As we all know, the ECAC/IC4A meet is the “end of the line”
for our senior cross country runners. As such, there is always a lot of emotion
at Van Cortlandt Park for their final XC race. In most cases, our XC runners
have track seasons to look forward to, and sometimes even a fifth year of track
as well. So while it is tinged with sadness, because it is the last XC race, it’s
not the actual last race in a Marist uniform.
Pat Rynkowski is one exception to that. Pat returned for his
fifth year for just this fall XC season, as he will be completing his degree
requirements next month. As a result, Saturday’s IC4A meet was truly the end of
the line for Pat, a loyal and dedicated team member for the past four-plus
years. He will be the first to admit that there have been many ups and downs
along the road, but Pat stayed the course and got to the finish line –
literally and figuratively – of his collegiate running career. And he did it
well, as a key contributing member to an upstart and resurgent 2015 XC team. Pat
matured in many ways during his time here, and his positive influence was felt
on a day-to-day basis at practice. More than anything, that’s what I will miss
as an old coach.
Speaking of old coaches … it was so great to see Patrick’s
high school coach, the legendary Mike Glynn of Ridgewood (NJ), make it out to
Vanny to watch his final race. Like many of his former runners, Pat has stayed
in frequent contact with Coach Glynn. There were times, especially early in his
Marist career, where Patrick received a nice tongue lashing from Coach Glynn
over the phone for various transgressions on and off the track. Coach Glynn
laid the groundwork for Patrick’s success, and so it was fitting that he was
here to see him through to the finish. By the way! Congrats to Coach Glynn for
his upcoming induction into Armory Coaches Hall of Fame (see story here)!
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