It’s one of the least known events in the track and field program, but one cross country and track student athlete has found a love for it. It’s a 3,000-meter race on the track that consists of 28 barriers, including seven water obstacles. For redshirt-freshman Erin Mercer, it’s a challenge worth taking.
Erin Mercer attended Woodridge High School in Peninsula, Ohio. Former All-American steeplechase competitor Katie Sabino and current Wolfpack track athlete Brian Himelright attended the high school as well. But it was Sabino who inspired Mercer to begin her steeplechase calling.
“At first I was awful,” Mercer said. “But Katie told me it would make me stronger for the 1,500-meter race. It obviously worked out, and I got better workout after workout.”
At one in every four workouts during the track season, Mercer does some sort of hurdle training to help her in the steeplechase. She has All-ACC competitor Kara McKenna to work with her and help her through the drills, which can be difficult and frustrating. Women’s head coach Laurie Henes said she believes McKenna has helped develop Mercer into an outstanding steeplechaser.
“We always tell our steeplechasers that it’s about running fast in the flat events and when you get really fit, it will translate to the steeplechase,” Henes said. “Erin is about the best hurdler we’ve ever had; she has really long legs and great form, which is good when you have to hurdle and jump the water pit.”
This weekend, Mercer competed in her third steeplechase competition at the ACC Outdoor Championship, placing third and earning an All-ACC title. Throughout the entire race she fought to maintain the third position.
“I’m not as experienced since it was only my third steeple, but I really like it, along with the challenge with all the barriers and water jumps,” Mercer said. “This weekend I started the race in third and in the last lap people started to gain on me, but I did not run in third the whole time just to get knocked out.”
A day later in the championships, Mercer competed in her first 5,000-meter race on the track alongside teammate Andie Cozzarelli. Henes told the two athletes not to run for time but to score some points for the team. In the last 300 meters, Mercer sprinted past six runners to cross the finish line at 16:47.41 behind Cozzarelli at 16:40.58. The pair earned the team seven points with their fifth- and sixth-place finishes.
“The races were definitely exciting and better than I thought,” Mercer said. “I hit my goals, but now it has raised the bar higher and I still have regionals and maybe nationals left to compete in.”
Mercer, a science education major, has had to plan a study schedule around the competition in Stanford this weekend. However, according to Henes, she will be racing in the 1,500-meter race instead of the steeplechase.
“We really want her to get her 1,500-meter time down until the end of the season because it will work on her leg speed,” Henes said. “This will hopefully set her up well for regionals and hopefully nationals where she will race in the steeplechase.”
