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Start Your Engines
By Drew Beck
With the cross-country national meets both finished, the indoor track seasons around the country are winding up for what looks to be another dazzling winter on “the boards.” Particularly in the Northeast, where indoor track is most prominent due to the harsh weather conditions, runners look for the opportunity to post impressive times at key venues such as: Reggie Lewis Center, The Armory, Harvard, BU, etc. With perhaps the deepest and most talented field in state history toeing the line at the Massachusetts’ All-State meet in Gardner, MA, long-distance athletes will continue competing at a high level this winter: a level that hasn’t been seen since the late 90’s when the likes of Andy Powell, Jonathan Riley, Franklin Sanchez, and Shalane Flanagan flew around Reggie’s 200m oval.
Having such a deep and competitive field makes any results for this upcoming season hard to predict. Yet, as an All-State runner myself, I have witnessed first-hand the strengths and weaknesses of Massachusetts’ elite, from the quick, 1000 meter race to the grueling 2-mile. In the next few articles, I provide my opinion of how the I believe the season will shake out for some of Massachusetts’ finest distance runners and rank the top six (State All-Star) male and female athletes in their respective events.
Predictions and Rankings, 2010-2011 Indoor Track: 1000m
The Breakdown of the Race
When debating the toughest races in high school track and field, four events typically come up in the discussion: the 400m, the 800m, the mile, and the deuce (two-mile). Each possesses its own, unique characteristics that cause runners much pain and anguish. The two shorter events inject lactic acid into the athletes’ bodies, giving the phrase “dead, heavy legs” a whole new level of meaning. The longer two races are just as difficult in their own regard. Calling upon intense mental strength as well as superior cardiovascular endurance, the mile and two-mile requires the ability to withstand 4 to 9 minutes of exhaustion before kicking the final straightaway.
What if I told you there was an event that combined both the tenacity of the mile and the speed of the 800m? You’d think I was crazy, but Massachusetts remains one of the last states to host such a grueling trial. Being perhaps the most challenging event in which to excel, the 1000m demands a specialized blend of talent and pacing.
Because the thousand is an exclusively indoor event, outdoor half and full milers bring their varying sets of tactics and skills to the table. Milers tend to push the pace, hoping to extinguish the kicks of the 800m runners. The half-milers hang, hang, and hang, until the last lap, when they make a great push to nip the other runners at the wire. Since milers rely on their endurance and half-milers trust their scintillating kicks, both play to their respective strengths. Neither strategy is fool-proof, as lactic acid makes even the best heavyweight stumble in the final strides.
Boys’ Predictions
Along with some new faces, eight of last year’s All-State qualifiers return for this season, guaranteeing several truly exciting barn-burners on the boys’ side. Should these athletes compete in this race and not the 600m or the mile, I believe this will be who stands on the podium at Reggie in late February.
Rankings:
1. Joel Hubbard, Jr. from Marshfield
2. Josh Lampron, Jr. from Mansfield
3. Andre Rolim, So. from Somerville
4. Michael Giardina, Sr. from Lowell
5. Kieran, Kinnaire, Sr. Ipswich
6. Sean Gorham, Jr. from Oliver Ames
Other notables: Alex Sullivan, Jr. Northampton; Joey Donlon, Sr. Arlington Catholic; Curt Owen, Sr. Acton-Boxboro; Clay Russell, Sr. Lincoln-Sudbury
With his already impressive track resume’ and an outstanding XC season behind him, Hubbard is hard to vote against as the favorite. However, Josh Lampron from Mansfield improved extensively over the spring and fall and is the best bet to beat a runner of Hubbard’s caliber. Though just a sophomore, Andre Rolim turned heads last year in the 600m and, if he decides to move up, he’ll be a force to reckon with along with the experience of Giardina and Kinnaire. Gorham’s talent showed last year when he busted out a 1:58 in the half-mile, but he’ll have to improve his strength and stick with the big boys to give his kick any shot.
Girls’ Predictions:
Seventy-five percent (15 runners) return from last year’s All-State race, so this year will have a lot of familiar faces dominating the early going. Always look for a fresh face when it comes to girls because a new superstar emerges nearly every year. However, with eight potential sub-3:00 athletes, Massachusetts is a powerhouse in this event on the girls’ side.
Rankings:
1) Andrea Keklak, Sr. Lincoln-Sudbury
2) Margo Gillis, Sr. Newton North
3) Emily Grotz, Jr. Oliver Ames
4) Leanne Tucker, Sr. Tewksbury
5) Kelsey Whitaker, Jr. Notre Dame, Higham
6) Amy Collins, So. Wachusett
Other Notables: Jenny Dudek, Sr. Agawam; Mairead Kiernan, Sr. Milton; Shannon Hickey, Jr. Oliver Ames; Lanie Jowett, Jr. Central Catholic
Really, the first two on this list are unquestionably the favorites based on their PR’s (2:53 for both) and their titles (two individual state XC titles for Keklak; Gillis is the defending state champ in this event). I take Keklak because, not including last year’s All-State Championship, her outstanding kick has never failed her. Grotz is an enormous talent and, between her and Tucker of Tewksbury, creates a sort-of “fantastic four.” There is a drop-off, albeit a small one, to the chase pack of Whitaker, Collins, Dudek, Kiernan, Hickey, and Jowett, but any of these athletes are capable of being on the podium. Ultimately, this is a race where it all comes down to who has the best day.
So, there you have it, my bold picks for this winter’s 1000m All-State Championship. I realize as much as anybody else that predictions are meaningless on the starting-line and any number of setbacks may plague certain of these individuals, but don’t be the least bit surprised if this is how it plays out come championship season.