As stated in previous post, Conor had a superb marathon over there. And then he got to hook up with Kyle after the race, as you can see in this photo. Truly amazing stuff.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Fancy meeting YOU here! Conor and Kyle in Dublin
As stated in previous post, Conor had a superb marathon over there. And then he got to hook up with Kyle after the race, as you can see in this photo. Truly amazing stuff.
Track team at Halloween
Sandy, a year later
In the time flies department: Today is the one-year anniversary of SuperStorm Sandy, something that is still part of our daily vernacular and something that will be discussed and referred to for the rest of our lives. It was THAT impactful on this region.
In the tiny world of Marist Running, Sandy had an odd impact. In the mid-Hudson Valley, the storm brushed us with heavy winds and little else; that day, we actually got workouts in at North Field with little or no difficulty. Meanwhile, a big portion of our cross country team was stranded in Florida. At Disney. In the sun. In the grand scheme of things, other than the stress of missed class time and a 24-hour bus trip home, this was a minor inconvenience at best.
Much of the rest of the Marist Running family was impacted greatly by this storm. We are a regional team. So many of our brothers and sisters live and have family along coastal Long Island, Staten Island and New Jersey. All were ravaged beyond belief by this natural disaster of epic proportions. It even had an impact on our Future Foxes, recruits that we were pursuing at the time -- many of whom are on our current team. Many of our families still feel the impact of that storm.
And then there was the cancellation of the 2012 NYC Marathon. That impacted many members of the Marist Running family as well. But again, there were much greater issues than the running of a 26.2-mile footrace. Sunday is the 2013 NYC Marathon. With the memories of last year's Sandy cancellation, coupled with the freshness of the Boston Marathon terror attack, the marathon should be filled with emotion and maybe even a little tension. Several of our cherished alums are running Sunday's race. We will be tracking them eagerly.
In the meantime, take a moment today to pause and remember the devastation of last year's storm.
In the tiny world of Marist Running, Sandy had an odd impact. In the mid-Hudson Valley, the storm brushed us with heavy winds and little else; that day, we actually got workouts in at North Field with little or no difficulty. Meanwhile, a big portion of our cross country team was stranded in Florida. At Disney. In the sun. In the grand scheme of things, other than the stress of missed class time and a 24-hour bus trip home, this was a minor inconvenience at best.
Much of the rest of the Marist Running family was impacted greatly by this storm. We are a regional team. So many of our brothers and sisters live and have family along coastal Long Island, Staten Island and New Jersey. All were ravaged beyond belief by this natural disaster of epic proportions. It even had an impact on our Future Foxes, recruits that we were pursuing at the time -- many of whom are on our current team. Many of our families still feel the impact of that storm.
And then there was the cancellation of the 2012 NYC Marathon. That impacted many members of the Marist Running family as well. But again, there were much greater issues than the running of a 26.2-mile footrace. Sunday is the 2013 NYC Marathon. With the memories of last year's Sandy cancellation, coupled with the freshness of the Boston Marathon terror attack, the marathon should be filled with emotion and maybe even a little tension. Several of our cherished alums are running Sunday's race. We will be tracking them eagerly.
In the meantime, take a moment today to pause and remember the devastation of last year's storm.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Conor Shelley has strong marathon debut in Dublin!
Congrats to Marist Running Alum Conor Shelley for his wonderful marathon debut today (yes, Monday!) at the Dublin Marathon in Ireland. Conor ran a smart, even and fast race over there, finishing with a time of 2:31:28. His splits were as follows:
10km: 36:14
Half marathon: 1:15:27
30km: 1:54:16
Marathon: 2:31:28
His half splits were fantastic: 1:15:27 and 1:16:01
Excellent debut at the distance!
Congrats also to Conor's girlfriend, Marist alum Laura Furlong, who finished the race in 3:57:45, achieving her pre-race goal of sub-4:00.
10km: 36:14
Half marathon: 1:15:27
30km: 1:54:16
Marathon: 2:31:28
His half splits were fantastic: 1:15:27 and 1:16:01
Excellent debut at the distance!
Congrats also to Conor's girlfriend, Marist alum Laura Furlong, who finished the race in 3:57:45, achieving her pre-race goal of sub-4:00.
MAAC tailgate at Van Cortlandt Park
For those parents, family and friends who would like to contribute to the MAAC tailgate, please contact Kathy Gould at kathygould@optonline.net. Thanks to all in advance for your support throughout the season, and hope to see you at the park. Reminder: Women race at noon; men race at 12:45 p.m.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Sport of kings
A local high school cross country coach once told me he felt cross
country was the "Sport of Kings." I was never quite sure what he meant
by that. But that old codger of a coach was there on Friday, coaching his team as usual at the
Mid-Hudson Athletic League Championships at Mills Mansion in Staatsburg.
With a little juggling of my own practice schedule, I was there too --
as a dad. My son Joey is a freshman on the FD Roosevelt team. They are a
young, up-and-coming team. The varsity boys finished fourth in the
meet. Joey did not make the cut for the varsity race, but he did run the
non-varsity race and did well, as did his team. He broke 20:00 for the
first time on his challenging home course, and if there were team
scoring in his race they would have won easily. So, in theory, the
future is bright for the Presidents.The atmosphere surrounding high school cross country in general -- and the MHAL meet specifically -- is truly special. Add to that a classic, mid-Hudson Valley fall day with cool temperatures, cloudy skies and leaves falling from brightly colored trees, and I'm starting to get the "sport of kings" thing.
Thanks to the multi-talented Jim Sheahan for sharing the above photo of Joey powering his way to the uphill finish. Jim is an excellent writer, photographer and editor; was my former editor at the Poughkeepsie Journal before the economic downturn eliminated his position. He was perhaps the nicest and easiest boss I ever had the pleasure of working for and with. He is now works at Bard College in athletic communications, and his son is a modified runner at Red Hook. The other photo is one that Joey took; he and his non-varsity teammates etched their team name into the sand at the beach along the Hudson River at Mills as a show of team support and unity. Sport of kings indeed.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Halloween, Marist Running style
Last note: You may notice a big of Abe Lincoln-esque scruff on Edsall (or, Pretzel, as he is known by his XC brothers). That's right. It's MAAC mustache season. A fine tradition continues. Deedy and Butti (Gregg) are the clear frontrunners in this category, with an unofficial sanction to sophomore Ty Gamble for prematurely shaving last week. He says he will catch up quickly to the rest of us. Reynolds is threatening to dye his 'stache, which constitutes cheating -- or at least questionable judgment -- in my humble opinion. It's all in good fun, and it is an excellent tradition passed down through the years. Hockey players have the playoff beards. The Boston Red Sox have ... hell, I have no idea what they are doing up there ... and we have our MAAC mustache tradition.
Bring on the music
Usually with Mule discs, there are at least a few songs that I don't like and will skip through. Not so in this case. Every song has a unique twist that keeps me coming back for more. And the bonus, second CD features all the same songs, sung by guest artists -- like Steve Winwood, Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews, Grace Potter and Dr. John. If interested, check out the link to this excellent review of the album and a brief history of the band.
Bring on the music. Everything's gonna be all right.
Van Cortlandt Park article in the New York Times
Thanks to several blog followers for sending me a link to this article in the New York Times, about the past, present and future of Van Cortlandt Park cross country. Marist has a long and rich tradition at Vanny, and we hope it will continue well into the future.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
UAlbany Invitational: Converted times
Courtesy of Coach Chuck, here are the converted times from the UAlbany meet. The course was believed to be 3.2 miles, and the converted times are below. You'll note many personal-record and season-best times, which is great to see!
3-Kristen Traub 18:35.4 = 17:59.3 (personal record)
4-Michelle Gaye 18:38.9 = 18:03
4-Michelle Gaye 18:38.9 = 18:03
14-Janelle Solviletti 19:16.0 = 18:39 (personal record)
16-Nicki Nesi 19:31.3 = 18:53.8
31-Erin Thompson 20:11.8 = 19:33
33-Jaime Durso 20:15.5 = 19:36.6 (personal record)
36-Annie Gould 20:22.7 = 19:43.5 (personal record)
40-Brianna Freestone 20:32.0 = 19:52.5
41-Tara Nuccitelli 20:33.2 = 19:53.7 (season best)
42-Kim Schwartz 20:34.8 = 19:55.3 (season best)
43-Jackie Gamboli 20:35.9 = 19:56.4 (season best)
46-Olivia Lappas 20:43.8 = 20:04 (personal record)
51-Marissa Porter 21:08.5 = 20:27.7 (season best)
53-Bianca Luparello 21:11.2 = 20:30.5
55-Christine Coughlin 21:16.4 = 20:35.5
57-Taylor Mueller 21:23.3 = 20:42.2
67-Jackie Bunce 21:48.0 = 21:06.4 (season best)
68-Allie Dellicarri 21:56.8 = 21:14.6 (personal record)
70-Bryn Gorberg 22:03.2 = 21:20.8
72-Lizzie Peper 22:14.0 = 21:31.3 (personal record)
78-Mariella Bilello 22:56.2 = 22:12.2
84-Kristi Licursi 23:35.9 = 22:50.6 (personal record)
November XC meet dates and times
MAAC Championships, Van Cortlandt Park, Friday, November 1
--Women at noon
--Men at 12:45 pm
Vassar College Late-Season Invitational, Friday, November 8
--Starts at 4 p.m., Vassar Farm
NCAA Northeast Regional, Van Cortlandt Park, Friday, November 15
--Men at 11:45 a.m.
--Women at 1 p.m.
ECAC/IC4A Championships, Saturday, November 23
--Races begin at 9:30 a.m. Championship race times TBA
I know the Friday meets will be difficult for family and friends and alums to attend.
The Vassar meet (6km for men, 4km for women) was added as a way to give non-regionals athletes another competition between MAAC and ECAC/IC4A.
--Women at noon
--Men at 12:45 pm
Vassar College Late-Season Invitational, Friday, November 8
--Starts at 4 p.m., Vassar Farm
NCAA Northeast Regional, Van Cortlandt Park, Friday, November 15
--Men at 11:45 a.m.
--Women at 1 p.m.
ECAC/IC4A Championships, Saturday, November 23
--Races begin at 9:30 a.m. Championship race times TBA
I know the Friday meets will be difficult for family and friends and alums to attend.
The Vassar meet (6km for men, 4km for women) was added as a way to give non-regionals athletes another competition between MAAC and ECAC/IC4A.
The open door
On Tuesday morning, I dropped off my daughter Natalie early
at the middle school for a girls’ choir. This was about 7:10 a.m. School does
not start for another hour. The parking lot was mostly deserted, save for a few
cars belonging to early arriving teachers and staff. As I dropped her off and
wished her an excellent day, she asked that I wait to see that she safely
entered the mostly locked school through an unlocked side door. Of course, I
would wait.
She opened the door, entered the school and started her long
day with song. She did not turn to look back at the car. She did not look back
at the car. She did not look back. She did not.
How many open doors – literal and metaphorical – have I seen
her walk through in her short 11 years on this planet? I vividly recall
dropping her off at preschool, waiting in the hallway for the door to open to
the warm and nurturing class. The door would open, and I would walk her into
her cubby. I would bid her farewell for the morning, but not before she clung
tightly to my legs and maybe shed a few tears. She did not want me to leave.
She did not want her open door to close on me. But alas it did, and the door –
her door -- was opened to her new world of activities and play and learning in
a loving preschool setting.
That was 7 and 8 years ago, that open door. In the blink of
an eye, we have fast-forwarded to the open door at the middle school in the
early morning. How many open doors have there been in between? In 7 and 8 years
from now, will I be waiting for other open doors for my baby girl as she enters
adulthood? What will those doors be, and where will they lead?
As parents and coaches and teachers and mentors and husbands
and wives, we can and we should strive to hold open those doors. We need to
teach our children, our runners, our friends, our siblings, our spouses -- all
whom we love in this life -- to stride with purpose through all of life’s open
doors. If there needs to be a desperate, last-minute clinging hug before
flinging open that door, we will be there.
And when our little girl turned big girl turned grown woman
goes through that door, and does not look back -- not even for a quick glance
-- maybe we will smile and we will cry at the same time. On the other side of
that open door.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Wrapping up the weekend: A few words on course accuracy
A few quick notes after a relatively successful weekend across the Northeast for the Running Red Foxes ...
--Coach Chuck says the UAlbany course comes in at about 3.2 miles. He is converting the times for the women so they know what their 5km times are. Many PRs all around for them. Great job, ladies! Wish I could have been there to see it ...
--The Princeton course was/is lightning fast and a result the times reflected it. Suspicion can be raised when times are that fast. But my gut told me that the course was accurate, for a few reasons: 1. It's a long established course, with many championships having been held there through the years; 2. Each kilometer is marked; if they go through the trouble of doing that, you gotta figure it's spot on; 3. It is very flat and very fast, and the conditions were perfect, so fast times are to be expected; and there were some very fast and talented programs there.
--I hate to give Billy Hild credit, but credit where credit is due: The kid knows his course maps and his course measurements. On the bus down to Princeton, BEFORE the women raced at UAlbany, he said he did some calculations online by using the course map and surmised the course was long. He surmised correctly. He did the same for the Princeton course, and he said it comes in spot-on accurate -- if anything, maybe a few ticks long of 8km and closer to full 5 miles. So, there you go.
OK, Peter Van Aken is probably mumbling at his screen right now. He has long grumbled about why courses cannot be accurate and why they have to be a "little long" or a "little short" of the intended mark. It is a valid complaint and I will not disagree with him. The bottom line, as I tell my team virtually every day: Cross country is a sport that is more about places than times. And that is true.
However, when you get a nice day and a nice, fast course, and some nice, fast competition, it is nice to get some nice times. Yeah. I know. I said "nice" a whole lot in that previous sentence! Nicely done?
--Coach Chuck says the UAlbany course comes in at about 3.2 miles. He is converting the times for the women so they know what their 5km times are. Many PRs all around for them. Great job, ladies! Wish I could have been there to see it ...
--The Princeton course was/is lightning fast and a result the times reflected it. Suspicion can be raised when times are that fast. But my gut told me that the course was accurate, for a few reasons: 1. It's a long established course, with many championships having been held there through the years; 2. Each kilometer is marked; if they go through the trouble of doing that, you gotta figure it's spot on; 3. It is very flat and very fast, and the conditions were perfect, so fast times are to be expected; and there were some very fast and talented programs there.
--I hate to give Billy Hild credit, but credit where credit is due: The kid knows his course maps and his course measurements. On the bus down to Princeton, BEFORE the women raced at UAlbany, he said he did some calculations online by using the course map and surmised the course was long. He surmised correctly. He did the same for the Princeton course, and he said it comes in spot-on accurate -- if anything, maybe a few ticks long of 8km and closer to full 5 miles. So, there you go.
OK, Peter Van Aken is probably mumbling at his screen right now. He has long grumbled about why courses cannot be accurate and why they have to be a "little long" or a "little short" of the intended mark. It is a valid complaint and I will not disagree with him. The bottom line, as I tell my team virtually every day: Cross country is a sport that is more about places than times. And that is true.
However, when you get a nice day and a nice, fast course, and some nice, fast competition, it is nice to get some nice times. Yeah. I know. I said "nice" a whole lot in that previous sentence! Nicely done?
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Women's results from UAlbany: D1 meet champs!
Here are the results from the women's team at UAlbany today. In the Division 1 team standings, our ladies won the team title! It was a relatively small meet, and apparently the course was a bit longer than 5,000 meters. This was a strong showing and an excellent tuneup for the MAAC meet in a little less than two weeks. Wish I could have been there. Great job, ladies!
UAlbany Invitational
Saturday, October 19,
2013
Team standings,
overall
1-Middlebury 24, 2-Marist 54, 3-Vermont 89, 4-Manhattan 122,
5-Adelphi 124, 6-Siena 146
Team standings,
Division 1
1-Marist 25, 2-Vermont 45, 3-Manhattan 75, 4-Siena 98
Individual results,
5000-plus meters
3-Kristen Traub 18:35.4
4-Michelle Gaye 18:38.9
14-Janelle Solviletti 19:16.0
16-Nicki Nesi 19:31.3
31-Erin Thompson 20:11.8
33-Jaime Durso 20:15.5
36-Annie Gould 20:22.7
40-Brianna Freestone 20:32.0
41-Tara Nuccitelli 20:33.2
42-Kim Schwartz 20:34.8
43-Jackie Gamboli 20:35.9
46-Olivia Lappas 20:43.8
51-Marissa Porter 21:08.5
53-Bianca Luparello 21:11.2
55-Christine Coughlin 21:16.4
57-Taylor Mueller 21:23.3
67-Jackie Bunce 21:48.0
68-Allie Dellicarri 21:56.8
70-Bryn Gorberg 22:03.2
72-Lizzie Peper 22:14.0
78-Mariella Bilello 22:56.2
84-Kristi Licursi 23:35.9
Men's results from Princeton: Live blogging from the BUS
Currently on I287 in my native New Jersey, on the way home from the Princeton XC Invitational with the men's team. We have strong WiFi on the bus, and so results can be posted here and now. The women's results from UAlbany are not yet available (I checked, they are not posted) but from all reports the ladies did well up there. More on that later, upon arrival back in Poughkeepsie.
The men showed a lot of fight and a lot of pride out there today. We still have work to do, but overall it was a huge step in the right direction. In particular, please note the incredible performances from the Open Race. Our top guys in the ultra-competitive championship race held their own and packed it in pretty well. Because of some bad breaks this season, we are a bit down, but we are not out. I am proud of this team and we have big goals to accomplish in the coming weeks. Let's get after it ...
The men showed a lot of fight and a lot of pride out there today. We still have work to do, but overall it was a huge step in the right direction. In particular, please note the incredible performances from the Open Race. Our top guys in the ultra-competitive championship race held their own and packed it in pretty well. Because of some bad breaks this season, we are a bit down, but we are not out. I am proud of this team and we have big goals to accomplish in the coming weeks. Let's get after it ...
Princeton
Invitational
Princeton, NJ
Saturday, October 19,
2013
Men’s Championship
Team standings
1-Villanova 23, 2-LaSalle 94, 3-Princeton 135, 4-St. Joseph’s
158, 5-Lehigh 183, 6-Columbia 151, 7-UMBC and Binghamton 209, 9-Harvard 287,
10-Haverford 333, 11-Cornell 366, 12-Duquesne 382, 13-Buffalo 387, 14-Fordham
427, 15-Penn 432, 16-Monmouth 494, 17-Stony Brook 515, 18-Iona 522, 19-Rider
542, 20-Rutgers 572, 21-Wilmington 577, 22-Marist 589, 23-Sacred Heart and
Widener 627, 25-Swarthmore 648, 26-Hartford 701, 27-NJIT 735, 28-Moravian 758,
29-Scranton 950, 30-Georgian Court 999, 31-Syracuse INC
Individual results,
8000-meter course
98-Ryan Scrudato 25:15
130-Ryan Colabella 25:33
133-Johnny Lee 25:35
162-Pat Rynkowski 25:49
172-Mark Valentino 25:53
177-Bryan Buttigieg 25:57
189-Saad Baig 26:08
200-Justin Tampellini 26:20
209-Nick Salamone 26:30
Men’s Open Division
Team standings
1-Columbia 27, 2-LaSalle 60, 3-Marist 94, 4-Buffalo 132,
5-Fordham 134, 6-St. Joseph’s 137, 7-Haverford 145, 8-Widener 242, 9-Rider 275,
10-Swarthmore 289, 11-Monmouth 291, 12-Marywood 311; INC: UMBC, Binghamton,
Iona, Moravian, Brookdale, Wilmington
Individual results,
8000-meter course
14-Ian Dorset 25:49
17-Jake Hensler 25:52
22-Billy Hild 26:03
43-Spencer Johnson 26:38
44-Tommy Lappas 26:38
49-Doug Ainscow 26:42
50-Omar Perez 26:42
58-Billy Posch 26:51
59-Stefan Morton 26:52
61-Mark Vuono 26:55
64-Ty Gamble 26:59
68-Nick Hughes 27:07
80-Charlie Ropes 27:24
97-Brian Edsall 27:59
115-Eddie White 28:56
Thursday, October 17, 2013
This weekend's meet information: Women at Albany; Men at Princeton
On rare occasions, our squads split and go in different directions for meets. This weekend is one of those times. The women will race at the 47th annual UAlbany Invitational. The men will race at the Princeton Invitational. UAlbany offers a relatively flat and fast 5K course, which Coach Chuck wants and feels will be an excellent tuneup for the MAAC Championships in two weeks. Both meets are on Saturday. Here is the meet information:
Women at UAlbany: Bobbi Palma Women's Championship 5K race at 11:45 a.m.
Men at Princeton: Men's 8K Championship race (top 10) at 11:15 a.m.; Men's 8K Open race at 12:45 p.m.
Women at UAlbany: Bobbi Palma Women's Championship 5K race at 11:45 a.m.
Men at Princeton: Men's 8K Championship race (top 10) at 11:15 a.m.; Men's 8K Open race at 12:45 p.m.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Staten Island Half Marathon: Brian and Luke soar
Former teammates and great
friends Brian Townsend and Luke Shane had tremendous races Sunday at the Staten
Island Half Marathon.
As you can see over on the left, both were proudly donning the red and white of the Marist Alumni Racing Team, which is always appreciated.
As you can see over on the left, both were proudly donning the red and white of the Marist Alumni Racing Team, which is always appreciated.
Brian killed it out there. He
placed fourth overall – out of 6,812 finishers! – and first in his age group in
a stellar time of 1:13:19.
Luke was 17th overall and fourth in his age group in 1:17:49.
Both are training for upcoming marathons – Brian at NYC, Luke at Philly. Both are primed for great showings in a few weeks.
Luke was 17th overall and fourth in his age group in 1:17:49.
Both are training for upcoming marathons – Brian at NYC, Luke at Philly. Both are primed for great showings in a few weeks.
Hartford Marathon: Phil qualifies for Boston!
Coach Emeritus Phil Kelly
continues to excel on the roads into his 70s! Phil turned 70 earlier this year
and he keeps running strong. At Saturday’s Hartford Marathon, he placed second
in his age group and qualified for the Boston Marathon (easily!) with a time of
4:09:27, an average of 9:31 per mile. The Boston standard for 70-74 is 4:25.
Nicely done!
Hartford Half Marathon: Strong alumni results
Congrats to the following
alums who ran really well at Saturday’s Hartford Half Marathon:
--Nick Webster, 23rd overall,
1:14:06
--Ryan Fitzsimons, 36th
overall, 1:18:14
--Pete Pazik, 41st overall,
1:19:24
Pazik is a 1986 classmate and
former teammate, and held the school record at 5,000 meters indoors (14:35) for
a long, long time. As he approaches his 50th birthday, he has rejuvenated his
running career. Saturday’s race earned him third place in his age group.
Mohawk Hudson River Half Marathon: Lisa D'Aniello second in age group
Lisa D’Aniello came within
three seconds of her half marathon PR with a strong race Sunday at the Mohawk Hudson
River Half Marathon in Albany. Lisa was 26th overall and second in her age
group in 1:29:35, an average of 6:51 per mile. Lisa and Nick Webster run for
our friends at the Albany Running Exchange. Great job up there!
Friday, October 11, 2013
Discussions on a future track
My post from earlier in the week about the possibility of an on-campus track generated a healthy discussion. There was also vigorous back-and-forth on Facebook when Coach Chuck posted the original Tweet from Tim Massie about Dr. Murray's comments. Here are a few thoughts from my corner of the room:
1. North Field is the only spot on campus that can facilitate a track. Many people have mentioned Tenney Stadium ... not happening. First off, it's DONE. Secondly, there's not enough room. So, if there is a track, it will be at North Field. Fine with us.
2. Peter Van Aken's comments about throws facilities are very accurate. The hammer, discus and javelin, particularly, would be an issue that would have to be addressed if and when a new facility is planned.
3. The all-caps comment kind of missed the mark. A track facility would benefit our program (duh) but it would also have far-reaching benefits to the entire Marist community -- other sports teams, faculty, staff, the surrounding community. So the fact that we are a non-revenue generating sport is an old and tired argument. If a track gets built, it is not so we can host tons of meet and make tons of money, because that won't happen.
Final point: Do I think there is a track in our future? I honestly don't know. I do know this: The chatter has never been this loud and this public, which is definitely cause for hope. Do I think about it on a day-to-day basis? I do not. It has no direct impact on the athletes we coach every day, as we continue to schlep around the mid-Hudson Valley in our white vans trying to get our work done. If they build us a track, it would be a welcome addition, we would love it and it would make our lives much easier. If it does not come to pass, we will keep on keepin' on, and leave it at that.
The passion and concern from alumni/friends is heartwarming, and we will certainly keep you posted on any developments in the future.
1. North Field is the only spot on campus that can facilitate a track. Many people have mentioned Tenney Stadium ... not happening. First off, it's DONE. Secondly, there's not enough room. So, if there is a track, it will be at North Field. Fine with us.
2. Peter Van Aken's comments about throws facilities are very accurate. The hammer, discus and javelin, particularly, would be an issue that would have to be addressed if and when a new facility is planned.
3. The all-caps comment kind of missed the mark. A track facility would benefit our program (duh) but it would also have far-reaching benefits to the entire Marist community -- other sports teams, faculty, staff, the surrounding community. So the fact that we are a non-revenue generating sport is an old and tired argument. If a track gets built, it is not so we can host tons of meet and make tons of money, because that won't happen.
Final point: Do I think there is a track in our future? I honestly don't know. I do know this: The chatter has never been this loud and this public, which is definitely cause for hope. Do I think about it on a day-to-day basis? I do not. It has no direct impact on the athletes we coach every day, as we continue to schlep around the mid-Hudson Valley in our white vans trying to get our work done. If they build us a track, it would be a welcome addition, we would love it and it would make our lives much easier. If it does not come to pass, we will keep on keepin' on, and leave it at that.
The passion and concern from alumni/friends is heartwarming, and we will certainly keep you posted on any developments in the future.
Alumni on alumni weekend
Obviously, we missed most of Homecoming Weekend due to Paul Short at Lehigh, followed by an unplanned visit to the Emergency Room -- and really, how many visits to the ER are "planned" right? But we did have a few pleasant surprises over the weekend:
--The first person we saw out of the thousands in attendance at Paul Short was 2013 alum Rachel Lichtenwalner. Great to see Rachel L and her support was truly appreciated!
--While at Paul Short getting the team ready to race, a handsome middle-aged guy comes up and says "good luck, coach" and I did a double-take. Wait. Holy smokes! It was my old college teammate and fellow 1986 alum Mike Murphy. It had been probably 20 years or more since I had seen Murph, who lives in Erie, Pa. He has aged gracefully, with far less gray hair than his old teammate. So ... what was he doing at Paul Short? His daughter is a freshman XC runner at Niagara University, another MAAC school! So, hopefully, we'll be seeing a lot more of our old friend, who says he regularly reads the blog.
--Lastly, at noon Mass at the Chapel, we ran into the oldest and most loyal Marist Running Alum of all, Marty McGowan and his wife Annie. Marty was back for his 40th reunion (insert Old Guy joke here). Because of our late return on Saturday, I feared we would not see him, but I'm glad it worked out. Marty graduated from Marist nine years before I arrived on campus as a skinny freshman, so we have no direction connection to each other -- other than his amazing loyalty to our team and to our program. And, I KNOW he is a loyal blog follower.
Good stuff, all around. Next year, we'll try to avoid ER visits on Homecoming Weekend ...
--The first person we saw out of the thousands in attendance at Paul Short was 2013 alum Rachel Lichtenwalner. Great to see Rachel L and her support was truly appreciated!
--While at Paul Short getting the team ready to race, a handsome middle-aged guy comes up and says "good luck, coach" and I did a double-take. Wait. Holy smokes! It was my old college teammate and fellow 1986 alum Mike Murphy. It had been probably 20 years or more since I had seen Murph, who lives in Erie, Pa. He has aged gracefully, with far less gray hair than his old teammate. So ... what was he doing at Paul Short? His daughter is a freshman XC runner at Niagara University, another MAAC school! So, hopefully, we'll be seeing a lot more of our old friend, who says he regularly reads the blog.
--Lastly, at noon Mass at the Chapel, we ran into the oldest and most loyal Marist Running Alum of all, Marty McGowan and his wife Annie. Marty was back for his 40th reunion (insert Old Guy joke here). Because of our late return on Saturday, I feared we would not see him, but I'm glad it worked out. Marty graduated from Marist nine years before I arrived on campus as a skinny freshman, so we have no direction connection to each other -- other than his amazing loyalty to our team and to our program. And, I KNOW he is a loyal blog follower.
Good stuff, all around. Next year, we'll try to avoid ER visits on Homecoming Weekend ...
Whither sunlight ...
It happens every year, and every year it sneaks up on us: The first early-morning run that is held in complete darkness from start to finish. On Thursday morning, Fast Tony and I did our usual 6-mile course. When we were done, we both commented that the sun had yet to make an appearance. Perhaps it snuck up on us this year because of the unusual warmth of the early fall. It feels as though summer has not quite yet departed. And yet, fall is here and winter is fast on its heels. And for the next six months or so, on our early morning jogs, there will be a darkness on the edge of town.
Good luck this weekend ...
It is an off weekend for Marist men's and women's cross country ... but it is most certainly NOT an off weekend for Marist Running, as several alums and friends of the program are running in half marathon, marathon and other road race distances over the coming days and weeks. Please keep us updated and we will post results and photos as they become available.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Is there an outdoor track in our future?
According to this article in the Poughkeepsie Journal on Saturday ... yes, it appears that is possible. The bulk of the article, written by my old Journal colleague John Davis, focuses on plans for possible new housing on the North End. However, the last two paragraphs open up the possibility for a track at North Field. Here are those last two paragraphs ...
The updated master plan also suggests building a 400-meter track around the athletic fields on the north end of campus. There is currently no track on campus for the track team to hold meets or practice on.
"We have a pretty accomplished track team so (college President Dennis Murray) wants to make sure all the teams have the resources to be successful,” Cannon said.
While it is too early to get excited, the fact that this information was in print on Saturday makes the possibility of its reality seem more plausible. Time will tell. But isn't that always the case?
The updated master plan also suggests building a 400-meter track around the athletic fields on the north end of campus. There is currently no track on campus for the track team to hold meets or practice on.
"We have a pretty accomplished track team so (college President Dennis Murray) wants to make sure all the teams have the resources to be successful,” Cannon said.
While it is too early to get excited, the fact that this information was in print on Saturday makes the possibility of its reality seem more plausible. Time will tell. But isn't that always the case?
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Paul Short Run: Quick meet analysis
If you were not at Lehigh on Saturday, you could still see the effects of the heat clearly by looking at the results. In each subsequent race, the individual performances deteriorated at the same rate as the traffic in the medical tents escalated. If you look at our results, the runners in the Open Races fared better in some cases than our runners in the Women's Gold or Men's Brown races. This is due to the simple fact that those races started earlier, before the heat's full effects kicked in. That's not to say that runners in the earlier races were not impacted by the conditions; it was still pretty warm out there. But as it got later, it got far worse on a course that provided little shade and no breezes.
We are certainly not pleased with the team finishing performances in the Women's Gold and Men's Brown race. The heat had an impact on all teams and all individuals in both races, and we were certainly hoping to do much better out there. We believe in this team, and we know what we see every day in practice. We remain convinced that better days are ahead.
A wise alum pointed out to me a few weeks ago that early season disappointments can be turned around later in the season. He specifically cited an atrocious result at the Metropolitan Championships -- ironically enough, on a blazing hot day at Vanny back in the day. That was a low point, and that team turned it around. We will regroup, make sure everybody bounces back from a long day in the hot sun, and move forward to our next challenge.
We are certainly not pleased with the team finishing performances in the Women's Gold and Men's Brown race. The heat had an impact on all teams and all individuals in both races, and we were certainly hoping to do much better out there. We believe in this team, and we know what we see every day in practice. We remain convinced that better days are ahead.
A wise alum pointed out to me a few weeks ago that early season disappointments can be turned around later in the season. He specifically cited an atrocious result at the Metropolitan Championships -- ironically enough, on a blazing hot day at Vanny back in the day. That was a low point, and that team turned it around. We will regroup, make sure everybody bounces back from a long day in the hot sun, and move forward to our next challenge.
Paul Short Run: Men's results
Paul
Short Run, Lehigh University
Saturday,
October 5, 2013
Men’s
Brown Race, 8,000-meter course
25. Ryan Scrudato 25:59
65. Ryan Colabella 26:38
72. Johnny Lee 26:43
83. Pat Rynkowski 26:51
87. Justin Tampellini 26:54
104. Mark Valentino 27:06
134. Nick Salek 27:23
182. Mark Vuono 27:49
194. Saad Baig 27:56
213. Billy Posch 28:06
372 finishers
Team
standings, Brown race
1-Princeton
94, 2-UAlbany 133, 3. Monmouth 158, 4. Canisius 170, 5. St. Lawrence 215, 6.
Franklin Pierce 218, 7. Coast Guard 293, 8. Marist 332, 9-Swarthmore
337, 10-East Carolina 377, 11-Quinnipiac 399, 12-Holy Cross 419, 13-Widener
440, 14-Indiana PA 450, 15-Colgate 505, 16-Longwood 551, 17-TCNJ 561,
18-Wilmington 576, 19-York PA 588, 20-California PA 613, 21-Elizabethtown 623,
22-Assumpton 639, 23-Siena 642, 24-RIT 651, 25-Stevens 678, 26-Temple 741,
27-NJIT 771, 28-Queens 794, 29-Susquehanna 795, 30-Wesleyan 812, 31-West
Chester 831, 32-George Washington 850, 33-Moravian 852, 34-Kutztown 860,
35-Adelphi 862, 36-Lynchburg 912, 37-Loyola MD 925, 38-Winthrop 937,
39-Lafayette 944, 40-Gettysburg 1002, 41-St. Bonaventure 1038, 42-Mansfield
1051, 43-Mount St. Mary’s 1053, 44-Misericordia 1095, 45-Bloomsburg 1193,
46-Niagara 1213
Men’s
open results, 8,000-meter course
109. Nick Salamone 26:50
123. Bryan Buttigieg 27:00
139. Stefan Morton 27:14
152. Ian Dorset 27:21
166. Jake Hensler 27:32
167. Doug Ainscow 27:32
179. Omar Perez 27:38
182. Billy Hild 27:39
188. Spencer Johnson 27:42
201. Chris Reynolds 27:51
229. Pat Deedy 28:02
233. Isaiah Miller 28:03
319. Tommy Lappas 28:49
321. Nick Hughes 28:50
329. Kevin O’Sullivan 28:57
416. Eddie White 30:26
516 finishers
Paul Short Run: Women's results
Paul Short Run, Lehigh University
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Women’s
Gold race, 6,000-meter course
127. Michelle Gaye 22:03
140. Kristen Traub 22:11
278. Janelle Solviletti 23:09
291. Nicki Nesi 23:14
371. Erin Thompson 24:19
374. Taylor Mueller 24:24
379. Brianna Freestone 24:31
389. Christine Coughlin 24:48
395. Bryn Gorberg 25:23
399. Tara Nuccitelli 25:54
406 finishers
Women’s
team finishers, Gold Race
1-Georgetown 112, 2-Dartmouth 125, 3-Villanova 168, 4-Cornell
182, 5-Columbia 203, 6-Indiana 214, 7-Harvard 221, 8-West Virginia 257, 9-Penn
State 326, 10-Alabama 355, 11-Iona 384, 12-Toledo 420, 13-Wake Forest 424,
14-Duquesne 443, 15-Johns Hopkins 445, 16-Brown 470, 17-Penn 525, 18-Richmond
585, 19-Vermont 590, 20-Quinnipiac 609, 21-Utah State 615, 22-Xavier 633,
23-Albany 728, 24-James Madison 731, 25-Delaware 745, 26-Lehigh 774,
27-Williams 788, 28-St. Joseph’s 798, 29-Bucknell 806, 30-La Salle 832, 31-Rice
860, 32-Indiana PA 862, 33-New Hampshire 880, 34-Buffalo 883, 35-Navy 901,
36-UMass 928, 37-Appalachian State 943, 38-Coastal Carolina 984, 39-Army 1013,
40-Maryland 1025, 41-East Carolina 1039, 42-American 1040, 43-Marist 1093,
44-St. Lawrence 1123, 45-Loyola MD 1151, 46-Charlotte 1158, 47-Colgate and
George Washington 1391
Women’s
open results, 6,000-meter course
154. Jaime Durso 24:01
215. Bianca Luparello 24:36
256. Annie Gould 25:06
273. Kelley Gould (Marist Alumni) 25:24
353. Kim Schwartz 26:26
355. Jacqueline Bunce 26:28
378. Olivia Lappas 26:58
379. Lizzie Peper 26:59
413. Kristi Licursi 28:00
485 finishers
Paul Short Run: Mass casualties
The perfect storm of high heat, humidity, no shade and thousands
of sweaty people made for a serious medical mess at Saturday’s Paul Short XC
meet at Lehigh University. On the runhigh.com results page, the following short
note was posted: “Events were cancelled by the regional EMS services. Hot,
humid conditions contributed to an overwhelming number of heat related
problems. It was difficult for EMS services to meet the demand of the
casualties. At one time, six ambulances, three fire trucks and multiple EMS
services were on site.” All races up to and including the men's white race were held. The women's white race and all high school races were canceled.
We wound up in a local
hospital ER with senior captain Billy Posch, who succumbed to heat-related
issues after the race. After great care by his teammates on site and a few IV
bags of fluids in the hospital, he bounced back to normal and we returned to campus late Saturday night. While being treated in the ER, we overheard one
of the ER docs matter-of-factly using the term “mass casualties” when referring to the
Paul Short meet. Wow. More in a bit when I can better compose my thoughts.
Sorry I missed many alums this weekend, but one of our brothers goes down we
must be with him every step of the way.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Paul Short Run: Saturday schedule
Women's open race: 10 a.m.
Men's open race: 10:10 a.m. (staggered start with women)
Women's Gold race: 11:45 a.m.
Men's Brown race: 12:15 p.m.
Hope to see friends and family there. Many alums will be back on campus for Homecoming Weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone when we get back later in the afternoon.
Men's open race: 10:10 a.m. (staggered start with women)
Women's Gold race: 11:45 a.m.
Men's Brown race: 12:15 p.m.
Hope to see friends and family there. Many alums will be back on campus for Homecoming Weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone when we get back later in the afternoon.
Student-athlete of the month: Christine Coughlin
It is with pride that we announce the the October Student-Athlete of the Month, as posted in the Student-Athlete Enhancement Center in McCann, is our very own junior captain Christine Coughlin. It is a well-deserved honor and we are all very proud of her. This was the same award that Deedy won last spring. Nice to see our athletes honored for their achievements on and off the track and course. If you are in the area, come upstairs to the Enhancement Center and check out the display honoring Christine and the male winner, from the crew team.
Oh brother
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Government in action? How about government inaction!
The background noise of our world -- whether it is NPR's Morning Edition or Fox News' O'Reilly Factor, and everything in between -- has to do with the government shutdown, Obamacare, Green Eggs and Ham, filibuster on the Senate Floor, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. But wait! What if this background noise actually has a direct impact on the little corner of the world in which you operate? Yeah. Then what?
The government shutdown -- a childish outcome brought about by the childish behavior by men and women who somehow convinced us to vote for them -- has collateral damage throughout our great country. It even impacts a mid-major D1 distance running program trying to stay afloat and relevant with no facilities. Huh? OK, here's the deal: Tuesday, generally one of our quality workout days for cross country/distance runners, had a planned itinerary of the FDR Library and Historic Site grounds for a men's threshold workout on the Cator Loop (11 a.m.), followed by a trip to the Vanderbilt National Historic Site up the road for an interval workout on the river trail for the women's team (2 p.m.). Cool, shady, dirt paths. Ideal for our men and women.
Except, the government shut down, and that shut us out of our favorite venues. The national parks do not represent vital services; even we can agree on that. And so, it was shuttered, and its employees were furloughed. On a glorious first day of October, a day that felt more like the first day of June or July, we were forced to find alternative workout venues.
And so the background chatter of our lives continues unabated. Personally, I'd rather watch baseball or read a book than listen to this back-and-forth mumbo-jumbo. But now, maybe we have to pay attention to all this nonsense, and hope that the short-sighted buffoons we have elected to office can figure out this ridiculous conundrum.
The government shutdown -- a childish outcome brought about by the childish behavior by men and women who somehow convinced us to vote for them -- has collateral damage throughout our great country. It even impacts a mid-major D1 distance running program trying to stay afloat and relevant with no facilities. Huh? OK, here's the deal: Tuesday, generally one of our quality workout days for cross country/distance runners, had a planned itinerary of the FDR Library and Historic Site grounds for a men's threshold workout on the Cator Loop (11 a.m.), followed by a trip to the Vanderbilt National Historic Site up the road for an interval workout on the river trail for the women's team (2 p.m.). Cool, shady, dirt paths. Ideal for our men and women.
Except, the government shut down, and that shut us out of our favorite venues. The national parks do not represent vital services; even we can agree on that. And so, it was shuttered, and its employees were furloughed. On a glorious first day of October, a day that felt more like the first day of June or July, we were forced to find alternative workout venues.
And so the background chatter of our lives continues unabated. Personally, I'd rather watch baseball or read a book than listen to this back-and-forth mumbo-jumbo. But now, maybe we have to pay attention to all this nonsense, and hope that the short-sighted buffoons we have elected to office can figure out this ridiculous conundrum.