It's always better in person. It's always more vivid, more exciting, more memorable.
 
I have seen Hayward Field here in Eugene, Ore., more times than I can count on TV, in movies and in my mind's eye in books. But to be sitting in the homestretch stands, watching the athletes at this close proximity, in the most epic and storied home of running in our country has been absolutely thrilling. 
 
Thursday was prelims and a few finals for the USA Track and Field National Championships, and I was treated to an amazing day. All results can be found at USATF.org. Finals were held in some of the field events as well as the men's and women's 10K.
 
The men's 10k featured a field of greats, including American record holder Meb Keflezighi and NCAA 5k and 10k winner, Univeristy of Oregon's Gaylen Rupp. Olympic marathoner Dathan Ritzenheim and Abdi Abdirahman rounded out the field. Abdirahman took it out hard. The race began to break up about a mile and a half in, with the lead switching several times. But consistently sitting in the front pack, conspicuously absent from the lead-taking were both Rupp and Ritzenheim. With about 2,000 meters to go, Ritzenheim stepped up and took over, picking up the pace and dropping most of the pack except for Rupp and Tim Nelson.

Eventually, Nelson fell back, too, and with about 500 meters to go, Rupp put on the afterburners and blew past Ritzenheim on his way to a 27:52 win with his homefield crowd on its feet and cheering wildly. Ritzenheim finished second in 27:58 and Tim Nelson back a bit in third in 28:08. These three will head to Berlin in August to represent the U.S. at the World Championships. This was Rupp's final race in his Oregon singlet and thanked the crowd in gratitude for all the great moments they shared with him during his tenure at Oregon.
 
The women's race was also a thriller. With American-record holder Shalene Flanagan in the field along with Amy Begley and ever-present Katie McGregor, this race was going to be very interesting in the late laps. Early on, these three separated themselves from the pack, eventually lapping the field. It was clear early on our team would be these three women. 

They stayed in their pack, with Begley and Flanagan switching off the lead and sturdy McGregor staying in third.  With 2,500 meters to go, Flanagan and Begley started to push the pace. They dropped McGregor as McGregor kept the same, consistent pace she'd been running. Every lap seemed faster than the last as Flanagan and Begley began to battle one another.

With two laps to go, it looked like a full on sprint. Begley was leading and at this point and Flanagan was no longer taking the lead back. With 200 to go Flanagan kicked, passing Begley but in the final meters, Begley burst around Flanagan, winning in an outstanding time of 31:22, a new Hayward Field record. Flanagan was second in 31:23 and McGregor placed third in 32:08.
 
Other highlights included Tyson Gay's 9.75, the fastest time in the men's 100-meter prelim; faster than his American record of 9.77.  After a terribly disappointing Olympics last summer due to an aggravated hamstring and a dropped baton in the relay, Gay is clearly back and in top form. seemingly ready to challenge Bolt in Berlin in August. 
 
The men's 800-meter run held no surprises with Christian Smith, Khadevis Robinson and Nick Symmonds qualifying in 1:47:8. 1:48:07 and 1:48:07 respectively. 
 
The women's 1500-meter run was dominated by Illinois native Kristin Wurth Thomas in 4:11. Leo Manzano ran the fastest qualifier for the men in 3:39; the only one in the prelims to break 3:40. My personal favorite Lopez Lamong ran 3:44 and Alan Webb had the seventh fastest time. Newly crowned Boston Marathon Mile Winner Darren Brown had the 12th fastest . 
 
Today will be another full day, with semis and finals of the 100, semis of the 400 and 1500 and finals of the 5000.
 
More to come from this amazing event at this storied home of running, known as "Track Town, USA."