This past Friday night, at the historic Mt. Sac Relays, Shippensburg University's Neely Spence gave a fittingly historic performance.  The junior from Ship set a blazing new Division II record of 15:33 in the Mt. Sac 5k, beating numerous Division I and professional runners, including friend Jordan Hasay of Oregon, multiple-time DI All-American Katie Follett, and many others.  Neely is coached by her father, Steve Spence, a World Championship medalist in the marathon (1991).  

I talked to Neely about her latest accomplishment, as well as what it means to represent Shippensburg and run Division II.



Q : Talk a little bit about your 5k at Mt. Sac. Did you have a specific time goal going in? What did you think you were capable of beforehand?

A : I saw this race as an opportunity. I have not had the chance to to run in such a competitive field ever, so this race was exciting and something that has been a long time coming. I set a goal of 15:48 for the season. But, having never broken 16:00 before, I made several goals before this race. 1) Break the 16 minute barrier. 2) Run the USA 'B' standard of 15:50. 3) Run 15:48 (the HS national record by Emily Sisson). 4) Run the USA 'A' standard of 15:46. I guess I met all my goals lol. I certainly surprised myself, and I think it surprised a lot of other people too. My dad (coach Steve Spence), who usually makes accurate predictions, was surprised. He had guessed 15:45.

Q : I know you are friends with Jordan Hasay of Oregon, who you were able to beat at Mt. Sac (Hasay ran a PR of 15:37). Was beating a big name like Hasay a motivator for you, particularly midway through the race, or were you simply racing the clock?

A : I honestly just ran my own race. It was actually reassuring to have Jordan there with me. Before the start we talked and it helped calm me down because here I was on the starting line with Olympians, American record holders, and the athletes that I see on the cover of magazines! Having a friend there was really nice. We ran very different races, and we both were successful. Neither of us had broken 16:00 before, so we were running in foreign territory. I was not trying to race her, and I think she would say the same about me. We both were just there to meet our own goals and to take advantage of the opportunity we had to compete with stellar athletes.

Q : When you line up in these big races against Division I and professional competition, do you ever feel a sense of obligation or pressure that you are representing all of Division II?

A : That's a great question. Actually, the whole division thing is something I try to avoid. I feel like people get so wrapped up in divisions, when in reality, the most important thing is that the athlete makes the choice that is best for them. For me, this was staying with my dad at a D2 school. I am happy, and honestly, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! In terms of pressure, I am proud to say that I represented my school well and it was great to have the chance to be nationally competitive. This race is exactly what I needed to move me towards my future goals, and being able to compete with the best was exciting.



Q : Your previous best was 16:13 (last year at Penn Relays). What can you attribute this huge leap to, and do you feel you can run even faster?

A : I ran 16:01 at New Balance in February, and with my 16:28 from indoor nationals and the altitude adjustments making it about the same, I knew I was ready to break this barrier. I don't think it was as huge of a jump as it seemed. I have been ready to run fast, but just haven't had the right race for it to happen. Most of the 5k's in my career have been huge negative splits with my last mile being sub 5. I needed an evenly paced race, and one where I wasn't alone. So having perfect weather, great competition, and weeks of really solid training certainly helped me meet and surpass my goals.

Q : Fellow DII runner Monica Kinney of Grand Valley was in the next heat at Mt. Sac and ran 15:46, another huge performance. She just nipped you indoors in the 5, and it looks like you two have started to build quite the fun rivalry. What are your thoughts about having another runner tearing up the track, and how do you see the Nationals race playing out?

A : I really wish Monica would have been in my race. It would have been exciting to have a fellow D2 runner out there, and I think she would have run even faster. (Her performance was impressive and it certainly showed she belonged in the fast heat). She had an incredible indoor national meet. I was very impressed with her ability to recover at altitude. I think that the higher the level of competition, the more people step up and perform. So having Monica, Sarah Porter, and Kristen McGlynn perform so well in indoors and at Mt. SAC is a positive thing for D2 and raises the bar for our division and more specifically in our conferences.

Q : Talk a little bit about your decision to go Division II. A lot of young runners with your success at the prep level assume that Division I is the necessary choice. What made you choose Shippensburg, and how has that decision helped your career?

A : I looked at a lot of schools. Some people think I just took the easy route, but honestly, I tried to picture myself at one of the big schools in the high-ranked programs, and just couldn't see myself being happy. Something that was really important to me when I made my decision was having a college career that propelled me towards my future goals and aspirations of becoming a professional athlete. I did not want to go somewhere and have running become a stress and lose my passion. Whether Shippensburg was D1,D2, or D3, I would have chosen it, no matter what. I am happy here; I like my major; I like the school; I like the team; and of course, I like the coach. Having my dad coach me has been something really special. I trust him, and with all his experience as a local high school runner, a former Shippensburg collegiate, and a professional athlete, I know that he has wisdom and will guide me in the direction of my dreams. If anything, he holds me back. I think this is special because he realizes how important it is to keep my passion and motivation high so that I can make gains toward the next level. He definitely takes the long-term approach, which has been great for my development and has had me setting new PRs every year!



Q : So what is your next race? Are you headed to Penn Relays? What will you run and what are your goals?

A : I am running a 3k at Penn Relays just for fun. One can never rely on PA weather (especially this spring) to be conducive to optimal performances. However, a nice PR would be great. I actually tied my PR of 9:21 during the first part of the 5k at Mt. SAC, so I think a PR is certainly a realistic goal :)

Q : With your steady progression and improvement the past several years, do you start to think about the possibility of making the Olympic team next year, or trying to attain a sponsorship? Or is that too far in the future?

A : I have set a goal of qualifying for the Olympic trials. This has been a dream of mine for quite a while, and it is exciting to see that it has become a possibility. American distance running has blossomed in the past few years, and this is really exciting for me to be in the mix of it all. I am also realistic, and see that there are many American women who have worked very hard and are primed to represent the US. So my goal is to make it to the trials and have a really great experience that will set me up well for future competitions. I am definitely looking to get a sponsorship and have the chance to turn my passion into a career.

Q : Finally ... what advice can you give young female runners to help them achieve some of the successes that you have? Is there any secret to your success?

A : Two years ago, my family was the main story and cover page for Running Times. On the front was “The Spence Secret”. In my mind, the “secret” to success is being positive and enjoying what you do. I think running is like life : a long journey with many adventures. You just have to embrace the challenge, be patient, and find the balance.



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Good luck to Neely at Penn Relays next week and the best of luck to her the rest of the year!