OTC Elite Week, Day 1:

Ben Blankenship Is Not Dead

by The Trailer

EUGENE – “Maybe you can send this article to my parents to tell them I’m not dead, too,” says Ben Blankenship.

Because yes, Ben Blankenship is finally back.

You’ve got to say both names: Ben Blankenship. And you’ve got to remember him in 2011 when he was everywhere. As a University of Minnesota Golden Gopher, the Stillwater, Minn., native was a contender for the NCAA Indoors mile title, and he was the beater of 2012 NCAA 1,500m champ Andy Bayer, along with the rest of a stacked 1,500m heat of pros at Payton Jordan.

And then you’ve got to remember you haven’t heard anything about Ben Blankenship in over a year.