Women's track: McClure sets steeplechase record
Athletes run 3,000 meters, jump over four different barriers every lap and jump through water once every lap except the first.
It's the steeplechase event - and senior distance runner Kelly McClure has set a new CMU standard.
McClure finished in just less than 11 minutes last weekend in Tennessee. Her time of 10 minutes, 48.92 seconds qualified her for NCAA regionals and broke the school record.
"Kelly is a great competitor and really likes to kind of be under the radar," said head coach Karen Lutzke. "She takes care of business and does what she needs to do to be successful."
McClure, a former walk-on from Iron Mountain, always excelled in athletics. She was a three-sport athlete in high school who earned 10 letters - four in track, four in basketball and two in volleyball.
She suffered a thigh injury during the fall indoor season and was not able to compete because of chronic knee pain.
"Most injuries like the one I had do not keep an athlete out for a long time," McClure said. "Usually if you take a week or two off, the pain goes away. Mine seemed to just linger around all season."
Last year, McClure was named second-team All-MAC. She finished in second place in the steeplechase event, scoring in the MAC championship. She was also given academic All-MAC honors during the indoor and outdoor seasons, boasting a 3.94 grade point average.
McClure said she wants more than second place this season.
"That is something I have never done before and it would ultimately help us work towards winning a MAC championship," she said.
McClure's lack of experience set her back a bit when she walked on to CMU's team as a freshman. McClure said the Upper Peninsula's outdoor track season starts late in April. With a lack of funding to travel, she did not get to compete much throughout high school.
"Her freshman year she really did not know what she was doing and we did not know where to put her," Lutzke said. "She has worked hard and she really had a breakthrough in her sophomore year."
Lutzke said McClure is one of the seniors on the team that everyone can go to.
"Kelly does not like to be in the spotlight," Lutzke said. "She really just likes to stay under the radar."
So far, this season has been a disappointment for the Chippewas. CMU has performed below expectations, finishing seventh place at the MAC Indoor Championships. But McClure said after last weekend's meet the team is beginning to move back in the right direction.
"We are definitely making the right strides, and desire and effort have not been the problem," she said.
CMU travels to Eastern Michigan this weekend to compete, but McClure will not take part. She resumes competition in the steeplechase on April 24 at the Oregon Relays in Eugene, Ore.
sports@cm-life.com
