Matt Connor never finished first in a cross country race this season. As a matter of fact, the Palmetto Senior High School juniors top showing was 9th at the Venice Invitational. That race was the first time he cracked 18 minutes, running a new personal best of 17:54.20, but for Connor and several other runners they are finding their love for distance running, not on a cross country course, but in road races, half marathons, and marathons.
If you are going to run a marathon and especially your first one, Connor picked a good one. With a name like the Best Damn Marathon in Cape Coral, it couldn't be that bad, or at least decent enough for the area. The junior says he was a little nervous at the start, but after he got moving he settled into a comfortable pace for the first 13.1 miles.
"I started talking to a few people along the way, and they were all very encouraging. Miles 13-17 were very mentally taxing as I had to fight the burning in my legs along with an upset stomach. Afterwards, the burn seemed to subside, but it seemed like every muscle group in my legs cramped up at the same time. As I neared mile 22, I realized that I would be done before I knew it, and I tried to push a little harder as I wanted to finish in under four hours."
26.2 miles is a lot longer and more physically demanding than a 5k. Toward the end Connor convinced himself to keep moving until he hit the finish line, which he did in about 3 hours and 52 minutes. Overall, he says his first marathon was very painful, but a great challenge, and the amount of encouragement he received was astounding.
"My official time was 3 hours, 51 minutes, and 52 seconds. I think it is the feeling of accomplishment when you cross the finish line, the moment where you wrap up weeks or months of training, that really satisfies people. At the moment, I am still sore and shudder at the though of another 26.2."
He isn't completely ruling it out though or the idea of perhaps a half marathon or two while the cool temperatures still grace the Sunshine State.
While Connor was completing his marathon, Pine Crest senior Mahlet Yared was making her half marathon debut at the 17th Annual Run For Tomorrow in Weston. Yared, who recently was accepted into UPenn, says she decided to train for the 13.1 miler with the guidance of one of her assistance coaches.
"Coach Traci is definitely more of a long-distance runner, and that’s an understatement. Her longest race is 110 miles, but she is currently training for a 300-mile race! She’s definitely my inspiration for beginning to run longer distances."
Before the cross country season, Yared's longest run was just six miles, but on Saturday's her and her coach would run 9-12 miles wile singing Shake It Off or other tunes during the duration of the runs. The senior who was 35th at the 2A Cross Country Finals for runner-up Pine Crest always wanted to run a half marathon, but had to find one that wouldn't conflict with cross country or track season. On December 14th, she finished her first half in 1 hour 46 minutes with her coach right by her side.
"We were jamming out to music the whole race and dancing too! I wonder what the people behind us were thinking? She made matching playlists for us so we both would be able to sing to the same songs at the same time. It was definitely my most favorite race I’ve even run. My goal was to break two hours. I didn’t know what to expect.
At mile nine, she realized she could break one 1 hour 50 minutes so she decided to go for it. Yared says she felt good the whole race and crossed the line with a lot left, but since it was her first half marathon she didn't want to kick too soon.
"The pacing is something I will have to work more on in the halfs to come! The best part was definitely seeing Tsion and Mahdere at mile 12 cheering me on, after they had just come in 1st and 2nd place respectively in the 5k for overall females. My parents were screaming for me at the top of their lungs too, and were caught off guard when I was throwing my hands up in the air dancing to Pompeii, instead of pumping my arms to the finish."
While Mahlet was first in her age group, Gabrielle Sumkin, a freshman cross country runner from Cooper City was the second to cross the line. With the oldest Yared Mahlet winning and sisters Tsion and Mahdere going 1-2 in their races, she says the race day experience was something she won't ever forget.
"What a day! This experience definitely proved to me that you can do anything you set your mind to, regardless of what your body tells you! I can’t wait to run my next one!"
Are you a high school athlete competing in road races, half marathons, or marathons over the break? Let us know and you could be featured on Flrunners!