Fast Women: Parker Valby cements her legacy
Maia Ramsden, Juliette Whittaker, and Doris Lemngole also earn NCAA titles.
Issue 296, sponsored by Brooks
In her final collegiate meet, Parker Valby earns her fifth and sixth NCAA titles
The NCAA’s Parker Valby era wasn’t long—she became a national contender two years ago and won her first national title a year ago today—but she established a legacy that is going to be tough to match.
In one calendar year, the Florida graduate won six NCAA titles, set four NCAA championship records, broke the collegiate 5,000m (multiple times) and 10,000m records, and became the first NCAA athlete to break 15:00 in the 5,000m and 31:00 in the 10,000m. And she’s the first DI woman to win five titles (cross country, the 3,000m and 5,000m indoors, and the 5,000m and 10,000m outdoors) in one academic year.
At last week’s NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, first up for Valby was Thursday’s 10,000m final. The pace was pedestrian for the first 600 meters, until Oklahoma State’s Taylor Roe, who had had enough, went to the lead and started running 75–77 seconds per lap.
The pace was honest, but it clearly wasn’t taxing for Valby, who spent the first part of the race interacting with her teammates and coaches on the sidelines, waving, and generally being animated enough that ESPN did a couple of slow motion replays of her reactions throughout the race.
By the third mile, the race was down to Roe, Valby, and Alabama’s Hilda Olemomoi, with Roe continuing to set the pace. After some very minor contact with Roe as they went around a lapped runner, Valby took the lead with about six laps remaining. But she didn’t pick up the pace until five laps to go. Roe was the first casualty, and then Olemomoi dropped back with about three laps to go, as Valby continued to subtly pick up the pace.
Olemomoi stayed impressively close to Valby, but the outcome was never in doubt. Valby crossed the line in 31:46.09 and took 23 seconds off of the championship record Sharon Lokedi set in 2018. Olemomoi finished second in 31:51.89, a nearly 14-second PR, and was also well under the previous record. Roe hung on for third (32:17.45, a 44-second PR).
Roe’s teammate, Molly Born, earned her highest NCAA finish and her third All-America honor of the academic year, taking fourth in 32:27.18, a 15-second PR. Georgetown’s Chloe Scrimgeour placed fifth in 32:29.44, a six-second PR and her fourth All-America honor this year. And BYU sophomore Jenna Hutchins, who had a bit of a tough transition to college, had her biggest collegiate race yet, finishing sixth in 32:44.05. She ran the fastest closing lap of anyone in the race (70.70 seconds), took nearly eight seconds off of her PR, and earned her first first-team All-America honor.
Two days later, Valby was back at it in the 5,000m. After a relatively slow first 400m, she shot to the lead and ran consistent 70–71 second laps the rest of the way, until she dropped the pace ever so slightly on the last lap and ran a 69. She crossed the line in 14:52.18, destroying Sally Kipyego’s meet record from 2008 (15:15.08) and shaving 0.61 seconds off of her own collegiate record and PR from earlier this year. After leaning at the line, she held up six fingers—one for each of her NCAA titles.
Once again, Olemomoi stuck with Valby the longest, but she fell off the pace with 1500m to go. She finished a distant second in 15:10.04, holding off a fast-closing Bailey Hertenstein of the University of Colorado. In her final collegiate race, Hertenstein earned her highest NCAA finish, and her time, 15:10.98, was a 7.82-second personal best. (10,000m highlights | Results)
Thanks to Brooks for sponsoring Fast Women this month
This Wednesday, running’s brightest young stars will take to the track at the Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle, Washington.
For more than 10 years, the event has hosted epic showdowns and offered spectators a glimpse into the future of our sport. PR alums have gone on to see amazing achievements, from NCAA titles to national records to Olympic medals, and include the likes of Brooks Beast Nia Akins, Sha’Carri Richardson, Nikki Hiltz, and more.
This year’s event is shaping up to be an exciting one. In the 800m, Ali Ince will attempt to defend her perfect Brooks PR record against high school mile record holder, Sadie Englehardt. Top U.S. 100m hurdler Aleesa Samuel will be back as she looks to become the first girl in meet history to break 13 seconds. The girls’ two-mile national record will also be at risk, with several of the best high school distance runners ever—including Allie Zealand, Addy Ritzenhein, and Elizabeth Leachman—going head-to-head.
Events kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday. If you’re a local, head down to Renton Memorial Stadium for free entrance to the meet. For those watching from afar, the meet will be streamed for free on RunnerSpace.
Doris Lemngole takes down the collegiate steeplechase record
As expected, the NCAA steeplechase final became a showdown between Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich, the defending champion, and newcomer Doris Lemngole of Alabama, who had the fastest time going in. The duo started pulling away from the rest of the field with three laps to go, with Lemngole doing most of the leading.
Markezich put in a surge coming off of the penultimate water jump, with just over 500m to go, but with 400m remaining, Lemngole moved to the lead for good. After running her final three laps in a blazing 72.70, 67.99, and 68.45, she crossed the line in 9:15.24. Lemngole broke the collegiate and meet records, taking 0.76 seconds off of Courtney Wayment’s time from 2022.
Markezich finished second in 9:17.36, improving her personal best by 0.57 seconds. And now she’ll head into the Olympic Track & Field Trials with the third-fastest time in the U.S. this year, as a solid contender to make the team.
No one else was close to the lead duo, but Iowa State’s Janette Schraft had a huge race, PRing by 13.38 seconds and finishing third in 9:34.82.
Lemngole, a 22-year-old freshman, became the first Kenyan woman to win an NCAA steeplechase title. And it will be interesting to see if fellow Kenyan Pamela Kosgei, who is just getting started in the NCAA and will be running for New Mexico, can challenge her next year, or if anyone else steps up. (BYU’s Lexy Halladay-Lowry, who is redshirting, should be back next spring, too.) Kosgei, the sister of former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, ran a 9:28.88 at the Portland Track Festival on Saturday night. (Results)
Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis go 1–2 in the 800m
The 800m was my favorite race of this year’s NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships, mainly because it didn’t go as expected, and the finish was dramatic. Stanford’s Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis running well was hardly a shock, but I think most people expected LSU’s Michaela Rose to go out quickly and set the pace as she usually does. Instead she sat back and let Harvard’s Sophia Gorriaran and Arkansas’ Sanu Jallow lead through 400m in 58.06 seconds.
Rose took over 500m in, but she wasn’t able to shake her competitors. Whittaker went by on the homestretch, and powered to the win in 1:59.61. Willis was fun to watch as she went from seventh place at the top of the homestretch to second at the finish, in 2:00.17. Oklahoma State’s Gabija Galvydyte took third in 2:00.23, and Rose faded to fourth in 2:01.03, just holding off Penn State’s Hayley Kitching (fifth, 2:01.05) and Jallow (sixth, 2:01.07). Running in her first NCAA final, Gorriaran finished ninth in 2:03.04.
Despite some stiff competition, Whittaker completed her sweep of this year’s 800m titles, after winning indoors as well. And it was a special day for the Whittaker family as older sister Isabella Whittaker finished fifth in the 400m less than 15 minutes earlier, running a PR of 50.17 seconds.
It was tough to see Rose struggle, but if she can match the 1:58.37 she ran in April, she could have an impact at the Trials. I’m looking forward to watching her run races where she can let others drag her to a fast time, rather than (almost) always being the one to do the dragging.
Willis has been transparent (Runner’s World) about her struggles with insomnia and her mental health, and I was glad Jonathan Gault asked how she was doing after the race, because it was wonderful to hear how much better things have gotten. (Results)
Maia Ramsden wins her third and final NCAA title
Harvard’s Maia Ramsden is such a heavy favorite in every collegiate 1500m or mile race she runs these days that it’s hard to remember that, like Valby, it’s only been one year since she earned her first NCAA title. Last year’s win was a surprise, but since then, she has dominated this event. After winning the indoor mile, Ramsden added a third NCAA title on Saturday, taking the 1500m in 4:06.62.
After a relatively slow start, Ramsden made a push with 600m remaining, and no one could catch her. She ran her final two laps in 64.39 and 60.94 seconds (a 2:05.33 last 800m). Providence’s Kimberley May made it a 1–2 finish for New Zealand, taking second in 4:08.07. And with the home crowd on her side, Oregon’s Klaudia Kazimierska held on for third, running 4:08.22.
Ramsden has a good shot at representing New Zealand at this summer’s Olympic Games, so she’s pacing herself this season in a way that she did not last year. She said after the race that she’s racing again next weekend, and it’s TBD if she’ll be wearing a Harvard uniform or a pro kit. Expect an announcement soon either way. She said she plans to join a U.S.-based team, even though she misses home, because there are more opportunities here. (Results)
Other NCAA Notes
With Parker Valby, Maia Ramsden, and Olivia Markezich all going pro, we’re going to see somewhat of a changing of the guard in the NCAA next year. Hilda Olemomoi and Doris Lemngole, who both had a fantastic meet, seem poised to take over, but it will be interesting to see who else might emerge.
Valby just missed the Olympic 5,000m standard by 0.18 seconds in the 5,000m, but that’s probably not going to matter because her world ranking will be high enough, plus she seems to be able to produce a 14:50-something 5,000m races any day of the week.
Runner’s World published an interesting article about Valby’s pro prospects, from Sarah Lorge Butler. According to the piece, as a pro, Valby is expected to have a base salary somewhere between $650,000 and $800,000 per year, which is incredible.
While there’s a big difference between being one of the NCAA’s best and one of the world’s best in the distance events, the NCAA’s top sprinters have an excellent shot at being competitive on the world level immediately. No one scored more points than McKenzie Long of Ole Miss, who helped her team win the 4x100m relay, and then swept the 100m (10.82, 2.2 m/s wind) and 200m (21.83, 1.0 m/s wind, which is a world-leading time). She’s having a breakthrough season while also dealing with the loss of her mother, who died of a heart attack in her sleep in February, at age 45.
Arkansas pulled off an unprecedented sweep in the 400m, taking the top four spots, which helped them win the team title. The 400m squad was led by Nickisha Pryce, who set a collegiate and Jamaican record of 48.89 seconds. It was a world-leading performance at the time as well, until Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran 48.75 the following day. Yes, Arkansas won the 4x400m relay too, destroying the collegiate record. (400m results)
The shoes Valby wore during the 10,000m, Vaporflys with spikes, got nearly as much attention as the race itself. World Athletics doesn’t allow shoes with such a large stack height on the track, but the NCAA does. World Athletics also has more restrictions when it comes to custom shoes, but the NCAA does not. Valby wore them to help her legs recover in time for the 5,000m, and any criticism about the situation should be directed at the NCAA or some other governing body, because everything she did was within the rules. It was a smart move on her part, because doing the 5K/10K double at both regionals and nationals is a lot, even if she can win with a submaximal effort. While having two separate sets of rules isn’t ideal, I appreciate that the collegiate athletes have the option to go a little easier on their bodies. (Everyone could have worn super shoes, though Valby may have been the only one with access to the version that had spikes.)
Senbere Teferi three-peats in NYC
Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi pulled away from Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi with just under a mile to go at Saturday’s New York Mini 10K and won her third consecutive title in 30:47. After running the first 5K in 15:38, she covered the second half of the race in 15:09. Lokedi finished second, 17 seconds back. And Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui, who stuck with the lead duo for about five miles, finished third in 31:09.
Amanda Vestri ran a gutsy race and finished fourth in 31:17. “There was a moment in time after 5K where I decided, ‘Okay, you either have to suffer and go ahead with those top three women or hold yourself a little bit more together and composed with the chase pack,’” she told Ali Feller after the race, “And I just decided to go for it and suffer.”
Vestri had a breakthrough performance three weeks earlier at the Night of the 10,000m PBs, running a 43-second PR on a night that most people weren’t PRing. And she doesn’t seem to be intimidated by anyone, which makes her fun to watch. Next up, she’ll race the 10,000m at the Olympic Trials.
Jess McClain, another runner who is having a breakout year, hung back a bit more but worked her way up to finish fifth in 31:22, only five seconds behind Vestri.
All three members of the U.S.’s Olympic marathon squad were scheduled to run in NYC, but Fiona O’Keeffe opted to skip the race, saying in an Instagram post that her right calf is “a little grouchy at the moment.” The issue is mild enough that she’s still able to run. And she still made the trip to New York and held the finish tape. O’Keeffe said in an interview that she doesn’t think she is going to do the 10,000m at the Olympic Trials.
Dakotah Lindwurm is a true distance specialist, to the point that the 5K and 10K feel like somewhat of a sprint to her. But she held her own and finished eighth in 31:58. Breaking 16:00 in the 5K has been a longtime goal of hers, and she has run under 16:10 seven times, but hadn’t quite been able to crack that barrier. But on Saturday, she averaged under 16:00 per 5K. The Mini course is challenging but not record-eligible, but she went through 5K in 15:45 and then hung on, with a 16:13 second half.
And the third member of the Olympic squad, Emily Sisson, had a more challenging day, finishing ninth in 32:08. She said in an Instagram post that she felt pretty flat from the start, which isn’t surprising in the midst of a marathon buildup. But more concerning, she got another side stitch, an issue that also plagued her in her last two marathons.
Sara Hall was the top finisher in a deep masters field, finishing 11th overall in 32:14. Keira D’Amato had planned to run, but she said on Instagram that she opted to skip the race after feeling a twinge in her quad. She thinks everything is okay now, but she’s prioritizing being ready to run the 10,000m at the Olympic Trials in three weeks. (Race replay | Results | Post-race interviews with Teferi and Vestri on NYRR’s podcast)
Sifan Hassan outkicks Elise Cranny to win the Portland Track Festival 5,000m
Late Sunday night, at the Portland Track Festival, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands outkicked Elise Cranny to win the 5,000m, 14:43.85 to 14:46.49. Karissa Schweizer finished third in 14:48.60. Hassan opened up a lead early on, but Cranny and Schweizer reeled her in a little after 3K, and then stuck with her until it was time to kick.
Neither Cranny nor Schweizer previously had the Olympic standard of 14:52.00, but now they do. And both appear to be in a relatively good spot fitness-wise heading into the Olympic Trials.
Australia’s Lauren Ryan was hoping to hit the standard as well, but she finished fourth in 14:59.99. BYU’s Lexy Halladay-Lowry had a huge race, finishing fifth in 15:02.89, a 17.84-second personal best.
The 1500m was fun to watch because it included an unusual mix of people. The pace lagged in the middle, but Anna Camp Bennett kicked to a win in 4:07.34. Ella Donaghu took second in 4:07.54, a PR, and Gracie Hyde was third in 4:07.60, another PR. (She has now improved by 11.6 seconds this year.) Roughly 25 minutes after winning the 5,000m, Hassan finished fourth in 4:08.22. And high school standout Sadie Engelhardt took eighth in 4:08.86, improving her personal best by 0.84 seconds.
Nia Akins won the 800m in 1:58.04. Runner-up McKenna Keegan broke 2:00 for the first time, with a 1:59.93, and Sinclaire Johnson finished close behind, in 1:59.95.
On Saturday night, Allie Ostrander won the steeplechase in 9:24.70, taking 2.26 seconds off of her PR, from 2021. It’s so great to see her running better than ever after undergoing eating disorder treatment and coming back from so many injuries. Minutes after finishing her race, she hopped into the 10,000 and rabbited the race through 3200m, in about 10:19.
India’s Sanjivani Jadhav won the 10,000m in 32:22.77 and Kellyn Taylor, who was hoping to qualify for the Olympic Trials, finished second in 32:23.95. We’ll find out this week if it’s enough to get her in. Watch this page; the declaration window closes at the end of the day on Thursday. (Results)
Emily Mackay runs a U.S.-leading 800m
At some point, Emily Mackay’s progression will have to slow down, but Saturday was not that day. I debated skipping this year’s Adrian Martinez Classic in Concord, Massachusetts, because I had a really busy weekend of work, and it overlapped with the final day of NCAAs. I’m glad I didn’t. I thought I’d see some people run fast in their “off” events, and maybe a last minute Trials qualifier or two. What I didn’t expect to see was Mackay running a U.S.-leading 1:57.87 800m.
Going into the race, she had never broken 2:00 before, but to be fair, she ran her 2:00.17 PR at this event a year ago, in driving rain. Saturday’s conditions were a little breezy, but otherwise perfect for middle-distance running.
Heather MacLean followed the pacer through 400m in 57.66 seconds, and she was followed closely by her New Balance Boston teammates, Elle St. Pierre and Mackay. MacLean led most of the second lap, but coming off the final turn, Mackay caught her and pulled away. After the race, Mackay said that if the 1500m came before the 800m at the Trials, she would try doubling, but because the 800m comes first, she’ll stick to just the 1500m.
Dorcas Ewoi of Kenya and Puma Elite also caught MacLean and finished second in 1:58.58. And talk about impressive progressions, Ewoi PRed by 2.54 seconds and has improved by 10 seconds in this event over the last three years.
MacLean’s performance wasn’t quite as much of a breakthrough, but she lowered her PR by 0.95 seconds and finished third in 1:58.77. She got a slow start to the year due to injury, but things seem to be coming around at the right time for her.
And Helen Schlachtenhaufen also broke 2:00 for the first time, finishing fourth in 1:59.97, a 1.08-second PR. She came back later in the meet and outkicked Annie Rodenfels down the homestretch in the 1500m, winning 4:06.78 to 4:07.33. Rodenfels’ time was a 3.03-second personal best.
St. Pierre seemed to have somewhat of an off day and finished sixth in the 800m in 2:01.18. But perhaps that means she’s right on schedule. In a tuneup 800m in Massachusetts heading into the 2021 Trials, she also had a rough day before making the Olympic team and winning the 1500m. On Saturday, she came back to pace a little more than 3,000m of the 5,000m, which Lauren Gregory won in a PR of 15:17.99, which should be enough to get her into the Olympic Trials.
And I may have buried the lede here because Jan Holmquist, 80, set an age-group mile world record of 7:17.19. You can watch her finish here. (800m video | Results)
Other News and Links
This blows my mind: At the World Para Athletics Grand Prix event in Nottwil, Switzerland, Catherine Debrunner beat Susannah Scaroni in a photo finish in the 5,000m, with both athletes recording hand times of 10:31, roughly two seconds faster than the world record (held by Debrunner). But after the race, they were informed that the timing system had malfunctioned, so the performances wouldn’t count. They gave the athletes the opportunity to re-run the race the following day, and the second time around, Scaroni went even faster, setting a world record of 10:25.00. Debrunner opted not to take part in the re-run. Her consolation? She broke the world record in the 1500m at the same event. (Scaroni’s post | Debrunner’s post | Translated article | Replay of the second race)
Sarah Lorge Butler wrote a great article for Runner’s World about Shalane Flanagan’s move to college coaching.
Things I didn’t expect to read this week: Tara Davis-Woodhall voiced the character Gabi in the movie Bionic, now on Netflix. I’m sure she did great, but that trailer doesn’t have me rushing to watch. On the other hand, this trailer for Sprint, which debuts on Netflix on July 2, seems promising.
Additional Results
In front of a home crowd, Italy’s Nadia Battocletti won the 5,000m at the European Championships in a championship and national record of 14:35.29. Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal won the half marathon (1:08:09), France’s Alice Finot won the steeplechase in 9:16.22, and Ireland’s Ciara Mageean won the 1500m in 4:04.66. The event continues through Wednesday and you can watch the races here. (Results)
Sage Hurta-Klecker won the 800m at the USATF NYC Grand Prix, running 2:00.33. (Results)
South Africa’s Gerda Steyn won her third Comrades Marathon title, setting an “up run” record of 5:49:46 for the nearly 86K race. Courtney Olsen of the U.S. finished third in 6:08:09.
Podcasts
I’m out of space, but here are some great episodes from last week: Emily Mackay on the Ali on the Run Show | Betsy Saina on Women’s Running Stories | Susan Ejore on C Tolle Run | Amanda Vestri on Relay
It’s been a very long weekend of work, and I’m without an editor, for the most part, this week, so if you see any major errors, please let me know. And if you spot any minor ones, be thankful that I normally have an editor.
Thanks again to Brooks for sponsoring Fast Women this month, and I’m also grateful to those of you who help keep Fast Women going with your support on Venmo and Patreon. I hope you have a great week!
Alison
I look forward to this newsletter every week to help me keep up with all of the news about women’s running. Thanks for another great one!!
While Valby's use of Vaporfly spikes made sense for the NCAA double, WA likely won't count that performance toward world ranking points, making it harder for her to qualify for the Olympics without the time standard. And the 10,000 seems like her easier path in the U.S., whereas in the 5000m, ESP, Cranny and Schweizer all have the standard and can kick a lot faster than 69 for the last 400m.