Butler junior Liz Simms, right, school-record holder in the 800 meters, poses with Chandler (Ariz.) track coach and Butler pole vault record holder Melanie Buczko Lincoln following Simms' second-place finish in the 800 at the Chandler Rotary Elite track meet Saturday night.

A setting sun, 75 degrees, dry air — Liz Simms didn't mind being “spoiled” for a night.

The Butler junior made the most of it Saturday evening, placing second in the 800 meters at the Chandler (Ariz.) Rotary Elite track meet.

Simms flew to Arizona Friday to compete in the race, courtesy of an invitation from Matt Lincoln and his wife, Butler graduate and Golden Tornado pole vault record holder Melanie Buczko Lincoln. They coach track and field at Chandler High School, site of the meet.

“(Butler assistant coach) Mike Seybert coached Melanie when she was at Butler,” Butler track coach John Williams said. “When Melanie was inducted into our high school hall of fame, her and Mike re-connected a little bit.

“We were able to get Liz into this race and it was a great experience for her. It was big, being able to run in 80-degree weather instead of the 38 degrees we have here.”

In that sense, Simms did feel spoiled. But she had no coach there with her.

“That was a little different,” she said. “But my dad was there to support me and I know how to prepare myself for a race now. It was nice to experience being on my own that way.”

Read more about Simms' run in Arizona in Monday's Butler Eagle.