Griffith cracks 4-minute mile
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Drew Griffith just won’t quit.
The Butler senior, five days after breaking national and state records while winning the 3,200 and 1,600 meter races at the PIAA Track and Field Championships, won the Hoka High School Mile Race on Thursday night in St. Louis.
The high school mile was part of the Hoka Festival of Races.
Griffith did more than win the race —he broke the four-minute mile. His time was 3 minutes, 57.2 seconds as he beat runner-up Clay Shively of Wichita, Kansas, by nearly three full seconds. Shively’s time was 4:00.2.
“It has to be frustrating for that kid, running a time like that and losing by that kind of distance,” Butler boys track coach Mike Seybert said.
Griffith trailed Shively though the early portion of the race. Once he got around him, he pulled away in the final 200 meters.
“I could feel myself pulling away,” Griffith said. “I knew I had the win. Running down that final stretch, it was between me and the clock.”
The Butler Invitational was held at Art Bernardi Stadium in April. Griffith hoped to break the four-minure mile that night, but came up less than a full second short of doing so.
His time of 3:57.2 is seventh fastest all-time by a high school athlete running the mile. Only five people have beaten his time as legendary distance runner Jim Ryun did so twice. Alan Webb of South Lakes (Va.) owns the high school record in the mile at 3:53.43.
“It feels so good to finally do this,” Griffith said of a sub four-minute mile. “This has been a goal of mine for a long time. It’s hard to describe what it feels like to finally accomplish it. This is one off the bucket list.
“The crowd at that race was amazing. They were energetic. The stands were packed. I loved the atmosphere and really wanted to give those people what they wanted to see.”
Over the past year, Griffith has established himself as the premier high school distance runner in the country — and Butler’s best-ever track athlete.
“There’s no doubt about that,” Seybert said. “What Drew has accomplished over the past year to 18 months ... It’s insane.”
Chris Neal, cross country and assistant track coach at Notre Dame — where Griffith will be headed in the fall — is also impressed by the number of outstanding runs Griffith has put together.
“He’s been remarkably consistent,” Neal said. “I know how promising a distance runner Clay Shively is and Drew blew past him. In terms of cross country, he’s going to make an impact here as soon he steps a foot on campus. As for track, I see him being a 5,000-meter guy for us eventually.
“He’s a great athlete, a humble athlete, who’s received tremendous coaching and training. (Butler graduate) CJ Singleton is already here and we know how good he is. Butler has a tremendous program.”
Griffth will compete in the Brooks P.R. — a two-mile race — in Seattle on June 12. He will then run at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals at the University of Pennsylvania the following weekend.
He admits to his body “feeling tired at times,” but has confidence in his training regimen.
“I’ve lerarned to get my share of rest and training in to keep my body sharp,” Griffith said. “I’m feeling good right now.”
