So when the senior started the spring season by breaking the meet record for the 2000 steeplechase at the Texas Relays, in Austin, it was just another accolade notched in her belt.
Her time of 6:59.02 crushed the previous record of 7:28.02.
“That was about what I was hoping to run for my first race this season,” Hollowood said. “We’re definitely headed in the right direction. We’re pretty excited about that. It’s a good start to a long season.”
Steeplechase is the event she enjoys the most because of its challenges and barriers that provide something different. Also competing in events including the 1500, 3000 and 4x800 relay, Hollowood didn’t participate in her bread-and-butter until her sophomore season.
When it comes to competing in the steeplechase, Saratoga Springs track and field coach Art Kranick has been her biggest influence. The same goes for Hollowood’s running career in general.
When Hollowood was in sixth grade, she was in Art’s gym class.
“After running the mile in gym class and just being around him a lot, he just convinced me that maybe I should give [running] a shot,” Hollowood said. “My parents wanted me to do it to, but Mr. Kranick was definitely the biggest influence on why I started.”
It was during that year that both Art and his wife, Linda Kranick, who has coached the team with him since 1985, noticed Hollowood’s potential and personality.
“[Art] used to say, ‘You know, I’m having a really tough day and then Keelin and her friend come in the gym and it’s like sunshine comes in the gym,’” said Linda, in reference to her husband when he first started teaching Hollowood. “You have to be in a good mood when she’s there. She’s got a great personality, she’s very outgoing, she has a great sense of humor and she’s a team leader. She helps out with everything.”
After becoming a member of the team in seventh grade, the rest snowballed, starting with making the varsity team as an eighth grader.
“Definitely once we started racing in that fall of seventh grade, it just kept getting more and more exciting,” Hollowood said. “It takes some getting used to because it’s like a whole different lifestyle, but once you get the hang of it, there’s no leaving.”
Hollowood has been all over the country through her success in both track and cross country. She has gone to Florida, where she was part of the 4x1 mile relay team that set the meet record, and she has been to Oregon five times for the annual national cross-country meet.
Hollowood is one of five steeplechase national champions from Saratoga Springs, joining Jamie Sweeney, Greg Kelsey, Lindsey Ferguson and Hannah Davidson. Competing in the first ever New York indoor steeplechase event last winter, she also now holds that state record.
The Blue Streaks, now back from Austin, got the regular season underway at Ballston Spa Wednesday, April 10, but the meet had to be postponed to a later time because of rain showers and lightning.
Starting her final season of her illustrious high school career is something Hollowood said is “hard to believe.”
“It still hasn’t really hit me yet, but I’m just trying to make the last one the best one,” she said.
Hollowood will be going to Providence College (R.I.) to continue her running career under Friars head coach Ray Treacy.
