St. Anthony's indoor facility in Long Island, NY cost $42 million, and what a facility it
was. The team that occupies it deserves the best for their great success. St.
Anthony’s high school is a powerhouse in, not only New York City, but also all
throughout New York State year after year.
When
St. Joe’s team trekked down state to race at the CHSAA meet, I had one thing on
the back of my mind…The 1600m alumni race. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was
even going to break 5 minutes in this race. My training wasn’t where it
should’ve been, and I wasn’t feeling 100%.
When
it was time to race, I stepped up to the line and saw myself next to 20+ year
olds who ran in college. These men represented such schools as St. Anthony’s,
Fordham Prep, Chaminade, as well as two coaches from local rival Canisius high
school. I then realized I represent St. Joe’s in this whole mix of athletes.
*BOOM*. The gun went off and everyone
darted off the line. There was a cluster for the first 200m; then St. Anthony’s
and Fordham Prep started to pull away from the pack. Feeling both the fear and
adrenaline, I went after them and drafted in the back. Then the three of us
gained distance on the rest of the race. We battled for the next 5 ½ laps.
Realizing
the race was nearly over; I made one of the gutsiest moves I’ve done in my
career. I began to sprint and passed both St. Anthony’s and Fordham Prep with
350 meters left and took off. I felt strong entering the final lap. Then, with
150 meters to the finish, I hit the “wall” that all runners encounter. My legs
wouldn’t turn over any faster. I knew both the other competitors were hunting
me down.
As
we all raced down the last 75 meters, all you could hear was the sound of the
crowd cheering, the “thump” of your heart beating, and the pain in every step
you take. This feeling may sound horrible, but it is only something you can
dream of, until you decide to take the leap and make it happen.
4:35.2
was the winning time. 2nd place finished in 4:35.9. The difference
between first and second place was a mere .7 seconds! After the race, I walked
over the St. Anthony’s runner and the Fordham Prep runner and congratulated them
for a great race.
I
then walked back to the St. Joe’s competitors who were standing along the track
and threw my arms up into the air. I had emerged victorious by a few tenths of
a second and I had never felt better. Later, talking with Matt Hellerer about my
race, he said to me that it was the smartest race that he had ever seen me run.
Then, her declared me the “king of New York”. A title that I accepted with
pride. 
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