Final thoughts: IC4A 10,000, Joel Moss

IC4A Championships, 137th annual

Friday, May 10, 2013

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

10,000-meter run

18-Joel Moss 31:38.35

74, 2:28 (74), 3:42 (74), 4:53 (71)

6:06 (73), 7:21 (75), 8:36 (75), 9:48 (72)

11:04 (76), 12:20 (76), 13:36 (76), 14:51 (75)

16:07 (76), 17:24 (77), 18:41 (77), 19:58 (77)

21:17 (79), 22:36 (79), 23:53 (77), 25:12 (79)

26:30 (78), 27:48 (78), 29:06 (78), 30:24 (78)

31:38.34 (74.34)

5km split: 15:31

Final comments: A screenwriter could not script a better story than Big Man Moss. Joel was better known as a tuba player in his marching band at B’ville High School than a championship caliber long distance runner. He came to Poughkeepsie, worked hard from Day 1, and kept improving each season and each year. Heck, he even has a verb named after him. When you “Joel” something or you “Joel” a race, you do something extraordinary or you set a major PR. Joel made a career out of “Joel-ing” his races – not to mention his GPA. He is a sub-15:00 5k runner, an IC4A qualifier in the 10,000, a varsity runner on some of the best XC teams in school history, a valued lead-by-example captain. His final race here was a testament to all that is Joel: He did not “Joel” it, but he ran hard and he ran tough, and he finished ahead of a lot of athletes with much more lengthy resumes than his own (look it up, and you’ll see what I mean). Someday, 30 years from now, I will tell stories of that Joel Moss guy who came to Marist unheralded and became one of our best runners ever. If I am fortunate enough to coach another Joel Moss in my lifetime, I will be a happy man indeed.