How UWEC Track and Field struck down another division three record

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - A division three national record was broken and now belongs to a UW-Eau Claire Blugold. Senior heptathlete, Megan Wallace marked personal bests in multiple events last weekend dissolving the current record, of nearly 30 years, by four points.

For Megan Wallace, it’s all about routine.

“Every morning I eat the same thing for breakfast a peanut butter bagel with a banana and honey and I eat the same thing for lunch a nice sandwich,” Wallace said.

So, nothing was different for her the morning of April 16th, as she prepared for the team’s second meet of the outdoor season.

“I did the same warmup and continued to have that mindset of winning.”

After day one, Wallace had a feeling she was having a good meet. Even though she avoids looking at the scores until it’s all said and done

“I knew that I was sitting pretty well because I had already hit 4 PRs so I knew I was doing well already,” Wallace says.

Then, onto day two. Mid-meet Wallace started to realize just how well she was doing.

“My adrenaline was rushing very high after that I was at high jump and had to slow down for a bit I could feel my heart racing through my chest, I had to take a few deep breaths and continue living in the moment ... I ended with three PRs on the day I knew I had definitely gotten a school record,” she said.

Still, she had no clue how huge her performance had been until after finishing all seven events.

“When I first crossed the finish line for the 800 I looked up and saw my time and I couldn’t believe the time I had just ran and then when they announced the national record it brought tears to my eyes,” says Wallace.

Coach Chip Schneider says Wallace isn’t the only one who shed a few tears. “She was like ‘where have you been?’ And I was like well I was out crying. To me it’s very emotional because I know how special of a moment that is,” Schneider says.

Wallace told WEAU, “Never thought I would be this close and have the chance of breaking it like I did.”

Not naturally confident is how coach explains Wallace, which is what brings her to the track early and leaves her as one of the last in the weight room. But he hopes this new title she holds, may provide an extra boost once conference championships and nationals begin in May.

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