DaytonDailyNews.com

Jeff See is about to take the next step toward reaching his ultimate goal.

See, a 2005 Middletown High graduate and current track and cross country runner at Ohio State University, is determined to one day run for the U.S. Olympic team, but he knows there are many steps he must first take to achieve his dream.

He'll take one of those steps Friday in Indianapolis. See is among the field of 48 runners in the 1,500-meter preliminaries at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

"I'm definitely excited," See said. "I had a pretty good outdoor season. I'm eager to test my fitness because I feel like I'm in the best shape I've been in awhile."

See qualified for the race when he became the first runner in Ohio State history to break the outdoor 4-minute mile this month at the Music City Distance Classic in Nashville, Tenn.

See turned in a time of 3 minutes, 58.70 seconds to finish second in the event and set a new outdoor mile record at Ohio State. The previous best outdoor mile by a Buckeye athlete was the 4:00.10 run by Tom Byers in 1974.

"It was an awesome feeling to break the 4-minute mile," See said. "It was something I had been going after since getting to college."

See said he felt good right from the start of that race.

"I was on pace for it," he said. "I was feeling so good and in control of the situation, I just kind of knew I was going to do it."

But his 3:58.7 time is in the mile, which is 1,609 meters. Converting that time to the 1,500 run brings it down to approximately 3:41.

Regardless, See knows he is now about to enter a whole new level of running. The top runners with big sponsors backing them are the competition he will face in Indianapolis.

"My primary goal is just to make the finals, and that's a pretty lofty goal in itself," See said. "I'd like to run a 3:38, but I know I'm going to have to run at least 3:40 to get in the finals.

"There are definitely some fast runners there. I'm really not in the mix ... yet."

See's preliminary race will begin at 6:25 p.m. Friday. If he makes the finals, he will run again at 2:40 p.m. Sunday. The meet is at the Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium at Indiana-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

"This is a whole different world for him," said Linda See, Jeff's mother. "He's learning something new all the time and we're just very proud of him."

Follow the race at www.usatf.org.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852

or sweaver@coxohio.com.