The final competitive college track season for former Mansfield Lady Tiger Megan Rose has been a good one. Already setting personal records through an abbreviated indoor season and now through the early outdoor season, Rose set a Southeastern Oklahoma State University school record this past weekend on March 25.
At a cold weather affair around the track of Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, Rose ran the race of her life in the women’s 5000m run. In the long distance multi-lap race, Rose pushed the pace harder than before to the tune of a 19:00.93 crossing.
According to the official SEOS athletic website, the record to beat was 19:54.36 set by Lindsay Klasek in 2021. Rose shattered that Bison mark by nearly 54 seconds.
An obviously excited Rose called John Mackey, her former Mansfield High School coach, moments after the deed was done. According to Mackey, his former star pupil was overjoyed.
“She was super excited and started rattling off numbers about 5K and nineteen minutes,” said Mackey. “I had to ask her again what happened. She slowed down a bit and explained she was in Emporia, Kansas and just ran the 5K in 19:00.93.”
Rose’s father, Jeff, confirmed the news via text message before the long distance call between athlete and coach was complete.
“I wanted to let you know Megan just shattered the school record for a 5K in track season,” read the older Rose’s text message. “She ran a 19:00.93 to take second in her heat by less than four thousandths of a second. I didn’t think she could run a sub 19 but she was right on it.”
The runner Rose confessed she was nowhere near that mark a week earlier in Tyler, Texas.
“We ran last week at the UT Tyler Icebreaker Classic,” announced the distance racer. “It was hot. I ran something like a 21 minute 5K. Not so good. It was cold in Kansas, and I love to run in cold weather. It felt really good. So, I just went for it. I was just one second away from running in the eighteen-minute range. I set the school record!”
Rose was scheduled to run the 800m earlier in the night. However, Bison head coach Ron Hair decided to pull her from the shorter race to save energy for the longer 3.1 mile equivalent.
“You know, I used to run four miles each meet back in high school,” reminisced the tough-minded Rose on her days competing with the Lady Tigers. “It’s all good. I’m used to several races but Coach wanted me to sit this one out. It worked out for the best.”
Rose did run the 1500m in Emporia the following afternoon less than 24 hours after her historic 5000m race. That too ended in a solid time for the college senior. Her mark of 5:14.25 for the shorter, faster distance event ranked among her best times.
