Dayton Carlson’s 800 meters record may be start of special season at ASU

TEMPE – Dayton Carlson wasn’t happy with his senior season as Arizona State arrived at the Carvel Jackson Memorial Track & Field Showcase in late March. Injuries and a corresponding lack of time on the track left the senior from Gilbert wondering if he would ever be able to put it all together. 

With a local crowd watching at Mesa Community College’s John D. Riggs Stadium, Carlson put those concerns to rest while putting the track world on notice. He delivered a dominant performance, finishing first in the 800 meters while breaking the Arizona State outdoor school record with a time of 1:45.57 that represented the fastest pace set by any NCAA Division I athlete this season at the time.

“I am very happy and shocked I broke the record,” Carlson said. “My indoor season was a little rocky but I felt confident in my training, but to break it by as much as I did was shocking.”

Carlson attended Queen Creek’s Casteel High School where he developed into one of the top middle-distance runners in the state while capturing multiple state titles in multiple events and earning Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior season. 

He arrived at ASU in 2021, choosing to stay at home instead of pursuing other possibilities. He committed to the Sun Devils because of the program’s coaching staff and the opportunity to continue competing at what he feels is one of the top track and field programs in the country. 

“I had a couple of different options after my senior year,” Carlson said. “Ultimately, I chose Arizona State because I loved the program, the coaches and the chance to get better and compete at the highest level while staying home.”

Over the past four years at Arizona State, Carlson has steadily built an impressive resume, highlighted by NCAA All-American honors in the 800 meters in 2022. He broke out early his freshman year with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, running a time of 1:46.72 that stood as the program record. However, the redshirt senior is now putting together his best season yet in his fifth year, resetting the program record once again. 

“Honestly I just needed consistent training. I’ve dealt with four to five injuries during my time,” Carlson said. “If I can stay healthy, I can do great things this year and I feel a lot of confidence for the rest of the season which is on pace to be my best ever.” 

Carlson has dealt with stress reactions in both shins as well as femur issues and a torn hamstring. His most recent setback came this past fall when he suffered a stress reaction in his foot that kept him out of training for roughly two months before he was able to resume consistent work in December. 

His trainer, Milton Mallard, has been a key figure in his recovery from injury and his overall development during his time at ASU. He has helped Carlson through multiple injuries, carefully guiding him back to competing and pushing him to set records. 

“The most important thing when training during his injury was to get him back healthy, not rush him,” Mallard said. “Dayton is so resilient in wanting to be one of the best athletes in the country, and that leads to success for him.”  

While Carlson’s record-breaking performances grab attention, his coaches and teammates said his success is due to what people don’t see at practices or training sessions. Teammate and fellow 800 meters runner Zach Weaver, a junior, has a front-row seat to that approach.

“What people don’t see behind the scenes is the kind of grind he does every day,” Weaver said. “There’s never a practice where he doesn’t go 100%, and that’s what takes him to the next level.”

Carlson’s impact extends beyond his own performances. He has taken on a mentorship role with ASU’s 800-meter men’s group.

“He’s kind of like that carrot for me,” Weaver said. “He’s been a big brother to me. He always wants me to get in front, help out, and put me in uncomfortable situations. It keeps me honest and pushes us both.” 

With his record-setting performance behind him, Carlson is focused on maintaining that level of performance as the outdoor season continues. His sights are set on the Big 12 Outdoor Championships from May 14-16 at Roy P. Drachman Track & Field Stadium in Tucson and the NCAA Outdoor Championships from June 10-13 at Oregon’s Hayward Field.

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