Mehringer trusting process, shattering records

Rachel Mehringer, a junior majoring in kinesiology from Schnellville, is continuing to smash records for Indiana State's track and field program in the hurdles.

At the Outdoor Music City Challenge last weekend, Mehringer recorded a first-place time of 12.96 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. She holds multiple ISU and Missouri Valley Conference records across multiple different events both indoors and outdoors.

"I think this season has just been lots of trusting the process and doing the hard work in the beginning and just letting it pan out in the end," she said.

Last season, Mehringer started to break records as her potential was being unearthed. She referred back to trusting the process.

"Last year, I was really close to that breakthrough," she told the Tribune-Star. "I kept hitting 13.07s, 13.08s, so it was almost there and I just don't think it was time."

Mehringer said she's a firm believer in God's plan being the right plan.

"I have been so blessed this season," she said. "My whole season outdoors has been so wonderful. I have no complaints."

Regarding help from the staff, Mehringer mentioned the coaches have tried to give her competition in different ways and different ways to run at practice.

"Coach Angie has let me run with the men sometimes," she pointed out. "I do starts with them, so that is really helpful. It's helpful for both sides. We do different speed techniques and strategies, so I think it's all helpful."

Unlike other sports that might be considered more competitive or chippy, Mehringer tries to stay friends with her opponents. She said she enjoys catching up with longtime friends and that they're all in it together.

With the MVC championship outdoor championships on the horizon May 16-17 at the ISU Gibson Complex, Mehringer said she's going to take it as it comes.

"Indoor did not go as I had planned," Mehringer said as she noted she hit a hurdle in one race and finished seventh. "With that being said, everyone has a good day and everyone has bad days."

She said she's going to try her best and run her best against her MVC foes.

"I have no expectations per say," Mehringer insisted.

With how the indoor season went, she explained it really taught her no race is guaranteed even if someone is seeded first, especially in hurdles.

"Anything can happen," Mehringer admitted. "Anyone can hit any hurdle and go down and not come back up. Just try to enjoy the races as they come. Don't take them for granted and enjoy every success even if it's small."

Coach Angie Martin said for Mehringer, it was a lot of learning adaptation her freshman year with Martin learning what works best for Mehringer and Mehringer adapting to Martin's style of coaching.

"She had a really successful freshman year," Martin said. "Last year, we were really consistent in that 13.4, 13.5 range and then dropped at the end of the season."