Drake Relays: Cornell’s Masterson claims second in 10K; ISU women grab third in 4x1600

DES MOINES - Cornell's Abrah Masterson couldn't believe what she just heard.

Rams coach Dan Schofer wanted to put the sophomore into the field for the women's 10,000-meter run - it would be the first 10K of her college career - at the Drake Relays. The Granby, Colo. native's heart dropped.

'I've run a lot of 5Ks and 3Ks, but a 10K was double the distance I had ever run collegiately,” Masterson said. 'So I had an, ‘Okay, let's do this' mentality.”

Masterson found herself in the middle of a crowded group on the blue oval for most of the race, but eventually found enough separation take home a second-place finish in 35:06.85. South Dakota's Kelsey Barrett won in 34:54.06.

Although she didn't know quite what to expect when it came to running a 10K collegiately, Masterson said the tightness of the pack helped pull her through initially.

'The pace felt like what I was expecting it to feel like, but just a really good and honest pace,” Masterson said. 'It felt great to run because running that fast for that long was just an awesome experience.”

The uncertain thoughts swirling in Masterson's head when she was first told she'd run quickly dissipated when she was standing on the infield following the race. She grinned ear-to-ear, wanting to get right back out on the track for another one.

'I'm ready to go again!” Masterson exclaimed. 'Definitely at nationals I want to run it again.”

ISU freshman Abby Caldwell anchored the Cyclones to a third-place finish in the women's 4x1600-meter relay.

The team of Perez Rotich, Evelyne Guay, Katherine DeSimone and Caldwell crossed recorded a run of 19:23.90. Oklahoma State won the event in a Drake Relays record of 18:58.11.

Caldwell overtook runners from Minnesota and South Dakota to secure the third spot in the final 10 meters.

'My coaches were really yelling at me to just dig deeper than I have,” Caldwell said. 'When I saw that girl in front of me, I just knew I had to go after her because I didn't want to have any regrets.”

Oklahoma State's Timauntay Jones, a former CR Jefferson prep and Northern Iowa middle distance runner, placed fifth in the unseeded men's 800-meter run. Jones crossed the line in 1:51.27 while Strymar Livingston of Iowa Western CC won in 1:49.52.