Kara McKenna
05/14/2006
The first lap gave spectators every reason to believe a competitive race was forming. Then Suffern's Kara McKenna made it look like almost every other race she's in — a solo run.

McKenna took the lead in the 3,200 meters yesterday at the Loucks Games and put the race to bed halfway through. The North Carolina State-bound senior demolished her own Rockland County record, winning in 10 minutes, 36.52 seconds at White Plains High School. Her previous record of 10:51.62 also had come at the Loucks Games, in 2004.

"I was really nervous going into the race," she said. "I knew there were going to be a lot of fast girls, and I've kind of been up and down all season."

But none of that seemed to bother her when she surged to the front and opened a 5-meter lead 500 meters into the race. She ran most of the first lap on the outside of lane 2 and knew she needed to get to the inside. Once McKenna did, she took over.

"I was hoping to put a little gap on the kickers before they started coming," McKenna said.

For her, the weather was perfect — cool with damp air, just the way distance runners like it.

We salute Kara McKenna as BreakThru Athlete of the Week.
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