Iowa State's Cailie Logue excited for first international experience

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

The furthest Cailie Logue has ever traveled from home was the time she visited Eugene, Ore., for Nike Elite Camp and a day at the 2016 Olympic Trials. 

Logue, a freshman at Iowa State, is from Erie – a small town in southeast Kansas with a population of 1,091. 

This week, Logue will travel just a little bit further. OK, a lot further. Logue is one of six distance runners representing the United States on the Junior Women's team at the Great Edinburgh XCountry International Challenge at Holyrood Park in Scotland. 

WEBCAST INFO (Note: Junior races won't be shown live but could be shown in a highlight video)

“It’s really cool. It’s kind of like a dream come true in a way,” Logue said. “It’s cool to know that I’ll be able to represent my country and my school and be able to travel overseas. I’ve never gotten to do that before.”

While it’s quite the trek for her first international trip – more than 4,000 miles from Kansas to Scotland – and getting her passport in time was a “a little hectic,” Logue has embraced the unique opportunity. 

“I’m excited to race. I’m excited to see some of the girls I’ve raced before on the USA team and also excited to travel overseas with my coach and have that experience,” she said.

That positive outlook has been a mainstay for the small-town Kansas runner.

This past fall, Logue put together one of the best collegiate cross country seasons by a freshman. She was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, placing fourth in 20:14.9 to lead the Cyclones to a conference crown.

She finished third in 20:13.7, helping Iowa State to the NCAA Midwest Regional team title. At the NCAA Division 1 Championships, she finished 79th (20:33.4) as Iowa State placed 20th as a team. She was the seventh-fastest freshman in the final. 

“I learned a lot from our upperclassmen and it really helped to have three other freshmen competing with me,” Logue said of her first college season. “I learned a lot about being on a really good team and the kind of support you can get through that. It was my favorite cross country season.”

In Scotland, she’ll be surrounded by other great runners, including two-time Foot Locker national champion Claudia Lane of Malibu CA and NXN runner-up Kelsey Chmiel of Saratoga Springs NY. Logue, a Girard High graduate, will have a familiar face in Boise State freshman Emily Venters, who hails from Free State High in Kansas. Venters finished 53rd at the NCAA Division 1 Championships, the third-fastest freshman in the field.

“I just think it’s awesome us two Kansas girls can keep showing Kansas girls what we can do and what we’re made of,” Venters told the Lawrence Journal-World. “It’s exciting to not only get to represent Team USA, but Boise State and Kansas.”

The team will be competing on a 4-kilometer course, going up against some of the top British and European runners. 

This indoor season Logue said she’ll be focusing on the distance medley relay, 1,500 and 3,000 meters. And while this race wasn’t originally on her radar back in the fall, she’s embracing the challenge. 

“I’m planning to just go out and do my best with what fitness and things I have gained throughout cross country season,” Logue said. “I just want to race as best as I can.”