Claire Magee’s secret sauce to success in track and field isn’t actually a secret – it’s a family recipe.
The Paul VI High School senior holds several school records in the 200- and 400-meter runs. Her hard work and dedication to the sport are the main reasons for an outstanding career. But she also credits her parents for the inspiration and a big carb-loaded meal the night before every race.
“My mom makes the meatballs. I have no idea how she does them, but they are really good,” Magee said with a laugh. “I actually also wrote my college essay on it. It talks about the rituals of eating spaghetti and meatballs before a race, and I somehow related it to business. It’s a weird mix of things, but it worked out pretty well.”
It earned her a spot on the track team next year at the University of Delaware, where she will study business. It’s a much different direction than Magee envisioned even just a few years ago when she was playing soccer through grade school and the beginning of high school. She hadn’t even considered track and field until her parents – who both ran track at Paul VI – suggested she try competitive running.
“I played soccer for 13 years, but my freshman year, my parents said, ‘Go try out for track.’ So I did,” Magee said. “They said I was fast in soccer, so they were sure I’d be good at track. But I don’t think they realized I’d eventually have this much success.”
It came almost instantaneously. As a freshman, Magee became the first Paul VI girl to win the 400 at the Olympic Conference Championships, and she qualified for the Meet of Champions that year. The gravity of the situation hadn’t quite sunk in just yet.
“I thought it was just another meet,” said Magee, who continued playing soccer through her sophomore year. “But my sophomore outdoor year is when it sort of clicked for me.”
That’s when Magee ran 56.59 to break the school record set by Aliya Rae Garozzo, who went on to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Last year, Magee toppled her own record by running 56.11 at the Non-Public A state championships and then bettered it by nearly a half second (55.69) at the Meet of Champions.
“I feel like it’s the perfect distance where it’s a sprint but it’s also endurance-based,” Magee said of running the 400. “I like how I have time to think about the 400 and there’s some strategy to it.”
Although Magee says the 400 is still her favorite event, the 200 has been creeping into the conversation. Her natural speed and powerful kick have made her the perfect candidate to excel in sprints. In April, Magee ran a 25.12 at the Moorestown Invitational to break another one of Garozzo’s school records.
“I’ve been doing a lot more speed training in practice, so that made me want to run the 200 more,” she said. “I’ve been doing a lot of 100 reps in practice, and I think that helped me get my 200 time down.”
Off the track, Magee is on the board of the Morgan’s Message chapter at Paul VI, which aims to eliminate stigma surrounding mental health struggles among student-athletes and encourage open conversations.
“I think mental health is really important, especially when athletes put too much pressure on themselves,” Magee said. “Sports are supposed to be fun. I just try to help with that. I didn’t struggle with it personally, but I think it’s important to be happy with yourself before you go out and run for your team and compete in a team sport. Being a part of the board is helpful because I can help someone get through something or help them cheer up and be there for them.”
Magee says support is the main ingredient of her success. Although the tomato, garlic and basil in the spaghetti sauce get the juices flowing, the push from the crowd is what fuels her to the finish line.
“My parents are really great support,” Magee said. “They are always at the meets and wishing the best for me.”
Magee also receives a boost from her teammates – and she likes to return the favor. “During my races, I hear my teammates cheering for me, and I always cheer for them. We have a special team where we’re actually happy for each other’s successes.”
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