Jordan Fairley ran a spirited race at Saturday's Stanford Invitational, finishing 33rd in the 169-runner field made up mostly of Division I athletes, to play a crucial role in Chico State's fifth-place finish. The senior from Redding (West Valley High School) shaved 26 seconds off his 2008 time on the same course, while finishing four spots higher, to earn Wildcat of the Week honors.
As has been his style the past few years, Fairley came to life over the final two kilometers following a conservative start, and passed a number of strong competitors with the finish line looming.
Fairley, who started his collegiate career as a walk-on freshman, has worked his way into one of the top distance runners on the West Coast. He's earned back-to-back All-West Region honors, and looks to be on track for a third straight.
