The first-year from Elmhurst has a bright future ahead of her.
After a brilliant run to the NCAA Midwest Regional in the fall season, Northwestern cross country is almost back in action. The Wildcats will take to the trails again this upcoming Friday at the UW Preview in Seattle, Washington. That meet (which is now somehow a conference venue thanks to realignment) will begin the indoor season, which stretches until mid-February. But one Wildcat is already making waves.
That runner is Katherine Klimek, a first-year out of Elmhurst, Illinois. Klimek excelled primarily at mid-distance events throughout high school. Among other sparkling times, she boasts impressive personal bests in the 800 meter (2:16.88), 1-mile (5:07.78) and the 3200 meter (10:41.16) — also known as the dreaded 2-mile. She was also a key cog in her high school’s 4×800 relay team, which broke 9:40 three seasons in a row.
Last weekend, however, Klimek took to the distance side of things at the USATF Cross Country Championships. Along with 17 other runners, she took to the trails on the campus of Lubbock Christian University on Saturday the 11th. The course for the U20 6K run has several tight turns, especially in the first and third miles, but makes up for it with two picturesque loops around a lake.
For Klimek, the views motivated an outstanding run. She finished sixth in the event with a time of 23:13, less than 90 seconds off of first place. The race’s winner, Zariel Macchia, is one of the best runners in the nation at any level. Her victory on Friday made her the first ever U20 female athlete to win consecutive championships at the USATF Cross Country Championships. She’s also the only athlete ever (male or female) to win three championships in the U20 division. Macchia will be taking her formidable talents to BYU in the fall of this year.
The rest of the top six was also littered with luminaries. Runner-up Liliah Gordon was an All-American in the 5K last year, and was also seventh at the Foot Locker Northeast Regionals back in November. She’s also won three consecutive New Jersey state championships. After the two high schoolers, three collegians rounded out the top five. Caitlyn Osanai, the Minnesota first-year who took third, set a new personal best with a time of 21:59. Utah State put a pair of runners in the top five — first-years Jane Williams and Cailey Bracken.
For Klimek, the opportunity to go against the nation’s best should serve her well as she prepares for the upcoming indoor season. And for a Northwestern roster that’s chock-full of upperclassmen, the infusion of youth will be incredibly helpful. Klimek could join Ava Criniti, the redshirt first-year who earned All-Region last November at the NCAA Midwest regional, as the new faces of the Wildcats’ next generation of running sensations.