Abingdon senior Griff Graves (pictured right by David Fleenor) competed this past weekend in his former home state of Alabama in the only indoor track facility available to high school athletes in the state at Celebration Arena in Priceville for one of several USATF sanctioned age group meets open for high school aged runners. Alabama's high school athletic association recently got rid of indoor track as an official sport, so high school track athletes in the state have had to work around the lack of having an official season with open meets at the same venue which has had played host to past indoor state championships.
Graves, who has not really put a high emphasis on the indoor season over the past two years with his focus this winter being the same as last winter in training for the junior men's 8K race at the US Cross Country Nationals in February, did not mind swinging down to his old stomping grounds in the Deep South for a rare indoor track appearance. The two-time Foot Locker finalist had a solid double on not necessarily a fast indoor track by winning the 1500 meter run in 4:07.02 by five seconds, while finishing a close second in the 3000 meter run later against one of Alabama's best in Patrick McGregor (8:54.22) at 8:55.22. His performances down in Alabama convert roughly to a 4:25 1600 and 9:35 3200. Graves will be making his third trip to San Diego after two Foot Locker Nationals appearances in the city when he travels across the country for February 16th's USA Cross Country Nationals to be held at Mission Bay Park.