A True Team Effort: 3 American Records!
Somewhat by definition, you don’t hear news of an American Record holder very often. When it comes to Women’s Track and Field events over 1500 m, fewer than 20 Americans currently hold that distinction. And many of those record holders are the who’s who of American Track and Field: Mary Slaney, Molly Huddle, Shelby Houlihan to name a few…
Last Thursday, three members of the Raleigh Distance Project set American Records (pending ratification) of their own. These American Records were achievements of a different sort, however. The events contested, the 20000 m, 25000 m, and 30000 m, are seldom run on the track. The old records*, which involved running about 6:38 pace for 12.4 - 18.6 mi, were highly tenable, especially when you consider that just last year more than 500 American women qualified for the Olympic Team Trials in the Marathon by averaging better than 6:17 pace (2 hrs 45 minutes) for 26.2 mi on the roads.
But when it comes to distance running as in life, timing matters. And it turns out hosting a record-eligible track race is not trivial. You need to have fully-automated and freshly calibrated camera timing, the track has to have a raised rail and a fresh survey to ensure it’s (still?) at least 400m (Meredith College is 400.022 m), and record-breakers need to have a drug test from US Anti-Doping Agent within 24 hours. The Record Application form needs a signature from the referee, starter, timer, track surveyor, and drug testing agent, then presented alongside lap splits (for 50-75 laps, in this case) and official results. Each race needs to have at least 3 competitors giving a “bona fide effort,” as judged by the referee. En-route splits are in fact eligible for a record, but the athletes have to get to the finish line of the race she entered for the en-route splits to count. This is why Nikki Long had to suffer through an extra 25 laps on the track AFTER breaking the American Record at 20000m (she had entered the 30000m so she would have a shot at all three).
The point of acknowledging this truth isn’t to diminish the athletic achievements of the three record-breakers - Nikki Long, Caity Ashley, and Gabi Sejourne - but rather to highlight an achievement of a different sort. Since its inception, the women of the Raleigh Distance Project have built a team and a community. They have leveraged a breadth of talents, some having nothing to do with running, to attract recruits and sponsors, and build a supportive environment for aspiring, post-collegiate female runners. Last week’s record-breaking event, conducted under the fog of covid protocols and in the face of high April winds, took a serious team effort.
Sir Walter Running, a non-profit race organization in Raleigh, has also leveraged a team-based organizing approach ever since the 2013 Sandman Mile, the decidedly individualistic sub-4 pursuit by Sandy Roberts that launched the enterprise. Since that day, Sir Walter Running co-founders Pat Price and Sandy Roberts have recognized that a sustainable legacy of great events requires more than a dynamic race director. It requires a team, a wide array of sponsors, and a dedicated group of fans who care about you, because you in fact care about them. Sir Walter Running hosted this record-chasing event, leaning on relationships at Meredith College, then getting the USATF sanction, insurance, timers, and officials before addressing the biggest uncertainty in Track and Field right now: super-shoes (note: the athletes did not wear super shoes). Two days later, Sir Walter Running hosted the Greenway 20k, the first city-approved road race since the start of the pandemic. Sir Walter Running also hosts the Raleigh Half Marathon, and summer pop up miles and cross country.
In August, Sir Walter Running hopes to host a belated 7th edition of the Miler - one of the most sought-after events in the American running series. The women of Raleigh Distance Project are in search of track races and PRs before most will reboot their marathon training cycles next year.
New American Records:
Nikki Long - 20,000m, 1:18:33; Raleigh, NC - 4/1/21
Caity Ashley - 25,000m, 1:37:07; Raleigh, NC - 4/1/21
Gabi Sejourne - 30,000m, 1:59:08; Raleigh, NC - 4/1/21
*Previous American Records
20000 m - Maxine Johnson, 1:22:24; Brookings, SD - 10/3/1982
25000 m - Maxine Johnson, 1:44:06; Brookings, SD - 10/3/1982
30000 m - Teri Gerber, 2:09:23; Oxnard, CA - 7/13/1986
:: Introduction by Coach Stephen Frust
Gabi:
When Coach Stephen proposed this idea, I think I laughed and asked, “How many laps is that?” But somehow here we are, on the other side of all 75 of those laps. And with 3 American records to show for it. I don’t think I fully believed it until I crossed that line.
The first 5k was fun—eyes on Nikki’s back, laughing at the songs on our playlist. All the way through 10k, I tried to keep my brain turned off, let my mind wander, and listen to the music, as I let Rita, Allie, and Shae lead us through a perfectly paced first third. When Nikki and Caity took off, I stuck to my personal race plan and held back with Shae and Kim. I had come into this race with the goal of making it to 30k at a relatively steady 6:20-ish pace, and there was a long way to go. Shae clicked off the laps and all I had to do was laser my eyes into her shoulder blades. Then at 15k, I was on my own, and for me that’s when the race really began. I felt overall comfortable, just a little on edge knowing there were still so many laps to go, so many opportunities for the wheels to fall off. But one lap at a time, the wheels stayed on. Just as the mental exhaustion was getting to me, I got a boost of electric excitement as I watched my teammates—first Nikki at 20k, then Caity at 25k —grab their records, and that kept me going.
This would not have worked as a solo attempt. The ability to keep my mind fresh by following my teammates through the first half of the race was an asset I do not take for granted. Equally important was every person cheering, lap-counting, and reminding me why I was out there. We did this, together, and I am so grateful and inspired by this community.
Rita:
If you know me, then you know keeping a secret is not an easy feat! About a month prior to the attempt, we were sworn to secrecy by Coach Steve. I recall that when he casually mentioned running 75 laps on a track at practice in March, how loudly the 7 of us chuckled at his “joke.” Well, turns out the April Fool’s Day joke was on us, because we were doing it. Ready or not.
There was one catch Steve casually pointed out: there were three records and seven eligible athletes. Loose plans were crafted to catch all 3 records while also having some pacers for the attempt, but Steve left that up to us to decide.
The next few weeks, we would vaguely discuss our race plans amongst the group, but no real plan was formulated. The reality remained that there were only three records to grab and seven athletes.
After an exhausting work week, Thursday night arrived. Steve recommended and I agreed that my job was to pace (alongside another fabulous pacer, Allie) through the 10k to make sure no one went out too fast and more importantly, to block the swells of wind that hit the backside of each lap. I was entered and eligible for the 20k record attempt, but that soon faded after my eyes could not stop watering from the gusts of wind. After 38ish laps, my body wasn’t having it and by this point, Shae had taken over the role of pacing. With that, I dropped and cheered on my all-star teammates.
Having an American record next to my name would be cool, but being a part of the record attempt and accomplishment alongside my teammates was equally rewarding. Our team works HARD all year round and it’s fun to have everyone’s hard work pay off once in a while. Looking forward to more racing for this team in 2021!!
Allie:
Pacing the first 6 miles of this race with Rita was a blast. I took the first lap as a challenge, because everyone was afraid we were going to go out way too fast to start the race. The goal was to go no faster than 6:25 for the first mile and hopefully no slower than 6:45. The first lap felt oddly slow and everyone was singing along to the music and giggling when different songs came on. When we finished our first 1K split Pat yelled out “Only 19k to go” and everyone laughed. The first three miles felt like a warm up and everyone was settling into the pace. The next 3 miles you could tell everyone was starting to turn their brains off and just run, with little bits of conversation here and there, checking in on one another. Those six miles flew by, and I had to question if we had already been around the track that many times. This was my first time pacing a race, and having it be an American Record attempt was very special. These ladies all work so hard and it was amazing to be a small, but helpful, part of this race.
Shae:
Wow what a cool moment to be part of. Our team just accomplished something amazing. Three of our athletes are AMERICAN RECORD HOLDERS!!! The first couple of miles were so fun with all of us running in a line, music blasting, and running at a comfortable pace. As part of the pace crew, I felt the weight on my shoulders to perform well for my teammates. Having been paced before, I know how crucial it is to hit the correct times. Our coach directed us to go out at a comfortable pace. Rita and Allie helped lead the crew for the first 10k and I was up next. The plan was for me to pace from 10k to 15k at 6:20 pace with the whole group staying together. It was a windy night and I was happy to break the wind for my teammates. Just like any race, you never know exactly how you’re going to feel or what’s going to happen, but luckily I was feeling good at 15k and able to help pace Gabi (who eventually went on to win the 30k) for another 5k to take her through the 20k mark. That is when I finished and was ecstatic to be able to cheer on the rest of my teammates!
THANK YOU to all of those who helped organize, plan, and support the event! As with everything we do, it’s never alone. Our coach was a huge part of facilitating the event along with the Sir Walter crew. And when all of the planning was done and the event was to begin, all the time spent was worth it to see 3 of my teammates finish the line with an American flag draped around their shoulders.
Caity:
First, I’m compelled to say a huge, huge thank you to all of the folks who helped conceive this idea and put on this race, in addition to all of the people who got stoked on this record attempt in just a few short days between announcing it and the gun time. It’s an honor that Sir Walter Running thought of The Raleigh Distance Project for attempting these track records and that Meredith College would be willing to host us in a still tumultuous and stressful time in terms of public health and community events.
Given that most of us have had pretty sparse race calendars in the past year, we were all excited for this unique opportunity to test our fitness in a safe and meaningful way. We were also incredibly nervous - not one of us had run this hard for so many laps on the track before, and it was clear that the mental aspect of this attempt would be equally if not more challenging than the physical aspect (it was).
We arrived at the track, amped, nervous, and thrilled that the small but mighty crew who showed up would care enough to spend their Thursday evening watching us run in circles for two whole hours. Although I spent all day pretty nauseous and wound up, as soon as I started running the pace, flanked by my six teammates and being cheered on by some of my favorite people I’ve met through this sport, the unwinding began and I was in my element. We had a blast working together in those first 6-9 miles - laughing at our team manager dancing to Taylor Swift, remembering the countless sub 6:40 runs and threshold k’s we had run in training, and dropping more than just a few bottles on the track in trying to ensure everyone who wanted hydration got some while the pace was still more relaxed. There was definitely some kind of spark in the final 5k of 25,000 meters lit by the knowledge that six other individuals would push themselves to their limits to help set me up for success.
This event will go down as one of my most memorable races, and mostly because there was such a heavy emphasis on teamwork to ensure that RDP left the track having run 3 new American Records. I will likely never again be in a race where the only competitors and pacers are my teammates, and that made that first 20k really fun and really special. This was definitely making lemonade out of a less than ideal year, and it was cool to do it with the people who I’ve been grinding it out with despite our mostly empty race calendar over the past twelve months. While we are all now a little beat up from seemingly endless laps around a track and processing what this event means to us individually and as a team, we are already capturing the energy from last Thursday night to scheme up even more exciting races for The Raleigh Distance Project.
Kim:
After a year of uncertainty and caution, I can’t think of a sweeter, more inspiring (& humbling), first-race-back since COVID’s inception. The last race I competed in was the US Olympic Marathon Trials in February 2020, so it’s been a minute since I’ve laced up my racing flats with excitement and anticipation, and this opportunity gave me those rare butterflies. As is with any endeavor in life, all you can do is the best you can with what you’re given. If you do that then you should have no regrets; there’s nothing more you could have done. The night we went for the American Records was a night where I did my best but still fell short of my goals. Believe it or not, the 75 laps around the track didn’t intimidate me, shockingly, it was the pace that made me a little nervous - a pace I’ve run faster for farther. But you can’t fake fitness and the track will expose all your weaknesses. This particular night, even with all the excitement and anticipation pumping through my veins, I couldn’t hang with the group. It is what it is. As my body got tired my form was compromised and each lap generated more left-turn-induced knee and hip pains. The group gapped me and after a solo mile or two, I stepped off the track at 20k instead of 30k. I did the best I could with what I was given and it wasn’t enough that night, but luckily that wasn’t the case for my teammates. The beauty of a team is that even though I didn’t reach my goals, I still feel like I won - because we won. Nikki, Caity, and Gabi set out to do something and did it. That is inspiring and something to celebrate. In track, individuals win, but we all know it’s a team effort through and through. It wasn’t my night but it was Raleigh Distance Project’s night! And Raleigh Distance Project is only successful because of the community, sponsors, and supporters, and I hope this race proves that together we can reach the stars.
Nikki:
It was almost a year ago that I injured my back, requiring major back surgery in the summer to repair a herniated disc. Coming back from injury, you start over and rebuild every single part of you, from every muscle fiber to every goal and dream to renewing your passion for competition. The tangibility of a race feels so far in the distance, and with fewer race opportunities due to COVID, these chances felt even farther away over the past year. This past Fall, while on one of my early training runs back from surgery, I was with my teammate Caity. In our conversation I turned to her and said, “I can’t wait until we are running together as hard as we can in a race.” At the time, I could not have imagined the opportunity would be chasing an American Record on the track.
The day of the event, I had two classes and an exam. I worked on getting together some final details for the race that evening. I snuck in a late afternoon nap to get ready for the 8 PM race start and a long night of racing. I was nervous! Once I got to the track and saw the excitement of my teammates and the small crew allowed under COVID guidelines, I felt overwhelmingly supported. Our goals that night did not depend on me alone. It’s easy to believe in yourself when you are not alone.
This race was about so much more than breaking records. Personally, it was the first time I’ve raced since surgery last summer and since before the pandemic; it was the first race I got to wear the new Oiselle kit; it was my first outdoor track race in 2 years; it was my longest run ever; it was the first race with all my RDP teammates. Being healthy, fit, and on the starting line was everything. For the team, it was a demonstration of how committed we are to one another and our goals, how much we love this sport, and it was about how we could not have accomplished this alone. As a team, we each had to buy into the race plan to commit to our goal of having three separate athletes earn these marks. Our goals were a little out there – really, 75 laps on a track? Three records? We are fortunate that Sir Walter Running and Meredith College were ready to go all in on this with us. I saw firsthand the hard work put into this event by the organizers, as well as the hard work put in the athletes competing. This was truly a joint effort. I’m honored to have run an American Record on Raleigh soil!
I am privileged to have been able to compete in this event. I am fortunate to be able to report the second dose of the COVID vaccine on my USADA drug test after the race. I am fortunate to have the support of the community, our sponsors, and my teammates. I value working on ways that we can make opportunities on the track more accessible to more people!
So, what is it like to run 75 hard laps on a track and set an American Record along the way? For the early part of the race, we could talk and joke, checking in with one another and having fun. We all sat on the pace together as it slowly became more and more uncomfortable. With Allie, Rita and Shae entered in the 20k, they committed to share the designated pace and break the wind for us for the first 15k. After that, it would be anyone’s race. I planned to go after the 20k record and would drop the pace to bring it through for the final 5k. I stayed in for the full 30k distance, as part of chasing one of the en route records. Caity and I shared the work once the pace dropped at 15k, and she stayed on that pace for the next 5k, snagging the 25k record. I did a 25-lap victory run and caught up with Caity for the second half to finish together. I reminded her of that run together in the fall, and how I will never forget any of the laps we ran together that night. We’ve worked hard, but more importantly we’ve worked together.
Note: All photos credit to Lauren LaPlante