Claire Palmer ’25 has literally hit the ground running in her freshman athletic career at Middlebury College. Recently, she has qualified for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in cross country, the only freshman in the nation to do so. Additionally, she broke the school record in the 5k.  

During the two-day Farley Inter Regional Extravaganza, a meet held at Williams College, her showing of 16:36.62 slotted third in the 5,000 and set a program record. Palmer’s 5,000 mark undercut the prior record of 16:36.94.

All this should come as no surprise. At the end of her senior year at KO,  Palmer held the fastest 3,000 time ever recorded across all three divisions of the New England Prep School Track Association (NEPSTA) in 2025’s spring track meets. Palmer broke the 10-minute mark in the 3000m — first at the Founders League Championship and then again at the New England Championships, clocking an astounding 9:49. Even more impressive, she also broke 4:40 in the 1500m, running a 4:31 and setting a new meet record.

David Baker, one of Palmer’s cross-country coaches, who is no stranger to distance running himself, said of Palmer last year, “Her form is exceptional,” he explains. “She has an incredible cadence and stride — she covers so much ground with each step and maintains a steady rhythm over long distances.”Palmer’s ability to hold a consistent pace in both the mile and two-mile events is rare. “Her pacing is nearly identical — she knows how to manage her energy like a seasoned pro,” Baker said, “That’s an elite-level skill.”

Here’s to continued success in Palmer’s track career. And to paraphrase the words of Neil Young, “Long may you run.”