Track (running) style question

As big as anything else we have prep-style in the spring.

 

Same here.

Guess it helps when a handful of our track teams have better athletes across the board than their baseball and softball counterparts.

 

You gots track?

 

Something I'm seeing a lot from stringers who are not well-versed in AP style is "800 meter run" and "two mile run."
Is it really necessary to use the word "run" or "race"?
Isn't 800 meters (or 800 if you used the word meters earlier in the story) enough?
By the way, I'm glad April is over. I was ready to pistol-whip the next stringer who used "Apr."