EUGENE, Ore. - Shippensburg junior Neely Spence and current assistant coach Mary Dell will be competing this week at the 2011 United States Outdoor Track & Field Championships (USATF) being held in Eugene, Oregon.

Dell is scheduled to run her preliminary race at 9:55 p.m. EST on Friday night while Spence will run her 5K championship race immediately afterward at 10:20 p.m. If Dell advances to the steeplechase finals, she will run again on Sunday at 4:45 p.m.

Spence and Dell will be providing journals and blogs from Oregon.

Updates will be posted to this page as soon as possible.

Be sure to check back to this page for all the latest news and updates!

Mary Dell.color.49.jpg" alt="" />BLOG #5: MARY DELL [Friday Post-Race Blog]

While I did not run the race I had hoped, I am still grateful for the opportunity to compete at this meet. My biggest regret is feeling like I let my coaches, family, and friends down, although they have assured me that they are in no way upset with me, only for me. Since the race on Thursday, I have enjoyed watching the meet, seeing the town of Eugene, and exploring the local trails. I have learned a lot this trip, and plan to use these lessons in the future. I am very blessed to have many special and inspirational people in my life and hope to follow their example as I continue to run and coach. I am proud to be a part of the Ship family, and I am very excited to watch the team continue to succeed in upcoming seasons. Again, thank you to everyone who has supported me. Have a great summer!


BLOG #4: NEELY SPENCE [Friday Post-Race Blog]

I am sitting on the floor of my hotel room; it is only 6 a.m. here in Eugene, and I have not slept a wink since my race. Adrenaline is a special thing, I only hope it doesn't fail me halfway through the day.

So, the race...big PR of 15:27 for 7th place! WOW. Before the race I had already accomplished all my goals for the season, surpassed many of them actually. Yet, here I was, the only collegiate athlete on the starting line of the senior women's 5,000 meter championships. I thought to myself: “Enjoy every second of this opportunity.”

I had many seconds to enjoy as we waited on the starting line for over five minutes before the race began. And finally, we were off. I settled into the back; found a rhythm; competed; made solid moves; and worked my way up to seventh place in the final two laps.

I was so proud to represent Shippensburg University and my whole team who made this possible. By team, I mean my actual teammates and coaching staff, my family, friends and fans, the support crew of my trainer, physical therapist, strength coach, chiropractor, nutritionist and sports psychologist. Thank you all for the many hours you put into keeping me strong and healthy.

It was a great season that ended with a special event that sets me up well for next year and my goal of becoming a professional athlete. I have a group run to get to in an hour, and a full day of spending time with my Uncle Neil and Trevor, Dillon, Mary Dell, and my family, watching a lot of amazing athletes run fast races :) Then, off to Colorado for the rest of the summer to enjoy the low-humidity and sunshine at the base of the Rocky Mountains.

With all this excitement ahead of me, I am hoping that my six second PR is worth enough adrenaline to get me through my run, the day, and all the excitement of traveling...but we'll see.

See you all back at the SHIP in August.



Mary Dell.color.49.jpg" alt="" />BLOG #3 MARY DELL (Friday; 6.24.11 - Pre-Race Entry)

So far, my trip to Oregon has been wonderful. I have such an appreciation for all of the friends and family who have shown me support and encouraged me throughout this experience. Thank you to everyone!!

I'm very excited to race tonight. It's hard to believe that it's already time for the USA Championships, which at the beginning of the season seemed so far away.

I am also excited to watch Neely race the 5K. I was fortunate to be able to watch her race at Mount Sac in April, and I know that she will thrive off of the great competition at this meet. She has inspired me countless times as a teammate and friend, so I wish her the best of luck!

The difficult part of today will be not letting the anticipation of tonight's events tire me ou. Thanks again to all for your support!

BLOG #2: NEELY SPENCE [Day 1; 6.22.11]

It is not even noon and so much has happened since I awoke at 9 a.m. It is my day off (yes, no running) and as I headed down the stairs to make breakfast, I got a text from Dillon. It read “Tell your dad Ric Sayre passed away. He was the only guy to ever qualify for five Olympic Trials in the marathon.” (More info here)

I was shocked; not just because Ric was an amazing athlete, but because I know first hand that he was an amazing person too. He was a resident here in Ashland, Oregon, and my family and I have spent the past week hanging out with him. He and my dad went on trail runs and reminisced about the good old days; he came to watch my workouts at Southern Oregon University and cheered me on lap after lap. He and his lovely girlfriend, Phyllis, invited us to their house and we had a great afternoon together.

Phyllis is an artist, and my sisters are painters as well, so she spent an hour giving them valuable insight into her profession and passion. They came away highly motivated and inspired. Meanwhile, I watched Ric play basketball with my dad, my 8-year-old brother, Elias, and 5-year-old cousin, Kahlil. Ric had so much fun with the boys and was a good sport when, in a game of two-on-two, the elementary squad dominated the retired pro runners :)

As we were leaving to make the winding drive down the mountain, Ric wished me the best as I prepared the last few days before the race. He told me that he and Phyllis would be making the trip to Eugene and were excited to watch me compete. I was touched; I had just met this man, and yet, he had already given myself and my family so much of his time. He was a true member of the sport.

My dad said he was full of stories and had really seen and done so much in the world of running. It was really neat to see how he inspired my dad; I have been trying to get him to run with me forever, yet, Ric got him out the door twice! Not to mention it was early in the morning and he typically avoids any early commitments, especially on vacation.

These stories are all from my few interactions with Ric, an amazing athlete, person, and friend. I can only imagine how difficult and sad the passing of Ric must be for those who knew him for a long time. I send thoughts and prayers to Phyllis and to Ric's family and friends; may you all be inspired and live the life Ric showed you through his generous and passionate spirit. Though he was in my life so briefly, I feel blessed to have had the chance to make the few memories that I shared. I am struck with the realization of how important it truly is to make the most of every moment; tell the ones you love how much you care; and cherish the present.

(Ric competed in 50 national and international marathons and won 12 of them. He moved to the Ashland area in 1981 to be a part of the health-conscious, outdoorsie, and sports-friendly climate of this alternative West Coast town. He was the staff director at the Ashland Food Co-op where my family ate organic and fresh food nearly every day this week. He was known there for his ability to mediate conflict on tough issues.)

BLOG #1: NEELY SPENCE [Day 1; 6.21.11]

Well, I realize that today was the day for the first blog to be submitted. However, I did nothing running related until 6:30 p.m. Actually, it was very running related, because doing nothing is part of the job. I am resting to build up the energy stores, relax the muscles, and prepare mentally for the race ahead. This morning, the first thing I did was check the entry list on www.usatf.org because the declarations were today. There are 26 women (including myself) in the 5k currently.

I am seeded 16th and feeling really good about this race for several reasons: (1) Many of the athletes are the same women I ran with at Mt. SAC in April, so I know that I belong here and I have the confidence to be on the starting line with them even though there are many Olympians, American record-holders, and national champions. (2) I was seeded 16th at Mt. SAC as well and ended up 10th (one of my goals is to beat my seed). (3) I had a great workout tonight! How could I not have a good workout with my 17 year-old sisters, Reynah and Margeaux acting as my cheerleaders? They had a new chant every time I came around the track. "Her name is Neely, she dates Dillon, when she runs by, she is just chillin." "Her name is Neely, she can't do karate, but she is still our favorite hottie.” I couldn't help but crack a smile every time I passed the back stretch. But seriously, I felt really strong and I have been suffering through a bruise on the bottom of my foot since April, and I hardly noticed it tonight!

Oregon has been great so far. My whole family and I arrived last Tuesday night, and we have been staying with my Aunt Gretchen, Uncle Steve, and five year old cousin Kahlil. They have opened their home to us, and it has been wonderful spending time with them and touring the city of Talent and Ashland which is the area in which they live. The weather has been extremely low humidity with nearly constant sunshine. My first workout was a little rough as I was adjusting to the elevation. Though Ashland is not too high, just over 2,000 feet was enough to keep my breathing labored and my legs slightly heavy. We have a few more days here until we head up to Eugene, or Track Town USA, for the big event!