Maddy Cline

Maddy Cline, a Paso Robles High School runner, recently placed fifth at the USA Track and Field National Junior Olympic Championships in the 2,000-meter steeplechase.

Cline, running with Atascadero-based Above the Grade Track Club, medaled with a time of 7:28 at the event, held Tuesday at the championships in Sacramento.

Cline’s time was all the more impressive considering how hard it is for high-schoolers to practice for the steeplechase, since none of the local high schools have track facilities set up for it.

The steeplechase involves five obstacles around the track that are similar to hurdles except that they’re thicker and don’t fall over when hit like a standard hurdle. One of those obstacles comes right before a water pit that is deepest immediately beyond the barrier and slopes to even with the track at the end, rewarding those with a longer jump with a shallower water landing.

“You do hurdle stuff,” Cline said when asked how to prepare for the steeplechase without the proper facility. “Cuesta has a water jump, but it wasn’t open so we didn’t get to use it, but the only practice that me and the other girl that did it had was at the meets that we did. It’s kind of a new thing and something you can’t get the full experience for but we use hurdles and we improvise, I guess.”



For the complete article see the 07-30-2010 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 07-30-2010 paper.