'hanging on well' as Wetmore would say afterwards. "A couple of people made challenges, but he had an extra gear for everyone they had."
The last 1400 meters and some saw Goucher drop the proverbial hammer. The final mile was clocked in at 4:07 with the last half mile at 1:58. Goucher crossed the line in 7:54.20, claiming his first national title.
"I always tell Adam that if you only have a hammer in your toolbox, pretty soon every problem looks like a nail," said Wetmore. "He has always relied on his kick to win races. Tonight, he led wire-to-wire. From the time the gun went off until he crossed the finish line he was in the lead."
"He just kept raising the ante," said Wetmore. "Every time someone challenged him, he picked it up. Every time someone picked up the pace, he was able to pick it up more."
At just 80 percent in his potential, Goucher has risen to the top and was setting up what would go down as the greatest career for a Colorado male track and field athlete.
"I'm on top of the world," said Goucher after the race. "I'm still not in the greatest shape yet, but I'm pretty much back."
PAST TOP RACES:
CU track and field will take a look back at every year under Wetmore and recap the best races and teams of every calendar year.
In all sports the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) is a title rarely given without debate. In the major sporting leagues it is all about rings, especially in 1997 when the NBA's goat Michael Jordan was finishing up his fifth of six titles. In track things are the same, nothing trumps a title. In CU track and field there are arguably three to five goats, but on the men's side of the debate there is only one - Adam Goucher.
ADAM GOUCHER 1997 INDOOR 3,000 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Adam Goucher is a name that all distance fans should know, but in 1997 he was still unproven despite a runner-up finish in cross country as a freshman. That all began to change after the indoor season of the redshirt sophomore. Goucher redshirted the 1996 indoor season to train for the 1996 Olympic Trials. After a disappointing trials, Goucher needed minor knee surgery in July of 1996, forcing him to sit out and redshirt the 1996 cross country season. He kicked back up his training in the middle of January.
With just weeks of training under his belt, Goucher still managed to take home the first 3,000 Big 12 Championship and assisted in the DMR title. His title time from Lincoln was 8:01.23, setting him up as an underdog for the monstrous title fight coming to Indianapolis in two weeks.
"No one has run that fast on a flat track like Goucher did at Nebraska," said Wetmore. "But Carswell ran that time at Madison Square Garden where he was breathing about 40 percent cigar smoke, and Wilson is the defending champion. It should be a heck of a race."
Ian Carswell of Harvard was the favorite with a 7:57.21 entering the title. Defending National Champion Ryan Wilson of Arkansas ran 7:59.07, putting Goucher in at third entering the race.
Add a pinch of uncertainty into the recipe as the CU track team was hammered with a cold just weeks before the championships. Ironically the same year as the famous 'Jordan Flu Game,' it didn't affect Goucher as he entered primed to return to the top.
In 1997 the 3,000 had prelims … not a problem for Goucher though. Goucher put down the top qualifying time of 8:07.81 over Wilson, both of which were trying to run conservatively but were forced to pick it up but the other contenders.
"A lot of the other guys had heroic kicks, so they had to respond a little bit," said Wetmore. "Adam wasn't trying to win – they were just making sure they would qualify."
Race day came and Goucher was ready to fly. The gun was off and so was Goucher. The first 1600 meters came at a 4:19 pace with Goucher leading the whole way. Wilson and Carswell were 'hanging on well' as Wetmore would say afterwards. "A couple of people made challenges, but he had an extra gear for everyone they had."
The last 1400 meters and some saw Goucher drop the proverbial hammer. The final mile was clocked in at 4:07 with the last half mile at 1:58. Goucher crossed the line in 7:54.20, claiming his first national title.
"I always tell Adam that if you only have a hammer in your toolbox, pretty soon every problem looks like a nail," said Wetmore. "He has always relied on his kick to win races. Tonight, he led wire-to-wire. From the time the gun went off until he crossed the finish line he was in the lead."
"He just kept raising the ante," said Wetmore. "Every time someone challenged him, he picked it up. Every time someone picked up the pace, he was able to pick it up more."
At just 80 percent in his potential, Goucher has risen to the top and was setting up what would go down as the greatest career for a Colorado male track and field athlete.
"I'm on top of the world," said Goucher after the race. "I'm still not in the greatest shape yet, but I'm pretty much back."
PAST TOP RACES:
| 1996: ALAN CULPEPPER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 5,000/ WOMEN'S BIG EIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP | (VIDEO) |