Mary Cain just keeps running along. Indoor, outdoor, it doesn’t matter, if you put the teen on a track, she’s ready to set a record.
The latest national mark in Cain’s evolving storied career came at the Drake Relays, where she finished sixth in the Invitational 1,500 meters. Cain was the only amateur competing against professionals in one of the nation’s top annual track and field events, but held her own by holding close to the lead pack.
Cain crossed the finish line at 4:10.77, a shade under her previous national scholastic outdoor record of 4:11.01, a mark recorded at the World Championships in Barcelona in July 2012. The Drake event was won by 2012 U.S. Olympian Jenny Simpson with a time of 4:03.35. That was good for a Drake Relays record, proving tangentially that Cain could remain a factor even in one of the fastest races at one of America’s most prestigious events.
None of this is to say that Cain’s feats are coming easily. The junior told the Des Moines Register that the blazing 1,500 meter pace clearly took a lot out of her.
"I really tried to keep up,” Cain told the newspaper. “I think based on my training I can do even better next time ... I felt so tired. They were running so fast."
Feeling tired is ok, particularly when you’re the first-ever 16-year-old to compete in a Drake Invitational event against the pros. For now, Cain is ready to move forward with more spring events to come.
After all, another day means room for another new record. Mary Cain is back on the prowl.
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