(Ceili McCabe MetroNews Talkline interview)
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In recent years, the final WVU student-athlete to compete in an academic year has been Ceili McCabe. And on the biggest stage in track and field, the Vancouver native shined once again Saturday in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
McCabe finished third in the 3000-meter steeplechase race with a time of 9:41.32. That time was McCabe’s best of the season despite 91 degree heat at race time in Austin, Texas.
“We knew it was going to be in a lot hotter temperatures than being in Eugene (Oregon) the last two years, being in Texas this time,” McCabe said on MetroNews Talkline. “We never really focused on time, just on the performance within the race and the different goals that you have within a championship race to race your best.”
McCabe concluded her third outdoor track season with her third All-American honor in the steeplechase. She finished third in the event in 2022 and sixth as a freshman in 2021.
The steeplechase is a unique event. Athletes must clear short, but sturdy hurdles several times throughout the eight-lap event. McCabe says establishing position against the field is important before approaching the hurdles. A water pit must also be cleared.
“If you are fortunate enough to get to the final, I think you are a little bit more prepared to attack the barriers with a group that is also going in with that same mindset. It is one of those things where you have to be aware of your space and also be as aggressive as you can to get into position to have a clear path over the hurdles.
“I think people are pretty good about picking their line. Obviously, there is some contact and you can’t really avoid that especially going into the water jump when people need a lot more space. For the most part, I think it is really just about getting a good position and not second-guessing yourself.”
Like many elite distance runners, McCabe competes year-round throughout the academic year. She has competed in four cross country seasons and three seasons of both indoor and outdoor track. McCabe says having the ability to peak late in the season is a lengthy process.
“Our coach Sean Clearly does a really good job of managing not just the season, but the fact that we have three seasons of cross country and indoor and outdoor track. You’re trying to be as fit as possible by the end of the year.
“This is my fourth year in college so we have kind of set up what works in terms of how I can keep my fitness up and injecting a little bit of speed later on in the season.”