Weather conditions posed numerous obstacles for track and field athletes during the final day of the Drake Relays.

But for one ISU athlete on the women’s team, the cold and rain fueled the best 3,000-meter steeplechase performance in school history.

Less than a month ago, junior Colleen Riley watched freshman Abby Caldwell break the school record she set at least year’s Drake Relays. On Saturday, Riley regained the top spot in the ISU record books at a location and in conditions she’s familiar with. 

“I love Abby, and honestly she’s like my little baby in steeple because she’s a freshman, so grooming her [and] hoping in the later years she takes [my record] down,” Riley said. 

Riley ran with patience throughout the first half of the race and then picked her spots to advance during the second portion. 

“I was just looking really to run my own race today,” Riley said. “What came of it, came of it. I think the conditions helped — they played to my strengths at least. I like crappy weather like this. It throws everyone else off a little bit and us training in Iowa, we’re used to this. This is what you get all the time.”

The chase for the school record between Riley and Caldwell has begun.

“It means a lot [to have the school record],” Riley said. “It just keeps setting the bar, so next weekend when Abby goes out there she has something to shoot for.”

In field events, freshman Jhoanmy Luque and redshirt senior Anna Holtermann notched top-10 performances in the triple jump and weight throw, respectively. Redshirt senior Kayla Sanborn joined Holtermann in the weight throw competition, finishing 19th overall.

The Cyclones competed in the sprint medley relay and distance medley relay for the first time this outdoor season. The sprint medley relay finished 24th overall, while the distance medley relay finished eighth among a field of 16 teams.

For sophomore Maryn Lowry, the sprint medley relay marked her official Drake Relays debut. Lowry ran the third leg of the race for Iowa State.  

“It was really cool walking out onto the track with the team,” Lowry said. “Just being in the stadium is really cool because I’ve always been in the stands, but it’s totally different being on the track.”

Junior Perez Rotich concluded the eventful day of action for the Cyclones in the 1,500-meter run. Rotich finished fourth in the event with a time of 4:26.22.

The only meets that remain in the way of Iowa State and the Big 12 Outdoor Championship are the Payton Jordan Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. and Musco Twilight in Iowa City. The two meets will both take place May 2.