The Music City Distance Carnival (MCDC) is one of the top post season meets in the country for middle distance runners.
The downtown Nashville held event is for both high school and post high school runners, which is a major draw to the meet. The fast fields and history of outstanding performers and performances are also huge draws that get the big names that result in outstanding performances.
This year, several Texans took their shot at the the MCDC event and came away with some big time performances.
In the boys 1 mile, Carter Cheeseman and Alex Maier raced a supremely talented field.
Cheseman, has been full of surprises all year long. He has flashed his ability and range by racing at just about every distance you can think of in no particular order. He has sporadically performed in races ranging from 800s, 1600s, 1 miles, 3200, 5Ks, even up to 8Ks throughout the indoor and outdoor season.
He has not only competed in Texas, but he has gone from state to state as well as traveling internationally with Team USA for the World Cross Country Championships.
This weekend alone, he has competed in two national level events and producing top national times with his two sub 4:10 1 mile races.
On Friday night, Cheeseman ran a 4:09.23 (4:07.69 1600m) at the Festival of Miles in St. Louis, Missouri. As impressive as that night was, it didn't satisfy the Fort Worth Christian graduate, on Saturday, he pursued more and he got a hot race in a stud field at the MCDC in Nashville. An attempt that would be too much handle for most high school runners, the University of Notre Dame signee finished in sixth place with a 4:07.12 1 mile time (4:05.69) for his second elite time in as many days.
Cheeseman will next compete at the 3200m at the Brooks PR.
Also in the MCDC boys 1 mile race was Flower Mound graduate Alex Maier. This was Maier's first meaningful competition since the UIL Track and Field Championship, where he finished second in the 3200m (9:00.03) and second in the 1600m (4:09.41).
Maier appeared to get caught behind the pack in the early goings of the race worked hard to get into position for a final lap kick. The Oklahoma State University signee finished with an 11th place finish and 4:11.18 PR for the 1 mile distance.
Texas UIL 5A state 400m and 800m champ, Bailey Goggans also competed at MCDC. Goggans ran 55.26 and 2:07.39 to win her state titles three weeks ago was able to overcome recent diversity to run an outdoor PR of 2:06.61 to take second place at the MCDC.
Goggans, who has been battling some recent iron issues was able to compete with a tough and talented field. However, being no stranger to front running, including the pacer, she was in fourth place at the 200m (28) and then third at the 400m (1:02).
When the pacer dropped off, Goggans found herself in the lead and pushing the pace on the backstretch. She came through the 600m in (1:34) in typical form and pushing for the finish. With about 50m to go, the lead was taken by Taylor James (CO), but Goggans was still able to finish with an outdoor PR despite her recent health battles.
Goggans is scheduled to compete at the upcoming Brooks PR Inv.