SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Running under the lights at Hornet Stadium on day two of the NCAA West Preliminary Round Friday night, Lindsey Adams laid down the best 3000 meter steeplechase of her career to move into the top three on the Nevada Wolf Pack all-time list.
Adams, competing in the second heat, crossed the finish line with a time of 10:16.22. The finish moved her from fifth to third in program history, now just behind Cora Gallop and Emily Myers. Adams placed 25th in an elite field that included the country's No. 1 runner.
"That was a gutsy, gutsy race," said assistant coach Kirk Elias. "Lindsey really took it up a notch and put herself in the thick of things for most of that race."
When Adams leapt over the first water barrier of the race, she was trailing the heat by a few body lengths. However, she quickly realized she could start passing people, and found herself in the middle of the pack.
"I knew from conference that people start slowing down in those laps," Adams said, using her experience from two weeks ago. "I just knew I had to be patient. That was my goal in the race, just be patient."
Adams stuck herself right in the middle of the group, passing people when she needed to and holding her spot. It was an all out sprint down the final straightaway to secure her massive personal record.
The Wolf Pack will wrap things up Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT when senior Brittany Graves competes in the triple jump.
