COLUMBIA, Mo. – Senior Kaitlin Cook ran her final collegiate event on Friday morning, capping her career with a new personal record at the NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Championship at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course.
Cook took 16 seconds off of her previous best, running a 22:50.2 to break the 23-minute barrier for the first time. She earned a spot in Bushnell’s top-ten all-time 6000-meter times and produced the fastest 6K for a Beacon in 11 years.
Sitting in 137th after the first 1000 meters, Cook gradually made her move, passing multiple runners as she briefly made her way into the top-100 before finishing 106th in the 327-runner field.
“I am incredibly proud of Kaitlin,” said Head Coach Kyle Will. “She ran amazing today and to set a 16-second PR on a difficult national championship course is a great way to finish her collegiate career.”