Williams lowers 5k record again
For 18 years, Pam Klassen (Jones '88) held Rice's women's track record in the 5,000-meter run at 16:31.62. Then, in 2006, Marissa Daniels (Jones '08) broke the record, setting a new time to beat at 16:28.87 and shaving almost three seconds off the previous benchmark. Since Daniels' efforts, the record has been broken four times, most recently by senior Britany Williams last weekend.
This time, however, Williams was breaking her own school record that she had only set 21 days ago. On March 27, Williams lowered the Rice time from Callie Wells' (Sid Rich '09) 16:20.95 mark to 16:19.27. Then, on April 16, Williams shaved eight seconds off of her own record, finishing the 5,000 in 16:11.34.
At this rate, there's no telling how fast Williams will go in 2010, as she believes she will have the opportunity to improve her time once again.
"We have a very strong conference in the 5K," Williams said. "Two girls from Tulsa have run faster than me this season. One of them has 15:58 and the other has run 16:03, and one of them was in my actual race.
"It's good to know that they're probably going to be pushing strong, and I'll hopefully be right there with them."
Williams credits her success to her race strategy at the Mt. SAC Relays.
"I went in knowing that this is my last chance to run a really fast 5K that's not going to be dedicated to placing well," Williams said. "At conference and nationals and that sort of thing, we'll be considered with higher placing than times. I went in saying I want to go faster than I have before."
Williams' improvement exemplifies what Head Coach Jim Bevan had hoped for at the weekend's meet.
"Mount SAC was an opportunity to run really fast because conditions are perfect, and it's the biggest long-distance carnival," Bevan said. "So you just attach yourself and most of the time those fast times happen. We did get a lot out of that meet."
In addition to Williams' efforts, success was widespread among the Owls at Mt. SAC. Sophomore Marie Thompson earned a lifetime best in the 10,000-meter run, placing 14th overall in 35:25.10. That mark showed great improvement by Thompson, who just last year was running 17:58 in the 5,000 meters, the equivalent of a 35:56 in the 10,000.
Bevan was particularly impressed by Thompson.
"The mark [at Mt. SAC] should get her to the national meet," Bevan said. "She ran a very tough race and improved in the last year more than anybody."
Also at Mt. SAC, sophomore Halsey Fowler improved in the steeplechase to 10:56, and sophomore Keltie John lowered her time in the 1,500-meter run to 4:36. To round out Rice's performance in California, junior Allison Pye improved upon her previous 5,000-meter time by 35 seconds to finish in 16:46, good enough to get her on the national list.
The women's track team also sent a contingent to the Michael Johnson Classic, hosted by Baylor University in Waco, Texas, last weekend. There, the theme of the meet was poor weather creating adverse conditions, which prevented the team from making strides in its performances, according to Bevan.
"We did do some good things, but it was more about competing than about making perfect marks," Bevan said.
Senior Vicki Walker earned first place in the 800-meter run, setting a season-best of 2:12. Classmate Shakera Reece also found success, qualifying for the finals in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, but Rice's coaches pulled her from the finals to avoid her injuring her already-tweaked hamstring.
In the 1,500-meter run, senior Claire Shorall and sophomore Addie Quinn finished first and second, respectively. Quinn set a lifetime best with her 4:44 finish, while Shorall set her best mark in two years at 4:43 and her second-best time ever.
In hurdles, junior Kimberly Stanford set a lifetime best in the 100 hurdles, finishing in 13.99 even while running in sprinkling conditions.
Freshman Sharae Robinson set a lifetime best in the discus at 135' 8" and placing fourth overall.
After the two weekend meets out of town, the team has a home meet to look forward to this weekend, as the Rice Twilight J. Fred Duckett Relays will be at the Rice Track Stadium tomorrow from 6-9 p.m.
Bevan is happy with the status of his team as a whole right now, but he also knows that things will calm down after the next couple of weeks.
"After the next two weeks I'll feel a lot better," Bevan said. "April is a busy month. We've got some kinks to work out, so we need to make it through the next two weeks and focus on finishing the season off with a bang at the conference meet.
More from The Rice Thresher
O’Rourke rallies students in Academic Quad
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of El Paso, Texas spoke in front of the Sallyport to a sea of sunglasses and “end gun violence” signs April 17. The rally, organized by Rice Young Democrats, took place in the academic quad from noon to 2 p.m.
Five international visas revoked at Rice
Federal authorities have revoked visas for five international affiliates at Rice — three current students and two recent graduates, President Reginald DesRoches announced in an April 11 message to campus. The revocations are “not related to social activism or protests,” a university spokesperson told the Thresher.
Modified Beer Bike races rescheduled to April 18
Beer Bike races have been rescheduled for April 18 at 5-8 p.m. The makeup event was announced in an email to Beer Bike captains, coordinators and stakeholders, from the campuswide coordinators and the Bike Captains Planning Committee.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.