Select distance runners from Gonzaga, UW & WSU race Thursday at Payton Jordan...

A select group of distance runners from Gonzaga, Washington, and Washington State head down to Stanford for Thursday night’s Payton Jordan Invitational at Cobb Track and Angell Field on the Stanford University campus.

Gonzaga freshman James Mwaura (left/photo by Paul Merca) is entered in the men’s 5000 meters, while NCAA indoor mile qualifiers Mick Stanovsek of Washington and Paul Ryan of Washington State are entered in separate sections of the men’s 1500.

On the women’s side, the Huskies’ Allie Schadler is entered in the 1500, while seniors Emily Hamlin and Izzi Batt-Doyle are slated to run the steeplechase and the 5000 meters, respectively, as they sharpen up for next weekend’s Pac-12 championships in Tucson.

Several pros with Washington ties are entered in the meet, including Olympia native Brooke Feldmeier in the women’s 800; former Brooks Beast Natalja Piliusina in the women’s 1500; Washington alums Mel Lawrence and Amy-Eloise Neale in the women’s 5000; and former Brooks Beast Jessica Tonn in the women’s 10000.

There are a number of world class athletes entered in the meet, headlined by Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia and the Nike Oregon Project, the reigning world indoor record holder in the mile, as they take aim at both the world championships and Olympic qualifying standards.

Flotrack ($) will offer a live stream of the meet.

The meet time schedule is available here, while the start lists are available here.

NOTE:  The sports information office of Stanford University contributed to this report.