To the average Pomona student enjoying some sun on Marston Quad, setting a volleyball on Walker Beach, or playing a heated game of baseball on the softball field, last Saturday seemed like any other. The only hint of the competition occurring on Pomona’s very own Stehle Track was a noticeable increase in the number of runners striding around the 5Cs. Unbeknownst to the typical Sagehen, 12,000 athletes made their way to the blue track, which is tucked away on the Southeast corner of campus, to compete at the 24th Annual Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.The scene at Stehle Track was anything but typical for a Saturday. Pomona-Pitzer’s tracksters contest the majority of their races at SCIAC meets where the fields are small, and, for the most part, less competitive than the invitational.

Tough competition didn’t phase the Sagehens, however. For many, the fierce competition allowed runners, throwers and jumpers to push themselves to great results. Claire McGroder PO’10 found herself in unfamiliar territory in a fast heat of the 400-meter race. Rather than running out in front, McGroder knew she would be chasing runners ahead of her. The senior went into the race with a different strategy so that she could use the women in front of her to run a fast time.

“Because I was one of the slowest runners in the first heat, I knew that I would have many other ladies to chase after,” McGroder said. “I was really nervous that I would try too hard to keep up with them in the beginning of the race and then die in the last 100 meters. So I tried my best to run my own race for the first 200 meters and then towards the end, I used the runners in front of me as a target to chase.”

McGroder finished with a season-high time of 57.01. The time provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA Division III Nationals meet and is currently the third-best time in the nation. The senior enjoyed the experience of getting to race against such talented women.

“It was also an amazing experience to run with women who are competing on much higher levels than I am,” McGrdoer said. “It was extremely intimidating to run with Kaltouma Nadjina. A Chadian record holder? WHAAA?? But I talked to her briefly after the race and she was incredibly nice.”

Nadjina won the race with a time of 53.24.

The P-P Invitational also provided the opportunity for some of the distance runners to try a change of pace. Alicia Freese PO’10, Zo Meyers PO’10 and Rose Haag PO’10 all moved down in distance to the 1,500-meter race for a bit of speedwork.

For the 5,000 and 10,000 meter specialists, the 1,500 meter presents a challenge of pushing hard early and executing a race strategy in a compressed amount of time. Racing in a tight pack at a much faster pace was a bit of a shock for all three. Haag, who used to specialize in middle distance, says getting her racing tactics back was a bit of a challenge.

“I got boxed in the last 200 and definitely lost some time as a result,” said Haag.

Freese notes that Coach Kirk Reynolds always encourages long distance runners not to worry about going out too hard in shorter races: “Kirk told me to focus on positioning for the first two laps and then push the third lap and then give whatever I had left during the final one. This was his advice because it is super common for 5k and 10k runners to finish a 1500 feeling like they ‘left too much in the tank’ so to speak.”

Despite the challenge of remaining confident amidst the feeling of an unfamiliar pace, the senior put out a terrific performance. Saturday’s results allowed Freese to further assert her presence in the NCAA Division III rankings. In addition to being ranked no. 3 in the 10,000 meter race and no. 10 in the 5,000 meter race, Freese’s 4:37.86 finish on Saturday provisionally qualifies her for nationals in the 1,500 as well. It is also the second-best time in Pomona-Pitzer history.

Mid-distance runners Anja Hughes-Stinson PI’11 and Annie Lydens PO’13 also had standout performances at Saturday’s meet. Hughes-Stinson ran a terrific personal best of 4:13.86 in the 1,500. Pomona frosh Annie Lydens also continues to prove herself as a competitor. Lydens competed in the 800-meter race on Saturday and ran a personal best of 2:19.78. The time moves her into the no. 10 spot on P-P’s top-ten list.

This weekend the Sagehen’s will return to SCIAC competition at a dual meet against Occidental, CMS and LaVerne. The meet will be held at Occidental College. In two weekends, however, SCIAC championships will bring competition back to Pomona’s Stehle Track.