If the MVP of the Super Bowl gets a trip to Disney World after the big game, why shouldn't one of Louisiana's top high school distance runners get the same reward after winning a national championship?
That's exactly how Parkview Baptist's Lucy Cramer is celebrating after winning the girls 2,000-meter steeplechase at the Under Armour Nationals on Saturday at IMG Academy in Florida.
Cramer crossed the finish line in 6 minutes, 51.83 seconds, winning the race by more than 18 seconds.
"Going into the race, my goal was to win because that's the goal every time I step on the line in a race," Cramer said. "I stayed relaxed and smooth at the start, but once I realized the pace was a little slower than I expected, I decided to take the lead and just go for a good time."
The conditions made the performance even more impressive.
"The weather wasn't great," Cramer said. "It was pretty hot and humid here in Florida at 3 p.m., and I pretty much had to solo the race, so I'm really happy to be only a second off my PR and come away with the national title."
Cramer's personal record in the event came earlier this year at the Texas Relays, where she ran 6:50.15. That performance ranks No. 5 nationally and No. 3 among junior girls.
"Overall, I'm super grateful for the opportunity God has given me," Cramer said. "At the end of the day, my biggest goal is to glorify Him in everything I do, and I'm thankful I got to do that today."
Cramer's national title is the latest highlight in an outstanding postseason.
Earlier this month, she helped lead Parkview Baptist to its third consecutive LHSAA outdoor track and field championship. Cramer won the 1,600-meter run in 4:57.55 and the 3,200-meter run in 11:22.38 while finishing second in the 800 meters with a time of 2:16.22.
Following the state meet, Cramer ran a personal-best 4:55.15 in the 1,600 meters at the RunningLane Track Championships in Huntsville, Alabama. At the same meet, she also clocked 10:48 in the 3,200 meters.
Only two Louisiana high school girls have run faster than Cramer in the metric mile: Grace Keene, who ran 4:50.30, and Kaitlin Flattman, who posted a 4:54.47 in 2011.
