Central Cambria junior Carly Seymour is the 5th seed in a loaded girls' 3000 field for the 2007 Penn Relays Carnival. But she is just one of many top five PA seeds in the big events which dominate the high school action on Thursday and Friday. In fact, there are eight boys' events and five girls' events where Pennsylvania individuals are among the favorites for a Championship of America (and the Penn Relays watch, of course.). PennTrackXC.com contibutor Kim Jaick Soden caught up with Seymour earlier this week, and says that a new training parnter has helped her prepare for the big stage that is Franklin Field.
Thanks partly to a new training partner,
Carly Seymour is ready for the Penn Relays.
by Kimberly Jaick Soden
Seymour, a junior at Central Cambria, has been gearing up for the high school girls 3,000-meter run by doing speed work with her younger sister, Kelsey, who is primarily a 400 and 800-meter runner.
The elder Seymour is seeded fifth heading into her Penn Relays debut. She said there's not a whole lot of sibling rivalry thanks to the spread of events she and Kelsey focus on.
"The spring's going real well," Carly Seymour said. "She's helping me out with training. The big difference this year is that there's a lot of improvement with speed."
Seymour's new-found speed, coupled with her top-10 performance at the Foot Locker National meet should set her up nicely for a big race this week.
"Foot Locker makes me look at everything differently," she said. "I feel more experienced when I compete against people."
Seymour's fastest 3K to date is 10:08, which she ran indoors, so setting a PR is a big goal of her's. She's hoping that her plan of sticking with No. 1 seed Ashley Higginson of Colts Neck, N.J., will help drive her towards a top time.
"I think being on the national scene for Foot Locker got me to experience a whole new pace," she said. "Penn Relays will really teach me how to run a 3,000 a lot different."
After Penn Relays, Seymour will begin gearing up for the state meet, where she's unsure as to whether she will focus on just the 1,600 or 3,200 or both. How things go will determine her post-states season.
Top seeds notes by Don Rich...
GIRLS: Joining Seymour among event favorites is Ryann Krais, Methacton, in the 400 hurdles, the first high school event kicking off Thursday action. Although Krais is the 7th seed, don't be surprised that she places well above that. Three PA girls are #2, #3 and #5 seeds in the pole vault – Beki Finn, Liberty; Stephanie McDougal, North Penn; and Abbi Schaffer, Easton. Archbishop Ryan's Nohjay Nimpson is the 4th seed in the long jump. Penncrest junior Karen Shump faces off against some great competiton as 2nd seed in the shot put. 2005 Penn Relays javelin champion Elisha Jones of Eisenhower is the 4th seed this year. She was 3rd in 2006. PA all-time best record-holder Karlee McQuillen of Westmont-Hilltop (in PTXC photo from the 4/21 Shippensburg Invitational) is the top seed. In the DMR, Henderson, Radnor and Archbishop Prendergast go against a very deep field. The Small School Girls 4x800 features Saint Basil and Gwynedd-Mercy as top five seeds. There are eight PA teams in the Small School 4x800. In Large School Girls, Downingtown East is the top PA seed of eight in the races.
BOYS: Jason Weller of Boyertown is the top seed in the boys' 3000. The mile will feature 3rd seed Paul Springer of Unionville. The javelin is always PA territory, and this year is no exception. Taking three of the top four seeds are Central Dauphin sophomore Justin Shirk (2nd), Whitehall's Andrew Fahringer, and LaSalle's Brian Moore. In the shot put, Wayne Crawford of Chestnut Hill Academy is the 1st seed. William Tennent's James Pittenger is seeded 3rd in the high jump. Also a 3rd seed is Joe Kovacs of Bethlehem Catholic, competing in the discus. . The 5th seed in the pole vault is Hatboro-Horsham's Joe Berry. Jermaine Lowery of West Catholic is the top PA seed in the 400 hurdles, at 6th. In the DMR. Coatesville and Henderson are the top two PA seeds. They will be joined by Germantown Friends and Upper Dublin. In the Small Schools 4x800, Hershey is the top seed of five PA teams. And in the Large Schools 4x800, perennial 4x800 power North Penn is seeded fourth. There are five additional PA teams in the mix in the Large Schools races.
Pennsylvania: Accepted individuals and relays in the 2007 Penn Relays Carnival