As she lined up to compete in the 1,000-meter at the University of Pennsylvania’s Quaker Invitational on Jan. 18, junior track and field athlete Abby Klebe noticed the race was packed with talented runners.
She decided then to use the fierce competition to her advantage by sticking with the pack, as she had a goal to achieve — breaking her own previous record.
Two years prior, her first time running the 1,000-meter, Klebe set the Lehigh record of 2:51:00.
“I’ve run it probably five more times since, and I just couldn’t get any faster than the first time,” Klebe said. “It was starting to get frustrating that I couldn’t get any better.”
Crossing the finish line at 2:49.22 at the Invitational, Klebe achieved her goal.
The following weekend, on Jan. 24, she did it once more by breaking her previous school record in the 800-meter dash.
Her wins continued when she was named Patriot League Women’s Track Athlete of the Week on Jan. 28. She also leads the Patriot League in the 800-meter dash and is ranked 16th nationally in Division I.
Debbie Utesch, the assistant track and field coach who specializes in distance, said Klebe is good at using external tools to succeed during races.
“If there’s a video screen, she uses her eyes to look up and see what’s the competition doing behind, and uses that to help gauge when she has to move,” Utesch said.
Beyond her in-race strategies, Utesch said Klebe’s composure is an asset to her success and helps her appear confident to her competitors.
“Everybody’s anxious when they’re going to step on the starting line to race,” Utesch said. “She’s no exception, but she really has a poker face. She doesn’t really have a tell.”
Utesch also said Klebe is a consistent, competitive performer she can always rely on.
Klebe recognizes her nerves but combats them with self-talk. She said she focuses on calming herself down instead of what’s going on around her when going into a race.
“I think that the poised look comes from just trying to talk myself into having a more confident race,” Klebe said.
Klebe said it felt like a curse had been lifted when she finally broke her 1,000-meter record after two years. The following weekend, when she competed in the 800-meter, was only further proof the curse was gone.
Once again, Klebe gave credit to the high-level competition she faced in the 800-meter to help push her limits.
“I knew I was fit enough to run a decent time,” Klebe said. “I had some fast women and some pros in my heat, and so I knew that it was gonna be a really fast race.”
This was Klebe’s first time running this event since the Patriot League Outdoor Championship in May 2024, and she said her results surprised her.
Senior track and field athlete Svea Wickelgren said the team simulates races during practices. Throughout these simulated workouts, the team holds a healthy mindset and has a great time together, she said.
“I feel like we just work together,” Wickelgren said. “We’re there to push each other, but I think it’s a healthy competition. It’s definitely a good dynamic within our team.”
Klebe said she attributes her success to her teammates pushing her during practice, and she’s thankful for her team and coaching staff who have helped her achieve her goals and cheered her on.
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