Hear From Her Below
Kelsey Chmiel (Saratoga) went into the Boston Holiday Challenge as the defending champion, and defend she did. The junior ran away from the field to clock a 4:54.96, ten seconds ahead of the next top finisher. Her time marks the fastest mark in the country at that distance, so far.
Chmiel carries a personal best of 4:51.36, but that mark was run well later in the season. Chmiel has been selected to represent Team USA in XC in the middle of January, so the mark was likely done with very little speedwork, to conserve strength for that 6K distance. Chmiel split 4:41 in the DMR last spring, at the Loucks Games.
Back In NY
At the annual Oscar Jensen Relays, where the meet's namesake was back in attendance, Freshman Brooke Rauber (Tully) reinforced why she placed 6th overall at NXN. Negative splitting, Rauber ran 4:56.61 to win the full mile distance at the Onondaga Community College track meet.
The mark makes Rauber the fastest freshman in the country, although Gabriella Teixeira (Danbury, CT) is only one spot behind her in the National Rankings at 4:57.42. Rauber's time is good for US #4 overall.