As the season nears its end, decorated seniors Annie Beecham and Kari Summers’ careers could follow suit.
But when the pair competes at the NCAA East Regional track meet this weekend, coach Clay Calkins said he hopes the distance runners’ careers will continue.
“It will be a huge loss when they leave, but they will leave on a very positive note,” he said. “Hopefully, they can continue on.”
Calkins called the duo two of the best distance runners to ever come to Ohio University.
This weekend, the duo will compete in Bloomington, Ind., at Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex. Both events will take place at the end of the schedule for that day.
Beecham will compete in the 10,000-meter run at 8:30 p.m., and Summers will compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Friday night at the same time.
With Beecham winning the 5,000-meter run and taking second in the 10,000-meter run at the Mid-American Conference Championships, Calkins said getting to nationals would be the culmination of her season. He added that she just has to run a normal race in order to move on.
“She has the 10th-best time in the East Region. She has a great chance to make it,” Calkins said. “If she runs a good race, she makes it.”
Calkins called Summers a dominant force in the 5k and the 10k, but her event this time around is the steeplechase.
“This (steeplechase) gives her the best opportunity to make it to nationals,” Calkins said. “ If they both run to their potential, they should be fine.”
For the rest of the team, the season is over, but the preparation for next season begins immediately.
“They have no down time when it comes to cross country,” Calkins said. “Fifty percent of their preparation is on their own.”
Calkins added that even though the runners are not training while the coaches are watching, there is an intrinsic desire to improve regardless of who the audience is.
For the throwers, preparation is a little different. They are not able to train consistently with the coaches because of the extended winter break. Calkins said he would be happy with the transition to semesters because the new system cuts the break in half, thus allowing more time to train.
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