FAYETTEVILLE - Monroe native and University of Arkansas distance runner Ethan Moehn was a part of the Razorbacks men's track and field team that won the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday.
Moehn placed 20th in the preliminaries of the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3 minutes, 50.81 seconds. He was the third finisher in the event for the Razorbacks, who are ranked fourth in the nation. To win the SEC title, the Razorbacks outran three of the nation's top five teams - No. 1 Texas A&M, No. 2 LSU and No. 5 Florida.
Arkansas completed the triple crown by winning SEC titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.
"I just love competing," Moehn said. "I get to compete at the highest level of my sport. I was treating it one race at a time."
Moehn's best time in the 1,500 is 3:44.6, which is the equivalent of a 4:01 mile.
"When you get in a race everyone physically is the same," Moehn said of the Division I college level. "It comes down to mentally who is a stronger racer."
This is Moehn's second year at Arkansas but he redshirted as a freshman.
"I was lucky enough where I could be in a position to do that," he said of redshirting. "We have a deep team. I was able to get my body used to training for the demands to be successful."
Moehn is one of the most accomplished runners in the history of the Monroe High School boys track and field program and the state. As a senior in 2014, Moehn won three state titles - in the 3,200 run (9:15.02), 1,600 and 800 - to help Monroe to a Division 2 state title. Moehn set a Division 2 state record in the 1,600 (4:09.56).
Moehn finished his prep career with seven gold medals and a Division 2 state cross country championship. He's one of the few runners in Wisconsin history to win every long-distance state championship in cross country and track.
The strategy in running the 1,500 compared to the 1,600, like he did for Monroe, offers a challenge.
"The strategy is different from the high school races," he said. "The races go slow to fast. You are working for position the first couple of laps. The second two laps are a lot quicker and the final lap is all-out. It's the perfect distance for me. I'm not fast enough to run the 800, and I don't have the endurance to run the 5K."
Moehn got a late start on the track season after his body was beat up running during the cross country season. Moehn finished 40th in the SEC Championships in cross country running an 8,000-meter race in 24:42.20. Moehn scored in the NCAA South Regional, placing 27th in 31:11.80, which was fifth among runners for the Razorbacks.
Then he needed to take time to let his body recover and heal. Moehn took December off before finishing the end of the indoor track season. He ran the 800 in a couple of meets.
"It was a transition to the outdoor meets," he said.
One of the biggest differences competing in track in college is the training. Moehn has two practice sessions a day - a 30-minute practice in the morning and a two- to three-hour practice in the afternoon. He runs 70 miles a week.
"It's a lot more training," he said. "We don't run as often. Every time we do it's a bigger race. The biggest thing day-in-and-day out you can't be perfect every day. In high school, I always felt like I was one of the best in the group. Every day a different guy feels ready to go. You have to stick it out and accept that you may not have your best run every time. The big thing is keeping a positive outlook and not getting down on yourself."
When Moehn is not racing or doing homework, he said his hobby is touring cities where he runs. He recalls a track meet earlier this spring where the Razorbacks stayed just outside Los Angeles.
"The weather was perfect," Moehn said. "It was a relaxing trip. California is super nice."
Moehn placed 20th in the preliminaries of the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3 minutes, 50.81 seconds. He was the third finisher in the event for the Razorbacks, who are ranked fourth in the nation. To win the SEC title, the Razorbacks outran three of the nation's top five teams - No. 1 Texas A&M, No. 2 LSU and No. 5 Florida.
Arkansas completed the triple crown by winning SEC titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.
"I just love competing," Moehn said. "I get to compete at the highest level of my sport. I was treating it one race at a time."
Moehn's best time in the 1,500 is 3:44.6, which is the equivalent of a 4:01 mile.
"When you get in a race everyone physically is the same," Moehn said of the Division I college level. "It comes down to mentally who is a stronger racer."
This is Moehn's second year at Arkansas but he redshirted as a freshman.
"I was lucky enough where I could be in a position to do that," he said of redshirting. "We have a deep team. I was able to get my body used to training for the demands to be successful."
Moehn is one of the most accomplished runners in the history of the Monroe High School boys track and field program and the state. As a senior in 2014, Moehn won three state titles - in the 3,200 run (9:15.02), 1,600 and 800 - to help Monroe to a Division 2 state title. Moehn set a Division 2 state record in the 1,600 (4:09.56).
Moehn finished his prep career with seven gold medals and a Division 2 state cross country championship. He's one of the few runners in Wisconsin history to win every long-distance state championship in cross country and track.
The strategy in running the 1,500 compared to the 1,600, like he did for Monroe, offers a challenge.
"The strategy is different from the high school races," he said. "The races go slow to fast. You are working for position the first couple of laps. The second two laps are a lot quicker and the final lap is all-out. It's the perfect distance for me. I'm not fast enough to run the 800, and I don't have the endurance to run the 5K."
Moehn got a late start on the track season after his body was beat up running during the cross country season. Moehn finished 40th in the SEC Championships in cross country running an 8,000-meter race in 24:42.20. Moehn scored in the NCAA South Regional, placing 27th in 31:11.80, which was fifth among runners for the Razorbacks.
Then he needed to take time to let his body recover and heal. Moehn took December off before finishing the end of the indoor track season. He ran the 800 in a couple of meets.
"It was a transition to the outdoor meets," he said.
One of the biggest differences competing in track in college is the training. Moehn has two practice sessions a day - a 30-minute practice in the morning and a two- to three-hour practice in the afternoon. He runs 70 miles a week.
"It's a lot more training," he said. "We don't run as often. Every time we do it's a bigger race. The biggest thing day-in-and-day out you can't be perfect every day. In high school, I always felt like I was one of the best in the group. Every day a different guy feels ready to go. You have to stick it out and accept that you may not have your best run every time. The big thing is keeping a positive outlook and not getting down on yourself."
When Moehn is not racing or doing homework, he said his hobby is touring cities where he runs. He recalls a track meet earlier this spring where the Razorbacks stayed just outside Los Angeles.
"The weather was perfect," Moehn said. "It was a relaxing trip. California is super nice."
