Mile posts: Items on Mallory Lindaman, Alli Bookin-Nosbisch, Edwin Kurgat, Reed Fischer, Biya Simbassa, Annie Frisbie, Chase Knoche

University of Iowa Track and Field senior Alli Bookin-Nosbisch and Hawkeye alum Mallory (King) Lindaman continue to square off on the track this indoor season.

While Bookin-Nosbisch continues to lower her school record in the 800 meters, Lindaman continues to claim victories while dropping impressive times.

Lindaman, a former Davenport Assumption prep star, captured the victory of the women's 800-meter championship race in a new best time of 2 minutes, 2.92 seconds at the Meyo Invitational on Saturday. The former All-Big athlete competing unattached, claimed the victory over Minnesota's Brooke Jaworski by .56 of a second and leads off this edition of the WEEKEND UPDATE of the best performances by Iowa-based collegiate and postcollegiate distance runners and triathletes.

Bookin-Nosbisch finished third in a new best of 2:04.20, a time that reestablishes her Iowa all-time best. Bookin-Nosbisch is a former Ottumwa High prep star.

"Today’s meet really got me rolling,” Bookin-Nosbisch said in an Iowa athletics press release. "I got pretty boxed in early and I was not able to get out as fast as I would have liked. I believe there is more in the tank."

Her twin sister, Grace, finished eighth in 2:08:09, a time that lands her in eighth in program history. Former Sioux City Heelan prep Amber Aesoph, a Hawkeye junior, placed 10th in 2:09.21.

Just two weeks prior, Lindaman had topped Bookin-Nosbisch in the 600 meters at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational in Iowa City. Lindaman ran 1:28.21 to top Bookin-Nosbisch by .52 of a second. However, Bookin-Nosbisch topped Lindaman in the 800 meters at that meet after running 2:05.56. Lindaman was timed in 2:05.96 for second in that race.

Will return to the meet in South Bend, Indiana, but shifting now to Sunday's New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, where former Iowa State 2019 NCAA Division I cross country champion Edwin Kurgat ran a quality race while taking runner-up to reigning world championships steeplechase silver medalist Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia. Girma ran away from the field to win the 3,000 in 7:29.09, which was a meet record and the fifth-fastest time in history. Kurgat, an Under Armour Dark Sky Distance athlete based in Flagstaff, Ariz., ran a new best for the 3,000 indoors in 7:39:38 for second. Kurgat was coming off a victory in the 5,000 at the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston University the week before in a new best of 12:57.52.

Moving to the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Saturday in Orlando, where three former Iowa collegians placed in the top 11 among men's and women's competitors. Former Drake University 5,000-meter record holder and 2017 Drake Relays champion Reed Fischer closed with miles of 4:48 and 5:04 at the end to surge to a ninth-place finish among the men's qualifiers in 2:11:34. The Tinman Elite record holder in the 10,000 (28:12), 10 mile (46:40), half marathon (1:01:37) and marathon (2:10:54) finished just 2:29 behind Trials winner Connor Mantz and was just 1:37 behind third-place Leonard Korir. Fischer is now based in the Boulder, Colo., area.

"My goal going into the race was to empty the tank that’s been filled by my dreams and my loved ones," Fischer wrote on Instagram. "This was objectively the deepest I’ve had to dig in a race, but every step of pain was a reminder of who and what I’m racing for."

Two spots behind Fischer was former Sioux City North and Iowa Central Community College great Biya Simbassa. The Under Armour Dark Sky athlete based in Flagstaff, Ariz., was solidly in the top 10 until the final miles. The 2021 USATF road circuit champion and 2023 Quad-City Times Bix 7 champion ran 2:12:21 in his second career marathon and less than a minute slower than his 2:10:34 effort at Prague in May of 2023.

Two former Iowa State All-Americans were in contention for the top three spots in the women's race and an automatic berth to the Paris Olympics this summer. Minnesota Distance Elite's Annie Frisbie was in the lead pack of about 13 runners through 15 miles before she began to lose contact with them. She was able to hold her place and finished 10th overall in 2:27:56, not far off her her best time of 2:26:18 at New York City in 2021. Frisbee entered the competition with the 19th-best qualifying time, a 2:27:02 at Berlin in September.

Former three-time Cyclone NCAA champion and nine-time Big 12 Conference champion Betsy Saina was in contention for a spot in Paris through 21 miles when she pulled off the course before mile 22 when she was in a group challenging for third place. Saina, with a best of 2:21:40 at the Tokyo Marathon in March of 2023, entered the event contested in about 65-70 degree weather with the third-best time.

"I was more than prepared but so grateful to be among the amazing women’s team competing for Olympic spot," Saina wrote on Instagram. "Not a shamed to say I am the fittest I have ever been but today things didn’t go my way from heat to very much everything but see you all soon on the road. I move on and celebrate my teammates."

This was Saina's first Olympic trials as an American citizen.

The Drake University record holder in the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meters is Emma Huston, 29, and the former Des Moines Roosevelt prep star ended up 105th among the women. Huston, a Des Moines resident, ran 2:48:55. She came in with a qualifying mark of 2:34:31 from the California International Marathon in Sacramento from December of 2022.

Former 2011 1,500 world champion Jenny Simpson, a native Iowan who spent time as a child in Webster City, Ames and Fort Dodge before moving to central Florida at age 5, did not finish in her marathon debut. Simpson made it through 18 miles before stopping. Simpson, a bronze medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 1,500, is gravitating to the roads after a highly successful track and field career.

On the men's side, former Spirit Lake great and two-time NAIA All-American for Northwestern College Will Norris, 29, ran a steady race for 63rd place. The Charlottesville, Va., resident covered the distance in 2:20:39 while making his second Trials appearance, to go with Atlanta in 2020. Norris qualified with a 2:15:32 effort at Grandma's Marathon in 2022.

Former Iowa resident and Runablaze Iowa athlete Ryan Root placed 110th in 2:24:33. The Roots Running Project athlete qualified with a 2:16:10 at the Bakline's McKirdy Micro Marathon in Valley Cottage, N.Y, in October.

Minnesota Distance Elite's Tyler Jermann, battling Achilles issues coming into the event, placed 122nd in 2:26:01. The former Iowa State athlete was competing in his third Trials marathon and 22nd overall. Jermann, 31, had a qualifying mark of 2:14:58 from the Houston Marathon in January 2022.

"I had a pretty limited buildup dealing with some Achilles issues so I wasn't expecting much," Jermann wrote on Instagram. "I put myself in position to move up well over the second half had I had the strength but the lack of fitness showed up at mile 20. Planning on using this to jump start some serious training leading into this Spring and back into PR shape."

Former Ottumwa prep great and Iowa All-Big Ten runner Kevin Lewis, 30, of the MDE team suffered quadriceps problems at about mile 7 and struggled thereafter. The MDE athlete, with a personal-best time of 2:12:02 and with a qualifying effort of 2:13:48 from Grandma's Marathon from June of 2022, was making his second Trials appearance. Lewis ran 2:36:34 for 145th place.

Former ADM of Adel prep Mason Frank, in his third Trials, pulled out after 10.2 miles. Frank, 34, dealt with a stress reaction in his foot in the fall and decided to not finish coming in. The resident of Omaha, Neb., came in with a qualifying mark of 2:17:57 from the Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon in Napa, Calif., from March of 2022.

"Started running in early/mid December and have been slowly building with the main goal of staying healthy," Frank said on Instagram. "As much as I wish to have done the whole thing, it would not have been healthy for my body or mind. The Trials and I just don't mix well together, but I was humbled once again to be a part of this field."

Several top-10 program efforst were achieved by Iowans at the Iowa State Classic in Ames on Saturday. Iowa State freshman and former Bettendorf prep Calvin Curcija was a winner in the 600-yard run in 1:11.49. He topped fellow freshman and Mount Vernon native Jensen Meeker by 2.27 seconds.

Northern Iowa junior Chase Knoche ran to a fourth-place finish in the 800 meters in a new career-best time of 1:48.50. That time by the former Calamus-Wheatland prep is fourth best in Panther program history. Sophomore teammate Jayden Dickson, a former Earlham prep, was 10th in 1:53.24. Iowa State junior Darius Kipyego moved to No. 3 in Iowa State history with a winning 1:46.71 time.

Northern Iowa junior Emma Hoins improved on the Panthers' fifth-best time in the women's mile. The former Waverly-Shell Rock prep and Hawkeye Community College transfer ran a new best of 4:54.40 to place third. Junior teammate Kate Crawford, a former Guthrie Center prep, took eighth in 5:05.70. The winning time was 4:52.50.

Northern Iowa junior Sophia Jungling clocked 2:13.71 to place third in the women's 800. Jungling is a former Aplington-Parkersburg prep. Former Mid-Prairie prep star Mitzi Evans, competing unattached, placed second in 2:13.26. The winning time was 2:11.53.

In the women's 3,000, former Valley prep Kamryn Ensley was fourth in 9:51.02. That time by the Omaha sophomore is second best in Lancers program history. The winning time was 9:34.70.

In the men's mile, former Ames prep Noah Kohut-Jackson placed seventh in 4:06.96. The senior was competing unattached because Minnesota doesn't have an indoor program. South Dakota State freshman Will Lohr ran to an 11th-place finish in 4:10.10. Lohr is a former Sioux City North prep standout. Iowa State junior Quinton Orr, a former Humboldt product, placed 13th in 4:13.07. Northern Iowa freshman and former Pella prep Chase Lauman was next across the line in 4:13.07. Iowa sophomore Carson Houg, running unattached, was 19th in 4:17.24. Houg is a former Des Moines Christian athlete. Northern Iowa junior Brady Griebel, a former Bellevue prep, was 21st in 4:18.03. Northern Iowa junior and former Tipton prep Caleb Shumaker ended up 23rd in 4:19.34. Drake graduate student Isaac Basten set a new Lied Recreation Center record with a winning time of 3:56.48.

In the 3,000, Drake redshirt freshman Aidan Ramsey captured fourth overall in 8:10.27. Ramsey is a former Dallas Center-Grimes athlete. Runablaze Iowa's Sam Pinkowski, a former Wartburg College standout, was 11th in 8:26.55. The winning time was 8:05.18.

In the 1,000, former Western Dubuque prep Eli Naumann, an Iowa sophomore but running unattached, placed third in 2:32.10.

On Friday at Meyo Invitational in South Bend, former Clear Creek-Amanda and Indian Hills Community College athlete Nick O'Connor placed second in the 600 meters in 1:18.13. That time is a new best for O'Connor, a senior who trailed only sophomore teammate Ryan Schreiner (1:17.91). Iowa sophomore Derek Leicht, a former Dubuque Hempstead prep, took seventh in a new best of 1:20.73.

The next day, O'Connor ran a new career best of 1:50.55 to place fifth in the 800 meters championship race. He was two spots behind former Hawkeye athlete Austin Lietz, who ran unattached and was clocked in 1:50.20. The winning time was 1:49.50.

Grace Bookin-Nosbisch started her weekend by racing in the women's 600 Friday. The former Ottumwa prep captured fifth in 1:32.50 in a race won by Jaworski in 1:28.23.

In the men's open mile, Iowa sophomore Will Ryan placed 26th in 4:14.30. Ryan is a former Dowling Catholic prep.

Iowa junior and former Johnston prep Yohana Yual ran a new best in the 3,000 championship race. Yual was clocked in 8:21.88 for 14th place.

Iowa junior and former Cedar Rapids Prairie athlete Jack Pendergast took 16th in a strong 5,000 field. Pendergast ran a new lifetime best of 14:38.74. In the women's 5,000 race, senior and former Mount Pleasant prep Abby Ryon ran a new career-best time of 17:10.93 to place 14th.

Iowa also produced some stellar performances at the University of New Mexico Collegiate Classic on Friday. Sophomore and former Cedar Rapids Prairie prep Gabby Cortez placed second to teammate Chloe Larsen after running the 600 meters in 1:29.18. That time is about 2 seconds off the school record set by Kineke Alexander in 2008.

In the men's 600, Hawkeye true freshman and former Mason City High prep James Fingalsen placed third to teammates Josh Pugh and Phillip Jefferson in a 1:19.11 effort.

Nebraska-Kearney senior Myles Bach set a new school record at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln. The former Center Point-Urbana and Marion prep took runner-up honors while running 8:12.16. That time tops his previous best of 8:14.46 and also exceeds the 8:12.96 effort by Ben Arens from a year ago. It's also 13th best in NCAA Division II.

Also at that meet, Dordt graduate student Peter Shippy clocked a 14:41.27 effort in the 5,000 meters to take second overall. That time ranks No. 7 in NAIA and gains him the 'A' standard for nationals. Shippy is a former Sioux Center prep and reigning NAIA steeplechase champion

Senior Dordt teammate Payton Mauldin ended up sixth in the men's 800 in 1:50.95, a time that again nets the former Central Lyon-GLR prep an 'A' standard for nationals. Nebraska freshman Gabe Nash, a former Sioux City North prep star, placed 11th in 1:52.61. The winning time was 1:47.32.

Senior Cole Zevenbergen produced a 1:20.27 runner-up effort in the 600 meters that gains the 'A' standard again for the former Western Christian (Hull) athlete. The winning time was 1:18.28.

Dordt sophomore Craig Becker also clocked a 4:18.57 to place 15th in the mile. Becker is a former Atlantic prep.

Former Sibley-Ocheyedan prep Madison Brouwer of South Dakota notched a sixth-place finish in the women's 800. The freshman ran 2:12.92.

Maryville, Mo., was the site for the Bearcat Invitational hosted by Northwest Missouri State. A Bearcat men's distance medley relay with two Iowans set a new Hughes Fieldhouse record and meet record of 9:42.14 Friday. The quartet included sophomore and former Saint Ansgar prep Riley Witt on the opening 1,200 and redshirt sophomore and former ADM prep Nate Mueller on the anchor mile leg. Their time also is an NCAA Division II qualifying mark.

On Saturday, Witt came back to place third in the 800 in 1:51.89, which is a provisional time for nationals.

William Penn senior Jonah Heckenberg established a provisional standard for NAIA nationals with a time of 2:29.79 in the 1,000. The former Van Buren (Keosauqua) prep set a new school record, which had been 2:30.87 by Alex Edwards in 2015. Heckenberg placed sixth.

In the women's 3,000, Northwest's Taylor McCreedy placed third in the 3,000 in 10:04.43. McCreedy is a junior and former Atlantic and Iowa Central athlete. Freshman teammate and former Clarinda prep Mayson Hartley took third in the women's mile in 5:10.83, just .47 behind teammate and winner Whitney Post.

Former Clarinda prep Mayson Hartley ended up fourth in the women's mile in 5:07.62. Hartley is a Northwest Missouri freshman.

In the women's 800, Northwest junior Bailey Blake placed fifth in 2:13.02. Blake is a former Indianola prep.

Wayne State sophomore Quentin Dreyer took third in the men's mile in 4:17.25. Dreyer is a former IKM-Manning athlete who was coming off a 4:23.25 effort in his last mile race.

At Wartburg's Indoor Select Meet, a Wartburg quartet of senior Aubrie Fisher, senior Rachel Nagel, junior Ellie Meyer and senior Lexi Brown produced the fastest time in the women's distance medley relay this season by more than 35 seconds. They ran 11:40.60 for the event that features a 1,200, 400, 800 and mile. Fisher is a former AGWSR (Ackley) prep. Nagel ran for Cedar Rapids Jefferson. Meyer is a former Iowa Falls-Alden product. Brown graduated from New London.

In the women's mile, Central College senior Caroline McMartin clocked a winning time of 4:54.22. The former Pella prep topped junior and former Aplington-Parkersburg prep Megan Johnson by 1.73 seconds. Central sophomore Peyton Steffen, a former Marion athlete, was third in 5:06.28.

Buena Vista junior Kyle Miller took a winning time of 1:52.39 in the 800 meters. Miller is a former Carlisle prep.

Wartburg freshman Aaron Lursen was runner-up in the men's mile after running 4:17.61. Lursen is a former Fort Dodge St. Edmond product.

In the 3,000, former North Liberty prep Jack Kinzer of Wartburg took third in 8:17.83 in a race where senior teammate Christopher Collet set a new facility record of 8:13.01.

Former New London prep Ander Julian, a Wartburg freshman, was the winner in the 5,000 in 15:00.69.

At the DeLoss Dodds Invitational in Manhattan, Kan., Texas Tech freshman and former Solon athlete Emma Bock ran a new career best in the women's 800 Saturday. Bock ran 2:12.21 for seventh place.

Former Clear Lake prep Adam Loenser ran under the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse school record for the mile at the team's Mark Guthrie Legacy Invitational Saturday. The sophomore ran 4:09.38 for third place. He was .6 of a second behind teammate and winner Michael Madoch.

Former Grand View University and Oskaloosa standout Carter Huyser ran to a fourth-place finish at the Wasburn Open in Kansas. The Kansas Wesleyan graduate student was clocked in the 800 in 1:53.07.

MISSING A TOP DISTANCE RUNNER OR TRIATHLETE?: Let me know at bergeson@registermedia.com.

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This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Mile posts: Items on Mallory Lindaman, Alli Bookin-Nosbisch, Edwin Kurgat, Reed Fischer, Biya Simbassa, Annie Frisbie, Chase Knoche