By Anvil Welch

awelch@joplinglobe.com

Seth Summerside has reached another impressive plateau in his running career.

The former University of Arkansas athlete leaves Fayetteville today for the University of Oregon and Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Summerside, a 2002 graduate of College Heights Christian School in Joplin, will compete in the 10,000 meters on Friday night.

Summerside, who turned 24 on Feb. 14, said Monday the event will have a field of 24.

“It’s racing the clock as well as individuals (to qualify for the Olympics in Beijing in August),” Summerside said. “You have to place in the top three. You have to run a 27:50.”

Summerside, a Yankton (S.D.) native who came to Joplin at an early age, is in the Olympic Trials for the first time.

“This is what you dream about and train for during your entire career,” Summerside said. “This whole deal has been a dream come true.”

For Summerside, running isn’t about goals, even if the assignment is the Olympic Trials.

“Really, I put myself in position to win and give 100 percent,” Summerside said. “But I quit setting goals after the University of Arkansas. No matter what I did it always was a disappointment.

“It’s for the love of the sport. I wanted to give myself completely to running and stop setting goals,” Summerside said.

Summerside, who secured a four-year contract from Adidas in 2007, also qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 1,500 and 5,000 that season.

“I missed my speed work this year, though, and I was unable to come around for the shorter distances,” Summerside said.

This 10,000 on Friday will be his second go in the event after clocking a 28:02 at Stanford — the fastest debut for an American in the event.