Solid 5,000m times open indoor season for UA distance runners

Shawn Price December 3, 2022

BOSTON, Mass. – Four Arkansas distance runners had a solid start to the indoor season racing over 5,000m at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener hosted by Boston University on Saturday afternoon.

Laura Gregory, coming off a fall season that included competing at the World Championships in mountain racing, led the crew with a time of 15:34.61 to place 10th in the first heat, which included a mix of professional and collegiate runners.

Gregory, just off her indoor best of 15:32.95 set in placing fourth at the 2021 NCAA Indoor, finished seventh among collegians in the primary section. Gregory ranks No. 2 on the UA all-time list with the 15:32.95 and her 15:34.61 would occupy the No. 3 position ahead of a 13:46.89 by Amy Yoder Begley from 2000.

Professional Annie Rodenfels won the race in 15:08.22 ahead of three collegians – NC State’s Katelyn Tuohy (15:15.92) and Alabama’s duo of Hilda Olemomoi (15:17.97) and Mercy Chelangat (15:18.12) – with pro Susan Ejore (15:18.58) finishing fifth.

Racing in the third of six heats were Sydney Thorvaldson and Mia Cochran, among a field of primarily collegians.

Placing seventh, Thorvaldson finished in 15:59.47 to better her previous indoor best of 16:00.14 and improved her position at No. 9 on the UA all-time list. Thorvaldson finished sixth in the heat, which was won in 15:42.48 by Amanda Vestri of Syracuse.

Making her debut at 5,000m indoors, Cochran posted a time of 16:12.98 to place 14th in the heat. Cochran was the fourth best freshmen among the field, which totaled 130 runners over the six heats contested.

Another indoor career best was set by Claire McClune in her Razorback debut after transferring from Drury. She clocked 16:47.57 in the fourth heat of the 5,000m to better the 16:51.90 she set in 2021.

Also racing on Saturday in the Nike Cross Nationals held on Portland, Oregon, future Razorback Paityn Noe, of Huxley, Iowa, placed 10th among a field of 195 entrants with a time of 17:25.9 over the 5,000m course.