Oct. 20, 2007
SAN MARCOS, Calif. - San Diego State received a personal-best effort from sophomore Lindsay Barajas and an Aztec career-best performance from junior Kristin Glen at the Cougar 5K Challenge on the campus of Cal State San Marcos Saturday morning. The meet was the final one for the Aztecs before playing host to the Mountain West Conference Championships next Saturday, Oct. 27, at Mission Bay.
Barajas posted her top individual finish ever as she came in 15th place with a personal-record time of 19 minutes, 8 seconds. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native put forth her best performance of the year as she eclipsed her previous PR time of 19:40.50 accomplished earlier this season at the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 29.
Glen, who finished in 16th place, recorded a time of 19:13.00 to top her previous 5K Aztec personal record by three seconds. Her effort comes one week after she notched a then-SDSU personal-best time of 19:16.00 at the 5K Bronco Invitational in Sunnyvale, Calif.
In all, San Diego State placed five Aztecs in the top 30 and all eight athletes in the top 43. Those who finished among the race's 30 fastest runners, in addition to Barajas and Glen, were Sara Cunningham (23rd, 19:46.00), Michelle Martinez (29th, 20:05.00) and Elizabeth Leonard (30th, 20:05.00).
Freshmen Sara Beyers, Andrea Norton and Lindsey Deane were the final three Aztecs to finish in the top 43. Beyers crossed the finish line in 20:14.00 (32nd) with Norton checking in right behind her in 33rd place (20:20.00). Deane completed the course in 21:42.00 (43rd), just .10 seconds short of tying her personal record of 21:41.90 set at the UCR Invite.
Overall, seven of the eight SDSU athletes notched their best individual 5K finishes of their Aztec careers. Deane, who finished in 39th place at the Aztec Invitational, was the eighth, but eclipsed her Aztec Invite time by nearly 40 seconds.
The meet in north San Diego County did not feature team scoring.
San Diego State returns to action next Saturday, Oct. 27, as it welcomes all nine MWC women's programs and six men's teams to Mission Bay for the MWC Championships. The men are set to get their 8K championship underway at 10 a.m. PT, while the women will take center stage with a 6K run at 11 a.m.
Cougar 5K Challenge
Cal State San Marcos; San Marcos, Calif.
San Diego State Individual Results
15. Lindsay Barajas - 19:08.00
16. Kristin Glen - 19:13.00
23. Sara Cunningham - 19:46.00
29. Michelle Martinez - 20:05.00
30. Elizabeth Leonard - 20:05.00
32. Sara Beyers - 20:14.00
33. Andrea Norton - 20:20.00
43. Lindsey Deane - 21:42.00