Clark Ready For Finale As Buff At NCAA Championships

BOULDER — One more time.

For the last five years, Colorado's Erin Clark has made Oregon's Hayward Field — her "home" track while growing up in Eugene — her home away from home as a Buffalo.

This week it is only fitting that Clark will run her last two races as a Buff at Hayward. It is a track that has been good to her.

Clark won a Pac-12 title there, claiming a steeplechase crown in 2015. She competed there in the Olympic Trials in 2016, and last year earned All-American honors in the 10,000 at Hayward, finishing fifth in the NCAA Championships.

Now, she'll lace up her spikes one last time for Mark Wetmore's Buffs to compete in front of a host of family and friends, a fitting end to her standout career at Colorado.

"It's perfect," said Clark, a Eugene native. "I love racing on Hayward. I've been doing it since I was pretty young and it's a special place. Having all my family and friends and supporters who come out to watch me there is an awesome feeling."

Clark will finish her career running one of the most grueling doubles in track and field — a 10,000-meter race on Thursday, followed by a 5,000 on Saturday. It is a double she has completed already twice this year, at the Pac-12 championships and the NCAA West Preliminaries.

"Our coaches call doing the double at conference, regionals and nationals the 'triple-double,'" Clark said with a laugh. "Last year, when I pulled it off it felt really cool. It's exciting, it's a challenge and I'm looking forward to it one more time."

Clark should be among the contenders for a top-eight finish in both races. But no matter what happens this weekend, she will leave a significant mark on the CU record books. A three-time Pac-12 champion, she has also earned six All-America honors in indoor and outdoor track as well as two cross country All-America honors.

"She has been here for five years and contributed significantly in all disciplines in four seasons of every sport (indoor, outdoor and cross country)," Wetmore said. "She is reliable, she is a leader and she has been invaluable. That's what you search for when you are recruiting."

While Clark grew up in Eugene and had a solid high school career there, she was not pursued heavily by the hometown Oregon Ducks. But Wetmore and CU assistant coach Heather Burroughs saw something in Clark that said her best days were still ahead.

"There are some athletes who are not five-star recruits, so to speak, but end up as five-star college athletes," Wetmore said. "Erin was a good high school runner but not a national-level recruit. She came here, continued to get better and better and continued to make bigger contributions, and ended up Erin Clark."

Clark's first race this week will be Thursday evening's 10,000. She will be joined in the race by teammates Makena Morley and Kaitlyn Benner. All three ran times in the recent NCAA West Prelims that broke the school 10K record.

"I like the 10,000 because you have a lot of time to make decisions and relax into it," Clark said. "You can correct a mistake if you make it. Plus, it's a grind. There's something to be said for that. You tell people, 'Yeah, I run the 10K.' Everyone thinks it must be terrible, but I like to be the one who gets to say, 'No, I like it. I thrive on it.'"

Clark admits that coming back to run a 5,000 with just a day's rest is a major challenge. But it's one she embraces — even if it involves a some pain.

"Don't get me wrong, there are times when the pain stinks," she said with a smile. "But on days when you are feeling 'on,' when you are feeling strong, you feel the pain coming and you just know how to handle it. When you execute it correctly and push yourself really hard, you are proud of yourself."

Six Buffs will be running in this week's NCAA Championships, which begin Wednesday and conclude Saturday. Along with the three competitors in the 10,000, Elissa Mann will run the 800 and Valerie Constien will compete in the steeplechase for the women while Zach Perrin will run the 5,000 on the men's side.

For more information including a schedule of events, start lists and live results, click here. The entire meet will either be streamed live or televised by ESPN. Click here for broadcast information.

NCAA Outdoor Championships Schedule (CU Events Only)

Thursday, June 7 (times are Mountain)

5:32 p.m.	W 3k Steeplechase (semis)	Val Constien	ESPN2
6:44 p.m.	W 800 meters (semis)	Elissa Mann	ESPN2
7:38 p.m.	W 10,000 Meters (finals)	Kaitlyn Benner	ESPN2
		Erin Clark
		Makena Morley