When all was said and done against the other 42 best 10,000-meter runners in the NCAA East Regional, Ohio sophomore Emily Pifer stood at 39th. With a time of 37 minutes and 21.61 seconds, Pifer crossed the finish line in her highest level of competition to date.
Despite the fact that the race started at 9:40 p.m. on Thursday, it was still 80 degrees in Jacksonville, Fla. To help her prepare for hotter temperatures, Bobcat distance coach Mitch Bentley had Pifer train the last week during the hottest times of the day.
Because of the temperature difference, Pifer was not racing the clock but rather trying to strategically place herself in the best position on the track to combat the heat.
“Through the first 5k of the race, she was running very strategically,” head coach Clay Calkins said. “Her place fell a little short in the end tonight, but she did a great job all year, doing everything right with her training. Just getting here was a tall order, and it’s a great accomplishment.”
It was the biggest race of her running career, and Pifer told herself before the race to stay confident and that she qualified at this level just as everyone else running beside her.
“During the race, I just kept thinking about my teammates and others who have supported me in my running every step of the way,” Pifer said.
Pifer was one of 12 underclassmen to run the 10,000 meters in the NCAA East Regional. While Pifer is young, Bentley mentioned how she and the team can use this meet as a motivation for next year.
Calkins agreed.
“For the outdoor season, Emily’s performance was the highlight of the season.
Making it to the NCAA first round is a great accomplishment and all the hard work she has put in throughout the season shows,” Calkins said.
“Hopefully, her work ethic rubs off on some of the other athletes, and we can have others competing at the NCAAs next year.”
nb155607@ohiou.edu
