One of the most enduring track and field records in Johnson County dates back nearly four decades.
Greenwood senior Lex Logan, heading into the homestretch of his senior season, is determined to chase it down.
Logan’s aim is fixed on the Woodmen’s 400-meter dash standard of 49.92 seconds set in 1981 by Mike Davidson, who has been the boys track coach at Ben Davis since the early 1990s. Logan’s best mark so far is the 49.99 he ran while finishing third at last season’s Franklin Regional.
“I actually know him pretty well,” said Logan of Davidson. “I’m just looking for the right meet to do it at. He’s a really good coach and he’s rooting for me to break his record.”
Logan’s next opportunity is at the Mid-State Conference meet at Whiteland on Tuesday. He recently won the 400 on that same track in 50.02 seconds at the Johnson County meet, and he placed 22nd at last year’s state meet (50.51).
One of his main rivals is Plainfield senior Gage Jacobs, a Mid-State Conference foe who was 15th at state in a time of 49.80.
“We always run good times against each other,” Logan said. “We’re both seniors and have always competed well. It’s a healthy competition.”
Woodmen coach Blaine Williams would love to be able to say he saw school-record potential early in Logan’s career. However, the manner in which Logan runs the 400 almost parallels his track career at Greenwood. He’s solid at the outset, but truly excels the final half of the race.
Logan also anchors the Woodmen’s 4×400 relay and is occasionally used in the 4×800.
“I’m looking back at some of his old times from earlier in Lex’s career,” said Williams, referring to Logan’s sophomore sectional time of 53.35. “Something just happened his junior year that clicked. I think everyone grows up between the 10th and 11th grades, but to see his times come down the way they did?
“Knocking three and a half seconds off in a year is almost unheard of. That’s pretty unbelievable.”
Logan started running track in sixth grade and the 400 the following season. He feels more pressure in the relay knowing teammates are counting on him.
Greenwood’s 4X400 relay is comprised of leadoff Nick Willham, Zach McCauley, Joey Brazelton and Logan.
The quartet’s best mark of 3:32 from the county meet this season isn’t close to the Woodmen record (3:24.24, set in 2005), but a few seconds’ reduction in time in the coming weeks could still be fast enough to get them to the state finals.
Logan and senior hurdler David Patton are ranked among their state’s best in their respective specialties.
The 400- and 800-meter runs have been called the most difficult events in track. It’s one of the reasons Logan felt determined to excel in the former.
“It’s the ability to be that guy who can do the hard work no one else can do,” Logan said. “It’s having consistency with your times and having the character to do that painful race over and over. You want to be that guy, and I love challenging myself.
“But my main goal is to help my (relay) guys get to state to experience that. They’ve worked really hard.”
So, too, has Logan, who next year plans to be part of a college men’s track and field program. He has his list trimmed to three schools and hopes to announce his college choice near the end of May.
In the meantime, he’s hoping for windless conditions and, eventually, his name listed with Greenwood’s other track record-holders on the wall inside the school’s gymnasium.
Davidson, who also holds the Woodmen standard in the 100-meter dash, is pulling for him, too.
“I have talked to Lex a few times, last year at the state meet practice, the state meet and at some indoor meets where Ben Davis and Greenwood were both present,” Davidson said. “He is an awesome kid and I wish him the best.
“It is exciting that Greenwood has Lex, a talented, dedicated runner that can compete at such a high level. If he breaks the 400-meter record, it will be much deserved and, although sad for me to see it go, I would be happy for Lex and Greenwood track to see such progress.”
