Cheserek improves to No. 2 all-time, trailing only Hicham El Guerrouj's 1997 world record

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Edward Cheserek, a 17-time NCAA champion at Oregon and Skechers professional, became only the fourth male athlete in history Friday to run under 3 minutes, 50 seconds for an indoor mile at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University.

Cheserek clocked 3:49.44 to elevate to No. 2 all-time in the event, trailing only the 1997 indoor world record of 3:48.45 set by Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj.

Cheserek set the collegiate record of 3:52.01 last year at the same facility. He opened up his season Jan. 27 running 3:54.73 in Albuquerque, with the altitude conversion adjusting to 3:49.62.

Cheserek followed Feb. 3 with a 3:53.85 in the Camel City Elite mile, the second-fastest indoor time in history on a flat 200-meter track, which adjusted to 3:50.91 on a banked 200-meter track.

Cheserek relied on the pacing of Brannon Kidder and Drew Piazza to help him achieve the mark.

New Hampshire senior Elinor Purrier ran the No. 2 indoor mile in collegiate history by clocking 4:26.55, nearly a second ahead of the 4:27.54 effort produced Jan. 27 at the Dr. Sander Invitational/Columbia Challenge by Missouri senior Karissa Schweizer.

Purrier trails only Jenny Simpson's 2009 collegiate record of 4:25.91 when she ran at Colorado.