Chloe Schmidt to race the mile at Penn Relays

One of Rebecca’s athletes at State College High School, Chloe Schmidt, was accepted into the High School Girl’s Mile Championship of America field at The Penn Relays. Chloe finished 8th last year with a time of 5:00.79. Watch Flotrack’s coverage of last year’s race. Chloe will toe the line at Franklin Field on Thursday, April 23rd at 7:00 p.m.

HSG Mile Run-Accepted Entries

ID	Athlete	School
1	Chelsey Sveinsson	Greenhill School
2	Charlene Lipsey	Hempstead High School
3	Jackie Gamboli	North Rockland High School
4	Molly McNamara	Red Bank Catholic High School
5	Rachel Ngu	Syosset High School
6	Paige Johnston	Midlothian High School
7	Brianna Welch	North Shore High School
8	Chloe Schmidt	State College Area High School
9	Natalie Bower	Greater Latrobe High School
10	Kayleigh Perry	Eastern Lebanon County High School
11	Kalyn Fisher	Lewisburg High School
12	Maria Ruiz	Williamstown High School
13	Caitlin Orr	Lenape High School
14	Ariel Karabinus	Osbourn Park High School
15	Chelsea Delaney	Saint John Vianney High School
16	Lindsey Graybill	Emmaus High School

Next Stop Amman, Jordan

Rebecca’s training has gone well leading up to the race. She’s been over in Jordan for 5 days now and seems to be acclimating well. The trip started with an eight hour layover in the JFK International Airport. She took that time to get in a run in the airport parking lot. To me this represents a highlight of the trip. I think this act is emblematic of the dedication Rebecca has to continually improve in the sport. I read an interview with Haile Gebresalasie where he revealed running under similar circumstances. His point was that he always got his runs in “no matter what”. Or as Chuck Noll used to say, “What ever it takes.”

In Jordan, Rebecca has had several runs and drill sessions and a workout. All seemed to have gone according to plan. It hasn’t been all business. The team made a trip to the Dead Sea and road some camels. But, now the race start is in sight and the business of running will be the continued focus for the rest of the trip or at least until the post race shake out run. I know Rebecca will get a huge lift when she puts on that USA uniform.

Even in Jordan, half a world away, Rebecca’s thoughts aren’t far from State College and in particular the State High girl’s track team. It seems the biggest obstacle she’s had to over come with the travel is not jet lag or time change but rather not having a direct view of how her girls have been training this week. The biggest pre-trip stress was laying out the week’s training for the girls. She will be anxious to hear their results from this weekend’s upcoming meet.

Rebecca is running in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan on Saturday. So far the trip has gone well and sounds like a very unique and exciting experience. This marks her first time competing for Team USA at a World Championships. Rebecca takes great pride in representing the USA in international competition. There seems to be few opportunities one has in life to represent their country. It is not lost on Rebecca that there are and have been many others in the same part of the world representing the USA. Regardless of political views, there are sons and daughters of the USA wearing a different kind of uniform and doing so in harm’s way. She has many friends who have gone to Iraq and come home and gone back over again. With the World Championships in Jordan and bordering Iraq, it is impossible not to think of friends, soldiers, and lives who are facing a far greater struggle than that of a foot race. It is not lost on Rebecca that while she and other citizens of the USA will be representing the country in the field of athletics that right next door other citizens of the USA will be representing the country in war. I hope this fact is not lost on USATF. If I had one wish it would be that our old teammate, Jason Cullinane, could somehow go to the race. But, alas he will not see the race or any race until the Army says his work is done in Iraq. Thankfully, many of our other friends are back home and running! Hopefully, soon they will be running with Cullinane.