FREDERICK — Few people are capable of being a competitive distance runner and a dynamic athlete in other sports. Frederick’s Makenzie Urban is one of those few.
The Warriors basketball, soccer and cross country star gets the job done on whatever surface she competes. But heading to University of Colorado Colorado Springs for track and field next year, Urban could be taking her multi-sport talents to a new arena.
As versatile as she is, Urban said Frederick track coach Thad Lear approached her with the idea of trying the 3,000-meter steeplechase when she gets to the college ranks. She liked the idea.
“I think it’s exciting because I’ve ever done hurdles or anything,” Urban said. “It’s just a little different than running an 800 or a two-mile. I think it would be fun.”
Urban finished sixth in the 800-meter run and ninth in the 1,600 at last year’s Class 4A state meet. She also took 32nd at the state cross country meet in the fall before averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 steals per game during the winter basketball season.
Urban currently holds the 12th-best 800-meter time (2:25.06) in Class 4A. She said her 800 times aren’t where she wants them to be yet and she hasn’t been able to run the 1,600 and 3,200 because of weather cancellations. She’s currently also running the open 400 because her times are ahead of schedule in the event.
Her experience on the track is undeniable but Lear said he thinks Urban’s experiences off it are what could make her a possible steeplechaser.
“She’s just got a different athleticism,” Lear said. “She’s a soccer player and a basketball player, she likes the contact and she’s super athletic. She’s gone over hurdles in practice and she’s very versatile in terms of her athleticism. The thing about Makenzie is that she’s not like a lot of other distance runners. She hasn’t put all the miles on because she’s done so many other things. I think that will work to her advantage at the next level.”
UCCS women’s head coach David Harmer signed Urban for her multi-sport skills, her work ethic and the way she enjoys competing.
Harmer said the Mountain Lions probably will probably race Urban on the shorter end of the distance events as a freshman and move her up to the longer distance events as she progresses. It hasn’t been decided whether Urban will become a steeplechaser or not. Like all freshmen, the coaches will evaluate Urban during preseason drills.
“She’s tried a number of different events in track so she’s pretty versatile, which lends her to being a good candidate,” Harmer said. “It’s hard to tell with a high schooler how they’ll do in different events. She’s well-suited to run any races from the 1,500 to the 5K. To be a good steepler, you have to have a solid base of cross country under her and we returned basically our entire team that was 10th at nationals last year.”
The steeplechase has gained prominence in the state in recent years as University of Colorado products Jenny Simpson (2008), Emma Coburn (2012) and Shalaya Kipp (2012) all made appearances in the Olympics in the event.
Where some people would see steeplechase as a difficult challange, Lear said Urban seems to see it as something new and fun to try. Although giving the steeplechase a try presents an opportunity to add another bullet point to her wide-reaching athletic resume, running at UCCS also gives Urban the chance to do something old that she has missed for some time.
Whatever events she ends up running, Urban is also excited to join her sister Alexa Urban. An RMAC All-Conference runner in the 800, Alexa Urban will be a senior for the Mountain Lions next year and helped draw her to Colorado Springs.
“I knew it would be my last chance to run with her,” Urban said. “Also, because of that I had already met with her coaches many times and I had a connection with them. I thought it would be an easier place to start since she was already there.”
One of Urban’s goals this season is to break the Frederick school record in the 3,200. She already owns the school marks in the 800 and 1,600, which she took from Alicia Williams last season.
Looking to break track records while also playing forward for the Warriors soccer team, Urban said she owes much of her success to her various coaches’ understanding and nurturing of her priorities and aspirations.
“My coaches are very flexible. My soccer coach realizes I’m going to college for track and that is my priority,” said Urban, who also played volleyball as a freshman and sophomore at Frederick. “I play club with all of the girls so I’m still on the same page with them.”
Whether it’s basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross country or track and field, Urban has done it all at the prep level, and there’s little reason to believe her record of success won’t continue in college — no matter what races she runs.
Follow Brad on Twitter: @BradCochi
