Brammer sets personal best in 5K; Smith competes at JennaStrong XC Fall Classic

WILMINGTON, Ohio -- For the second time in three weeks, Natalie Brammer posted a new personal best for herself -- as the Wheelersburg product followed up her personal best 6K time at Ohio Wesleyan by running a new personal best 5K mark at the JennaStrong Cross Country Fall Classic, which was held in Wilmington, Ohio Friday afternoon.

Brammer, who ran a 22:04.6 to finish 105th in a 200-runner field, put up a time that was nearly 56 full seconds faster than her previous best 5K time of 23:00.5 set at the Thundering Herd Invitational back in August. From 2023 to 2024, Brammer improved on her time by over a minute and a half in the same event.

Joining Brammer in competition was Miranda Smith, who competed in her second official race for the Shawnee State women's cross country program and her first 5K after also competing in the Ohio Wesleyan Invitational 6K alongside Brammer two weekends ago. Smith ran a 24:24.2 to finish 158th overall.

The women's cross country program will be back in action next Saturday when the Bears compete at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge, which will be held at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids, Mich. Race time for the women's meet is set for 11 a.m.