By Tim Morris
It’s still one of the most iconic numbers in sports: the sub-4:00 mile.
Although hundreds of runners in the United State have achieved the milestone, first done by Britain’s Roger Bannister in 1954, it remains a very special mark.
Former Colts Neck High School great Craig Forys became the newest member of that club when he ran the mile in 3:58.02, finishing sixth at the Armory Invitational in New York City Feb. 5.
The new personal best was a great confidence builder for the ex-Cougar as he prepares for the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, July 1-10.
Since his legendary high school career at Colts Neck, where he was a national indoor champion (2 miles) and won a record nine NJSIAA Meet of Champions titles in cross-country and track, Forys has become one of the country’s leading steeplechase runners. He was a Big 10 champion and All-American in the event in college (University of Michigan) and was nationally ranked 10th last year. Forys, who runs professionally for Asics/Furman Elite, has qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
So too has another legendary ex-Cougar, Ashley Higginson, who graduated from Colts Neck with Forys in 2007. Now running for Saucony/New Jersey-New York Track Club, Higginson turned in a personal best in the 1-mile run with her fourth-place finish in 4:30.16 at the Armory Invitational. It was a huge start in her buildup for the Trials.
Higginson, who starred at Princeton University, where she was a multiple All-American, was ranked No. 5 in the country in the women’s steeplechase last year a year, which saw her win the Pan-Am Games gold medal last summer in Toronto, Canada. She has been nationally ranked in the steeplechase four of the last five years with her highest ranking being No. 3 in 2014.
Higginson is no stranger to national teams. She made the 2013 USA team that competed in the World Track and Field Championships in Moscow, Russia.