Matthew Vassar Open

Overview: I have to say that this meet is one of the most enjoyable nights of the entire track season. It’s a “home meet.” We are surrounded by teammates, friends and local running acquaintances. The weather was nice. The competition was good. And it was a quick-moving, well-run meet. What’s not to like?

Some nice PR efforts as you will see here in the splits below. Also, one name that does not make the results or splits below is Conor Shelley, who did a perfect pacing job for the New Paltz runner in the 1500 (2:07 through 800 meters, exactly as prescribed), and then hung tough to help out Duggan and later Fitz in the 5km. Nicely done!

Here are the results and splits. Thanks to Captain Janzo for helping to record the splits in the longer races.

3000 steeplechase

Colin Johnson: 10:47.75, 2nd place
78, 2:43 (85), 4:08 (85), 5:38 (90), 7:06 (88), 8:36 (90), 10:03 (87), 10:47.75 (44.75)
Coach Pete says: Form was comical to absurd in the early laps, but actually improved as the race went on. Fun to watch, and great to do!

1500 run

Brian Townsend (McCann Harriers): 4:28.70
69, 2:22 (73), 3:36 (74), 4:28.70 (70.70 last 400m)
Coach Pete says: Nice to see you back on the track! Middle laps could have been better, kick was decent. Honestly, I think you left some of the turnover on the track on Wednesday. Just a hunch. Welcome back!!

800 run

Trevor Thomas: 2:03.52
Coach Pete says: Solid race, needed a stronger finish. Opening 400 in 59.54, a little peppy.

5000 run

Pat Duggan: 15:44.82, first place
73, 2:28 (75), 3:41 (73), 4:56 (75)
6:09 (73), 7:24 (75), 8:38 (74), 9:55 (77)
11:13 (78), 12:32 (79), 13:51 (79), 15:09 (78)
15:44.82 (35.82)
Coach Pete says: Strong win, running solo from start to finish.

Ryan Brown: 15:55.31, second place, PR
78, 2:36 (78), 3:50 (74), 5:06 (76)
6:22 (76), 7:39 (77), 8:57 (78), 10:14 (77)
11:32 (78), 12:50 (78), 14:07 (77), 15:21 (74)
15:55.31 (34.31)
Coach Pete says: Another one of those “lie in the weeds and attack late” neg split type PRs for Brownie. Nicely done!

Ryan Fitzsimons: 16:12.85, fourth place
75, 2:29 (74), 3:44 (75), 5:00 (76)
6:18 (78), 7:34 (76), 8:56 (80), 10:14 (78)
11:33 (79), 12:55 (82), 14:15 (80), 15:34 (79)
16:12.85 (38.85)
Coach Pete says: Talk about prophetic. Fitz says before the race: “I want to go out at around 5:00; but I think that will put me in no-man’s land.” He did, and it did! Amazing. Mentally, I think you lost it after that 5:00 and the splits bear that out. You competed well against the NP kid, but overall this was disappointing. Should not take away from what has been a mostly positive year.

Colin Johnson: 16:33.08
78, 2:35 (77), 3:50 (75), 5:06 (76)
6:22 (76), 7:42 (80), 9:04 (82), 10:30 (86)
11:51 (81), 13:15 (84), 14:35 (80), 15:53 (78)
16:33.08 (40.08)
Coach Pete says: Who’s idea was this double, anyway! It was tough and your splits were wildly erratic. So it goes. Tough double but fun night.

10,000-meter run

Curtis Jensen (McCann Harriers): 33:26.95, 1st place
79, 2:41 (82), 4:03 (82), 5:22 (79)
6:42 (80), 8:03 (81), 9:21 (78), 10:40 (79)
11:58 (78), 13:16 (78), 14:34 (78), 15:54 (80)
17:10 (76), 18:27 (77), 19:45 (78), 21:05 (80)
22:27 (82), 23:49 (82), 25:11 (82), 26:35 (84)
27:57 (82), 29:21 (84), 30:46 (85), 32:09 (83)
33:26.95 (77.95)
First 5km: 16:32, second 5km: 16:53.95
Coach Pete says: Curt did a nice job of trying to pace Meegan to a sub-33:00. Fun to see him racing again!

Mike Keegan: 33:33.32, 2nd place
79, 2:41 (82), 4:03 (82), 5:22 (79)
6:42 (80), 8:03 (81), 9:21 (78), 10:40 (79)
11:58 (78), 13:16 (78), 14:34 (78), 15:54 (80)
17:10 (76), 18:27 (77), 19:45 (78), 21:05 (80)
22:27 (82), 23:49 (82), 25:13 (84), 26:35 (82)
27:58 (83), 29:22 (85), 30:47 (85), 32:10 (83)
33:33.32 (83.32)
First 5km: 16:32, second 5km: 17:01.32
Coach Pete says: A 30-second PR and a solid effort. Junior Nationals was a long-shot, as your base was compromised due to winter knee injury. However, your effort here was outstanding and great to see! You kept fighting and hung tough. Would have been nice if you had run .01 slower for 33:33.33, though. Great job, great season.

Will Schanz: 34:19.29, personal best
79, 2:42 (83), 4:04 (82), 5:22 (78)
6:42 (80), 8:03 (81), 9:21 (78), 10:40 (79)
11:59 (79), 13:18 (79), 14:39 (81), 16:01 (82)
17:23 (82), 18:46 (83), 20:08 (82), 21:33 (85)
22:56 (83), 24:20 (84), 25:24 (84), 27:10 (86)
27:37 (87), 30:05 (88), 31:32 (87), 32:57 (85)
34:19.29 (82.29)
First 5km: 16:42; second 5km: 17:27.29
Coach Pete says: Kind of obvious where the wheels came off the wagon. Overall, though, a strong effort. I definitely feel you have potential in this event.

Brendan Green: 36:13.76
84, 2:47 (83), 4:10 (83), 5:34 (84)
7:00 (86), 8:26 (86), 9:48 (82), 11:14 (86)
12:40 (86), 14:07 (87), 15:34 (87), 17:01 (87)
18:31 (90), 19:56 (85), 21:25 (89), 22:54 (89)
24:23 (89), 25:51 (88), 27:20 (89), 28:49 (89)
30:18 (89), 31:47 (89), 32:18 (91), 34:49 (91)
36:13.76 (84.76)
First 5km: 17:48; second 5km: 18:25.76)
Coach Pete says: Early laps were a little quick, but what could you do? You had to run with the NP kid. Otherwise, a solid effort with a few slowish laps in there.

Women’s results

1500-meter run
Becca Denise: 5:04.11, fourth place, huge PR
78, 2:41 (83), 4:05 (84), 5:04.11
Coach Pete says: Wow! Great race, excellent kick. Very exciting stuff.

Allyson O’Brien: 5:11.53
78, 2:40 (82), 4:07 (87), 5:11.53
Coach Pete says: Solid, strong race that kind of went unnoticed in the excitement of Becca’s race. Nicely done.

Kelly Gould: 5:27.56
80, 2:45 (85), 4:16 (91), 5:27.56
Coach Pete says: Solid start, but overall not great, one of those days.

5000-meter run

Addie DiFrancesco (McCann Harriers): 18:37.46, first place

84, 2:53 (89), 4:20 (87), 5:49 (89)
7:18 (89), 8:48 (90), 10:18 (90), 11:48 (90)
13:19 (91), 14:51 (92), 16:22 (91), 17:53 (91)
18:37.46 (44.46)
Coach Pete says: Great to have Addie back on the track!