Spring Break
INDOOR TRACK: Sax's injury puts a damper on strong runs
by Melissa Siegel
Staff writer
Sports | 2/12/08
Posted online at 1:08 AM EST on 2/12/08
/ Last updated at 11:42 AM EST on 2/12/08
The indoor track teams' performance at last Saturday's Valentine Invitational featured several season-best individual performances, but a dark cloud has been cast on the team, as star jumper Ali Sax's '09 winter season may be in jeopardy after she was hit by a car on campus last Thursday morning. While Sax broke no bones, she said she may have pulled a muscle in her side.
"It's upsetting not being able to compete, but I've got to rest, so I can't be competing, and I understand that," Sax said.
Co-head coach Mark Reytblat was more optimistic, saying she will be able to race again later this season.
Despite Sax's injury, the women's team still had some good finishes at the individual meet. Captain Olivia Alford '08 finished 29th out of 100 runners in the 400-meter event in 58.83 seconds, two full seconds faster than the next-best time in the University Athletic Association.
The middle distance runners also fared well, with eight of the nine competing in the 800-meter and one-mile runs posting season-best times. In the 800, Meaghan Casey '09 finished 32nd out of 141 runners in 2:19.03, Julia Alpaio '10 and Jess Girard '10 were 71st and 72nd in 2:23.78 and 2:24.05, respectively, and Emily Owen '11 was 76th in 2:24.61.
"I'm really happy with our team this year," Casey said. "It's nice to come back from [a semester abroad] to people who want to work hard and to good runners."
Although the women's team was having a good day, co-head coach John Evans made an interesting decision in the distance relay event. After the first three runners ran without incident in the first three legs, Evans had Marie Lemay '11 pull back and not finish the race.
"I'm not really sure what the coach was thinking, ... I don't know if he really knows what he was thinking," Casey, one of the first three runners, said. "Either way it was fine, because none of us take it too personally."
A similar situation happened in the men's distance relay. Dan Suher '08 and Ned Crowley '10 struggled with the first baton handoff, and during the third leg Mike Stone '09 tripped over a runner that had fallen down. By the time Stone handed off to Matt Jennings '08 for the final leg, Evans had Jennings not finish the race.
The rest worked for Stone, as he was one of three men's runners that posted personal records in the mile run. His time of 4:20.87 placed him 63rd out of 174 runners and was almost three seconds better than his previous best.
"I was really happy with it," Stone said. "I was actually kind of expecting the [personal record]; it was just a matter of how much, and I think it was a pretty strong race."
Ben Bray '11 and Dan Azer '11 also had personal records in the one-mile event, as they finished 74th in 4:22.24 and 93rd in 4:26.71, respectively.
Two other rookies made their mark in the 5,000-meter race. Paul Norton '11 finished in 15:08.78, 26 seconds faster than his previous personal best, and Mekonen Gendebo '11 topped his previous best by nine seconds, finishing in 15:19.98
The teams next race at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Invitational Feb. 16 at 9 a.m.
"It's upsetting not being able to compete, but I've got to rest, so I can't be competing, and I understand that," Sax said.
Co-head coach Mark Reytblat was more optimistic, saying she will be able to race again later this season.
Despite Sax's injury, the women's team still had some good finishes at the individual meet. Captain Olivia Alford '08 finished 29th out of 100 runners in the 400-meter event in 58.83 seconds, two full seconds faster than the next-best time in the University Athletic Association.
The middle distance runners also fared well, with eight of the nine competing in the 800-meter and one-mile runs posting season-best times. In the 800, Meaghan Casey '09 finished 32nd out of 141 runners in 2:19.03, Julia Alpaio '10 and Jess Girard '10 were 71st and 72nd in 2:23.78 and 2:24.05, respectively, and Emily Owen '11 was 76th in 2:24.61.
"I'm really happy with our team this year," Casey said. "It's nice to come back from [a semester abroad] to people who want to work hard and to good runners."
Although the women's team was having a good day, co-head coach John Evans made an interesting decision in the distance relay event. After the first three runners ran without incident in the first three legs, Evans had Marie Lemay '11 pull back and not finish the race.
"I'm not really sure what the coach was thinking, ... I don't know if he really knows what he was thinking," Casey, one of the first three runners, said. "Either way it was fine, because none of us take it too personally."
A similar situation happened in the men's distance relay. Dan Suher '08 and Ned Crowley '10 struggled with the first baton handoff, and during the third leg Mike Stone '09 tripped over a runner that had fallen down. By the time Stone handed off to Matt Jennings '08 for the final leg, Evans had Jennings not finish the race.
The rest worked for Stone, as he was one of three men's runners that posted personal records in the mile run. His time of 4:20.87 placed him 63rd out of 174 runners and was almost three seconds better than his previous best.
"I was really happy with it," Stone said. "I was actually kind of expecting the [personal record]; it was just a matter of how much, and I think it was a pretty strong race."
Ben Bray '11 and Dan Azer '11 also had personal records in the one-mile event, as they finished 74th in 4:22.24 and 93rd in 4:26.71, respectively.
Two other rookies made their mark in the 5,000-meter race. Paul Norton '11 finished in 15:08.78, 26 seconds faster than his previous personal best, and Mekonen Gendebo '11 topped his previous best by nine seconds, finishing in 15:19.98
The teams next race at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Invitational Feb. 16 at 9 a.m.
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