Heart Runner of the Week latest accomplishment in record-breaking weekend for Rory Bickler

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Returning to competition racing after a week away, Rory Bickler of the Clarke University women's cross country team had potentially the race of her career that led to being named the Heart of America Athletic Conference's Women's Runner of the Week on Monday.

Bickler posted a Clarke University 5K record of 18:41.16 at the Brian T. Simpson Invite in Columbia, Mo. last Saturday as she finished in 11th place individually to lead the Pride to a seventh place finish as a team. 

That record-breaking time was 21 seconds faster than the previous record held by Bickler's former teammate Clarie Ronnebaum that was set in 2021 when Ronnebaum was a senior and Bickler was in her sophomore season.

Saturday's race was the penultimate regular season competition for Clarke cross country as they will run one more time this weekend at the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria, Ill. on Friday, Oct. 13 before their postsason begins at the Heart Championships on Nov. 4.