Men and Women Lead the Way at the BU John Thomas Terrier Invite With National Level Performances

January 30-31, 2015

MIT took 12 women to the John Thomas Terrier Invitational at Boston University on Friday and came away with three NCAA Division III leading performances and another seven top 15 performances despite the significant penalty applied by the NCAA for banked track performances.

MIT split their squad this weekend, sending the majority of their team to Tufts University for the Tufts Stampede on Saturday. A few top individuals competed at Boston University with the women going on Friday and the men on Saturday.

The banked track at Boston University is certainly one of the fastest ovals in the country. The NCAA indexed banked and oversized tracks (over 200 meters) two years ago. The penalty can be quite severe, as much as eight seconds in the 5K, but even at 400 meters the penalty is .77 seconds. The penalty is the same whether the track is banked a minimal amount or significantly so. Many teams feel the penalty is too great and choose to race on flat tracks. With the advantage of having such a fantastic facility right across the river, the Engineers took advantage of the situation, which also includes significantly better competition as both open and top level Division I athletes come to this meet to secure faster times.

The first race for MIT was the 800. Cindy Huang '15, just off a foot injury that had sidelined her since early November, wasted no time in getting back on the horse. Running a very intelligent race, Huang hit the 400 in 67.7. She moved up well in the second quarter, finishing in 2:16.08, less than two seconds off her PR. Liz Cox '18 let her inexperience show as she reacted to every move by the other runners, went out too fast (31.8) and used too much energy doing so. Her quarter split was 66.0 and then she faded and lost focus, but still managed a season best of 2:22.78.

In the 400, Hannah Chen '18 ran the 400 for the first time this year. Assigned lane six on the six lane track, Chen was possibly too relaxed through the first 150. As she saw others make up the stagger she surged and cut-in in second position very smoothly, hitting the 200 split in 26.6. She finished well even though she had little left, earning a 57.39. This time puts her seventh on the NCAA list despite the penalty. Annie Dai '18 ran 62.07 while Kendra Knittel '17 posted a 63.48 performance.

Sarah Quinn '16, who can certainly be one of the top runners in the country, also tends to use too much energy early in races with competitive fields, leaving nothing at the end. This was the case in the Mile this day. Pressing too hard to run fast she hit splits of 71, 2:22 and 3:33, but then tightened up significantly to finish in 4:53.53. This is still the fastest time in the country for Division III so far, but she is easily capable of 4:45 or better.

Back on the track for the 200, Chen ran an impressive 25.84, which is 15th on the NCAA list. Knittel fared a little better in the one lapper, running 26.98. Dai ran 27.25.

MIT only brought two field event athletes to the meet, but they certainly got the job done. Ellen Liverpool '15 threw a PR on her first throw in the 20 lb. Weight Throw, and then another personal best on the second throw in the trials. Even though she had another very good throw in the finals, her 54-5 1/2 performance in the trials was her best, earning fourth place overall. This mark moves Liverpool up to seventh on the NCAA list

Cimmy Virdi '16 used the competition to let her best performance of the season come out. Coming in at 12-1, clearing on the first attempt, Virdi went on to clear 12-5 on her second attempt and 12-9 1/2 on her third attempt. She had one very good attempt at 13-1 1/2, but failed to clear it. Virdi's second place finish has her ranked number one in NCAA Division III.

With only the distance events remaining, Maryann Gong '17 and Christina Wicker '17 were preparing the the 3000. Already checked-in, finishing her warm-up, but not paying close attention to things, Gong, who was in the first and fastest section, did not realize the race was about to go off early. Once the race started she sprinted over, tried to catch up, running about 350 meters before the starter stopped her and told she could run the next section. She calmed down, recovered from her sub 70 400 and joined Wicker in the second section. The plan was to come through the 1600 in 5:04, and while the splits were not very even (first 200 in 33), Gong hit 5:04 exactly. Wicker, mistakenly trying to slow down from the early fast pace, was only one second off her race plan, hitting the 1600 in 5:13, but she was now in a slower group and had lost much of her competitiveness. Gong began to fade, but not much, running the next 1200 in 3:52 or 77 per 400. Her finish was strong, getting her to the line in 9:33.49, a new MIT record, easily the top time in the country and the fourth fastest time in NCAA Division III history. Wicker finished pretty well, running 9:55.83 in her first ever 3000, but she knows there is a lot more there.

In the 5K, Nicole Zeinstra '16 and Elaine McVay '15 were out to improve their national marks and hopefully qualify for the NCAA Division III Championship. The plan was to run 82 second quarters en route to a 17:05 or so. They were both in the fast section and the pace was fast. The front group, which Zeinstra had joined was hitting 79-80 pace through the first mile, running 5:17 at the 1600. McVay settled in the back, which was still fast as they were running 81 second pace, hitting the 1600 in 5:23. Zeinstra continued to race well, running the second 1600 in the planned pace of 5:27 for a 10:44 total. McVay, for whatever reason did not have her signature focus, running a 5:34 second 1600. Zeinstra thought she was more fatigued than she was as she slowed to a 5:38 third 1600 before finishing in 38 for a 17:00.97 huge personal best and the second fastest time in NCAA Division III. She is second only the teammate Sarah Quinn. McVay continued to lose time, but finishing in a respectable 17:22.26

The men took to the track on day two. As with the women the men's first event was the 800. Sam Parker '15 was up first for Tech. Parker ran with a lot of confidence, sitting in the back, letting others run too fast in the early stages of the race. He ran 27.1 and 55.5 for the first two laps. He made one error trying to pass on the inside and then successfully passed three on the inside to move up towards the leaders. His final two laps were 1:23.4 at the 600, and then finishing in 1:51.98 for a new personal best and a mark that should put him among the top six currently on the national list. Rick Paez '15 ran relaxed, too relaxed. He stayed in the back too long, moving up a lot in the third lap, but used too much energy doing so, finishing in 1:56.82.

The 400 was next and MIT was hoping for big things from their All America 4x400 members. States Lee '16 stepped out of his early season funk, demonstrating the reason he is one of the best 400 runners in the country for Division III. His 48.72 is less than four tenths off his MIT record, and a mark that may make the NCAA Championship. Luca Cacopardo '18 ran 49.82, but he was over striding the entire time, losing a lot of energy and time in the process. Derek Barnes '16 ran an excellent race, getting out in 23.0 and finishing in 49.93. Michael Kaba '16 got out a little slow (22.9), but then lost his competitiveness early in the second lap as he was in a very fast heat and got discouraged when he was so far down going into the second lap. Chris Sweeney '18 made a mistake cutting in, getting caught on the inside and having to slow his pace in order not to trip. Nevertheless he finished with a fine 51.37.

Parker returned to the track in the 500 and set a personal best in that race. It was an excellently run race. He ran about as even as possible, splitting 25.9, 51.7, and finishing in 1:04.83.

The 400 runners returned to the track in the 200 with some impressive results. Michael Kaba drew lane six and took advantage of it, running a personal best of 22.04. Cacopardo set a new MIT freshman record with his 22.13, where he demonstrated much better mechanics from start to finish. States Lee was given lane two, a huge disadvantage, but still ran an indoor personal best of 22.59. Tre Albritten '18 also drew lane two and very similarly, ran 22.60. Barnes ran 22.99. Sweeney pulled his hamstring on the final turn and shut down.

The next to last event for MIT was the 1000. Dan Kilcoyne '16, still coming back from an injury, is still getting in race shape. However, watching the race, it seemed he is ready to go. The pace was a little quick for the first lap in 27.9, but it then settled down. His 2:29.35 is an excellent performance and there is obviously more there as he gets in better race shape.

The final and perhaps best event for the men was the 5K featuring Benji Xie '15. Xie went out with the goal of hitting 70's. The pace was a little slow by the leaders at first, but generally worked out to be about perfect for Xie. The first 1600 was 4:42 and the second a 4:40 for a 9:22 3200. Xie looked comfortable as it came down to just him and one other runner at the front. With 600 to go, Xie took the lead running 33 200's the rest of the way. Although he was passed in the final 400 he ran a personal best 14:30.08, the number two all-time performance by an MIT runner.

Next week MIT will again split their team between the two invitationals held by Boston University (Scarlet and White Invite) and Tufts (Cupid Challenge).

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