Just seven weeks after annihilating the collegiate record in the 3,000 meters, Ethan Strand claimed another all-time mark.
On Saturday, February 1, the University of North Carolina senior ran 3:48.32 to win the men’s mile at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston. In his second race of the season, the 22-year-old shattered the previous collegiate indoor record in the mile (3:50.39) set by Cooper Teare of Oregon in 2021. Strand is now No. 3 on the all-time list in the event. Only Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha (3:47.01 in 2019) and American Yared Nuguse (3:47.38 in 2023) have ever run faster indoors.
“I didn’t quite know what today was going to hold,” Strand told reporters after the race at Boston University. “I wanted to come in and open up the season, get qualified in case I want to run the mile at nationals, so to come out here and run [the record] right now is pretty cool.”
In a field filled with pros and top collegians, Strand raced on another level. He started in the middle of the pack, led by a pacesetter who brought the leaders through the first 800 meters in 1:53. Seeing an opportunity to close a gap, Strand started to move up at 1,000 meters.
With two laps remaining, Strand was in third behind Robert Farken of On Athletics Club and Adam Fogg of Under Armour Baltimore Distance. At the bell, Strand shot to the front and broke away on the backstretch. With his arms outstretched in celebration, the three-time All-American flew into the finish line. According to his TFRRS profile, Strand took more than six seconds off his previous personal best.
Including Strand, three athletes broke 3:50 in the race. Farken finished second in 3:49.45, and Fogg placed third in 3:49.85.
Saturday’s performance follows another stellar run from Strand in December. On the same track, he lowered the collegiate record in the 3,000 meters, running 7:30.15 two weeks after finishing eighth at the 2024 NCAA Cross-Country Championships in Madison, Wisconsin.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
