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COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY: SAYRE'S CLAYPOOL OVERCOMES ADVERSITY TO RUN AT MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY (3 PHOTOS) (2021-06-23)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
SAYRE "” Recent Sayre graduate Carrie Claypool is a profile in courage, having overcome two ACL replacement surgeries to sign a National Letter-of-Intent to run cross country at Division II Mansfield University.

Claypool, who suffered both knee injuries playing basketball, said rehabbing the injuries was difficult, but the mental aspect of the recovery may have been harder to overcome.

"It was really tough mentally for a really long time, but I tried to use that as motivation.

"I went through a time where I wasn't really sure if I wanted to keep running, but after both surgeries I knew I had to keep running," said Claypool

"It made me work a lot harder at it," she added.

Mansfield provides Claypool the opportunity to keep running at a high level, while providing she was wants in a college.

"It's close to home," she said. "And, I already know a lot of the kids on the team. It's a really nice team.

"And, they have my major," added Claypool. "Everything kind of came together."

Claypool acknowledges there is plenty of hard work ahead in preparation to compete at the next level.

"I think I'll do more strength training, and I'll try to get more mileage in - I'll probably go out on a lot more longer runs."

Why does Claypool continue to push herself after two major knee surgeries?

"I just love to run," she said. "I think it's fun to try to pace myself for a period of time, and then try to pass people at the very end. I just think that's fun."

Claypool will major in Geology at Mansfield.

"Hopefully, I can go into the oil industry, or something dealing with natural resources."

"”"”"”"”"”"”

IN PHOTO 1: Sayre's Carrie Claypool in action during the 2020 season. IN PHOTO 2: Sayre's Carrie Claypool, with parents Maureen and Barry Claypool, at her letter signing ceremony in the Sayre High School library. IN PHOTO 3: Front row, from left: Maureen, Carrie, and Barry Claypool. Back row, from left: Sayre High School principal Dayton Handrick, Sayre track & field coach Amy Wheeler, and Sayre athletic director Randy Felt. ... PHOTOS 2-3 PROVIDED.

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