Milligan's Ryan Starr runs national qualifier

Milligan junior Ryan Starr ran a national qualifying mark last week at the Reading Half Marathon in Reading, England.

Starr, who is enrolled at Milligan this semester but taking classes at Oxford University, covered the 13.1 mile course in 1:12.24, 4 minutes faster than the automatic qualifying standard set by the NAIA.

Starr will likely opt for a shorter distance at nationals, and was surprised at his time over the longer distance. "My plan was to use this race as a training run, but that failed miserably. I got into a pack of 5-6 guys and we went at it for the first 9 miles or so," said Starr. "I was surprised."

Third-year Milligan head coach Chris Layne says it's always been tough for Ryan to hold back.

"Ryan has always been competitive, I even have to keep an eye on him on recovery days. But what can I say, he is making A's at Oxford and running national qualifying marks at the same time, this is a tribute to his effort and determination. Milligan College is fortunate to have an ambassador like Ryan."

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Milligan College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Northeast Tennessee, nationally recognized for its commitment to excellence in academic, social and spiritual development. The college has consistently been named one of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit www.milligan.edu or call 423.461.8719.

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