Seymour caps stellar career

By Philip Cmor
POSTED: May 25, 2008
Article Photos
Central Cambria senior Carly Seymour gives a thumbs-up after breaking the PIAA two-mile record.
Mirror photo by Teri Enciso

SHIPPENSBURG — Carly Seymour came to Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium as a freshman specializing in middle distances and relays three years ago and decided she wanted to make a name for herself in track and field by the time she graduated high school.

Four PIAA gold medals, two silvers and a bronze later, it’s safe to say she accomplished that.

Seymour placed the exclamation point on a tremendous scholastic career on Saturday’s second day of the PIAA Track and Field Championships by setting a new record in winning the Class AA 3,200-meter run for the second straight year.

A little later, Seymour, a Central Cambria senior headed to Duke University, helped the Lady Red Devils take second in the four-by-800 relay with two of her sisters.

Seymour completed the eight circuits of the two-mile run in 10 minutes, 31.85 seconds. The previous mark was 10:33.61 by East York’s Donna McClain, set in 1980.

“Knowing that it w as Donna McClain’s — she has two records here in the state record book — that’s amazing to me,’’ Seymour said. “When I was a freshman, all I wanted was for people to know my name, and think ‘She was a pretty good runner.’ But, to get this far, to have your name hopefully go into the book for a long time — unless my sisters break it, is really a privilege.’’

Seymour missed the mark by 5 seconds last year.

With the 3,200 relay coming up, Seymour had hedged on a goal of breaking McClain’s record that she stated Wednesday. However, with competitors helping stake her to a quick pace, Seymour committed to trying to make history.

“With two laps left, my pace was just very smooth and nice, and I just felt very comfortable,’’ Seymour said. “I didn’t feel like today was the day, with the four-by-eight, to go for that. Then they said, ‘You’re on a record-setting pace,’ so I thought I might as well go for it.’’

Seymour ran fifth for awhile, then moved up to second a s three pulled away from the pack. By the third lap, she had taken the lead. By the fourth, she was beginning to pull away and had a 45-meter cushion halfway through the sixth lap.

By the seventh lap, Seymour was lapping competitors.

Down the final stretch, Seymour found another gear, sprinting, like last year to the finish as an awestruck crowd cheered and clapped.

Only this time, Seymour wasn’t just close to the record.

Afterward, Seymour bent over, her hands on her knees. Harbor Creek’s Lauren Zarger, who, along with Neshannock’s Kacey Gibson had managed to stay with her for half the race, put a hand on Seymour’s back and said something.

Gibson and Zarger were only 8 seconds off a record pace, running a 10:41.76 and 10:41.90, respectively. However, they were still 10 seconds off Seymour’s pace.

Gibson has been running against Seymour for four years and will continue to do so when she’s at Florida State. Gibson got her personal-record whi le trying to chase down Seymour.

‘‘You always know that she’s going to be out there in the two-mile. She ran a great race and really smart,’’ Gibson said. ‘‘I’m sure glad she got the record.

‘‘You don’t mind losing to her. I was just hoping to make her work for it, but what are you going to do?’’

Gibson lauded Seymour’s work ethic, a characteristic of which Seymour’s sister, Kelsey, also made note.

‘‘When she has a goal in mind, she doesn’t let it go, and she works toward it every day,’’ Kelsey Seymour said. ‘‘She’s like that in everything: in the classroom, in sports. She’s so competitive.’’

That made it all the more bittersweet for the elder Seymour that she was unable to help get the relay team, which also included another sister, Kendall, and Ashley Stump, the gold. Central Cambria, the top seed, ran a time of 9:19.51. Lewisburg won the event in 9:17.66.

Even before the race, Seymour’s emotions showed. She declined to talk to the media after the record two-mile, citing a need to prepare for the relay that was 90 minutes away.

‘‘I talked to her a little before the [3,200]. She makes me so nervous,’’ Kelsey Seymour said. ‘‘I tried to pump her up. She just said, ‘I’m afraid I’m not going to have anything left for the relay.’ I told her, ‘You go for what you want.’ This is her last year. The freshman have three more years. I have two more years.’’