Lisa Koll Uhl Ovecomes Shoe to Make Olympics

To make the U.S. Olympic team, former Iowa State star Lisa Uhl had to become her own NASCAR pit crew.

Uhl's shoe came untied a mile into the women's 10,000-meter run Friday at the Olympic Trials.

The Fort Dodge native was forced to stop at the side of the track to re-tie the shoe — losing 50 to 75 meters on the field — and fraying nerves at rain-soaked Hayward Field.

Uhl amazingly recovered to finish fourth and became just the second Cyclone woman from the U.S. to make an Olympic team.

"It was a scary way to do it," Uhl said after finishing in 32 minutes, 3.46 seconds. "The first mile of the race, my shoe came untied. I had to stop and tie it.

"That's an ugly, ugly way to make the Olympic team. I think I lost years off my life tonight."

The race was won by Amy Hastings in 31.58.36.

Iowa State's Meaghan Nelson ended up 12th, in 32.32.45.

The top three finishers typically make the U.S. team.

Uhl's MacGyver move helped her make the field, because runner-up Natosha Rogers hadn't ran the minimum required time this year — known as the "A" standard.

That means Uhl's No.4 spot was a ticket to London.

Another benefit: Training partner Shalane Flanagan, the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon champ who finished third, is expected to solely compete in that event at this Olympics, which opens another spot.

"It ... is ... unbelievable," said Uhl, relishing each word, of becoming an Olympian. "It's crazy. Growing up, I never, ever thought I'd be an Olympian. That doesn't seem real. That's what crazy-famous people do."

The shoe drama wasn't over after four laps.

Uhl's uncooperative right shoe came untied again with six of 24 laps remaining.

"I didn't have time to stop," she said. "I thought, 'I'm going to have to run the last six laps with one shoe.' I was freaking out."

But Uhl fought the urge — and Flanagan moved to the front of the pack to intentionally slow the field — as Iowa's newest Olympian charged back in front of 20,936 fans.

One of those fans was Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard, who marveled at Uhl's Olympic run.

"It's a great story. Small-town Iowa, tremendous student, elite athlete," Pollard said. "And you sit back at Iowa State and say, 'She's one of ours. She's our own.'"

The last American woman from Iowa State to make the Olympics was Suzanne Youngberg, who finished 58th in the 1996 marathon. Youngberg competed for England, however, after marrying a Cyclone teammate from that country.

That left Uhl — shoe or no shoe — as the first Iowa State woman to make the American team.

"This is surreal," she said.