Nease senior Rheinhardt Harrison, one of Florida's fastest distance runners ever with PRs of 4:01 in the mile, 8:47 in the 3,200 (state record), and sub 15-minute credentials for the 5K in cross country, publicly made his college decision known on Monday.
Harrison has decided he will take his running talents next year to the University of Oregon and run for the storied Ducks program at the mecca venue of track & field in this country in the recently renovated Hayward Field. A long-time fan of the program dating back to elementary school starting out as a young runner, his recruitment by the Oregon coaches and developing chemistry and connection with the current members of the squad only cemented an easy sell for his long desire to run in Eugene.
With the college decision and recruiting process out of the way, Harrison can turn his attention to a successful and healthy 2021 cross country season in which he has some unfinished business including qualifying and competing in the Foot Locker Nationals in the post-season.
After shutting down his track season following the adidas Dream Mile in late May in which he was spending most of the month prior primarily cross-training instead of actually running due to a lower leg injury, Harrison took a week off before building back up his training for the senior year.
Harrison spent part of his summer in Flagstaff, Arizona in which he recruited 16 national-class high school runners across the country to jump for quality training at altitude with athletes of similar ability level and pace for runs. One of those runners who joined him was West Virginia state champion Larry Josh Edwards, who like Harrison committed yesterday to the University of Oregon after both took their recruiting trip together last week to Eugene.
Still being privately coached by Tom "Tinman" Schwartz but with input and coordination of his Nease head coach Ted DeVos, Harrison feels in better shape and condition for the cross country season with a longer base-building phase compared to last fall when he was still racing track and chasing a sub 4-minute mile into early August before topping out at 4:01.
More big news out of the Harrison household this fall to mention is that Rheinhardt's parents Dennis and Heidi have taken over coaching duties of the girls' cross country program with sister Ella as part of the squad.
The 8:47 state record performance in the 3200 this past April should also give him greater confidence in his ability to compete at the longer distances. Last fall, Harrison won his second straight Florida state title in cross country in the 4A classification and also won the AAU National Cross Country title as well with a 15:08 performance at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.
His first race of the cross country season will come up this Saturday in a local event in the Jacksonville metro area at the Ridgeview "Bob Hans" Invitational in Orange Park. As part of the FHSAA eligibility requirements for the championship series, Harrison will need to run in at least 5 races prior to the district meet.
