It's a good year for Pennsylvania at the 2010 Millrose Games. For six hours, high school talent gets to share a historic venue with some of the best athletes in the world. From PA, one girl, two boys and a relay received invitations to the prestigious meet. All took aim on getting invites, and all realize the level of competition they will face.
Super frosh Sara Sargent of Pennsbury will be in the Invitational Mile. in the Boys' Invitational Mile, it will be seniors Tom Mallon of Central Bucks South and Tom Kehl of Father Judge. And in the Metro 4x800 Meter Relay, it will be Abington.
From Monday through Thursday of this week, we'll feature stories and/or interviews with Sara Sargent, Tom Mallon, Tom Kehl and Abington coach Brian Deck.
Mon: Abington Coach Brian Deck | Tue: Tom Kehl | Wed: Tom Mallon | Thur: Sara Sargent
Enjoy... and remember, "PA Don't Play!"
Abington hoping to use Millrose
as a springboard to other big races.
By Don Rich
These guys seem to know where they are in the PA 4x800 relay pecking order - at least compared with the incredible depth of the 2009 outdoor teams. There was the once-in-a-generation 7:33.48 by Central Bucks South that eclipsed a 27-year-old state record. And the 3rd place team in that race - West Chester Henderson - has everyone back from their 7:42.01 squad.
But that doesn't stop the Galloping Ghosts of Abington from chasing a goal. In fact, a couple of goals.
And it's those indoor and outdoor season goals that are behind the team's fast early 4x800 of 7:59.75 at the Marine Corp meet on December 28th at the Armory in New York.
"It's about experience in big races," says head coach Brian Deck.
He wants a climate that will help his team experience the crowd of a Penn Relays Championship of America (COA), or a PIAA State Championships. He wants screaming fans. He wants pressure. He wants the crowd on top of the runners. Just to make sure they know how it feels.
Welcome to Madison Square Garden.
That's why there was a small cheer from Deck when his 4x800 received an invitation to this year's Metro High School Boys 4x800 Relay at the prestigious Millrose Games this coming Friday in New York City.
They'll have screaming fans, pressure, and a crowd they can nearly touch.
And Deck couldn't be more pleased.
They're already better than they were at the end of last indoor when they took 4th in the PTFCA Indoor Championships with an 8:00.38.
Three of this year's runners were on the relay that made the COA race at the Penn Relays last year where they finished 10th in 7:56.74.
But it was the end of the outdoor season that really provided the motivation for this year's team.
Qualifying for the PIAA T&F State Championships 4x800 finals, they had high expectations. Not the state record that pretty much everyone knew Central Bucks South was virtually destined to get - but a high finish.
They would finish 9th. Only eight get medals.
That one race has been eating at the team and their coach ever since.
So when Charles Ross, Eleazar Cardosa, Tevin Smith and Kyle Moran pass the baton at Millrose, it is just the second step in what could almost be called a 4x800 race for redemption.
They have worked hard according to Deck. In the weight room every day. Workouts at full throttle. And a focus that includes talking about their goals.
But Deck says what pleases him most so far about this year's team - and their very early sub-8 - is the fact that he has held them back on speed. "This year, we've done more strength and base. So they have a lot of room to get faster."
And with two seniors and two juniors, this almost has to be the year.
"We're focusing on only a few races this year," says Deck... PTFCA Indoor States, Penn Relays, PIAA
T&F Champs, and maybe, The Outdoor Nationals (formerly Nike Outdoor Nationals). There's one race and one goal they're holding close to the vest, but you'll know it when you see it.
While Deck will experiment with the order, he is confident in some switching around. Senior Charles Ross is the new guy to the team. "He never ran indoor before this year, but he can fly." Ross ran a 49.66 400 earlier this season at the Armory, and is only .18 off his 400 time from PIAA State Champs last spring. Senior Eleazar Cardosa ran 1:58.66 outdoor. Junior Tevin Smith has split 1:59.71. And anchor Kyle Moran - a junior - split 1:56.35 at Penn, just .03 under his split at this year's Hispanic Games at the Armory.
"This year is for the 4x800", Deck says. "Next year we'll move our focus to the 4x400."
But suffice it to say, this team is motivated. "That 7:59 was not a good race," Deck concedes. "And knowing they're not the best in the state helps them keep their eyes on the goals."
How does a runner get noticed?
By Lex Mercado
How does a runner get noticed?
Win an invitational?
Win a major championship race?
Win a race featuring a star-studded field on a big stage?
Tom Kehl chose the latter. Since last May, the Father Judge senior has been looking to put himself among Pennsylvania’s elite class of high school distance runners. It started with a medal at Shippensburg in the 1600 meters (4th place - in photo to right by Don Rich), then continued with a Catholic League championship in cross county, a runner up finish in AAA district XII, and an all state honor in Hershey.
But unless you lived in the Philadelphia area, you probably had little or no idea who Kehl was.
Then Hispanic Games arrived.
Kehl entered the Invitational Mile on January 9th, with the winner earning an automatic bid into the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden.
Kehl may have been an unknown to many runners and fans before this race, but this was something he was ready to take on and confident that he could get the job done.
“I was concerned with myself on how I will perform at big meets,” said Kehl. “But I just say to myself anyone can win and you should always try to win, and eventually my times will get lower.”
The race started with a blazing pace, with Kehl relaxing behind the leaders. With three laps to go, Kehl surged to the lead and when the clock stopped, Kehl had a US#1 mile of 4:13.48, a Millrose berth, and a high quality victory over major competition.
So how did Kehl go from a runner who had one major victory to winning one of the biggest high school miles of the indoor season? Kehl can credit his success to several factors.
“What I’ve done to get to this point was thinking everything out and prepping, staying focused on my goals, staying confident, and also having the right training from my distance coach Kevin Carroll,” said Kehl.
Even with this big victory, Kehl keeps everything simple. “I’m just trying to run PR’s and focus on races coming up,” said Kehl. “However, I treat every race like it’s my last no matter what.”
Now Kehl enters Friday night’s Millrose Games against some of the best prep milers in the country, including five guys he defeated in that invite mile. Names include Central Bucks South senior Tom Mallon and West Windsor-Plainsboro North (NJ) junior Jim Rosa. What does Kehl hope to do this Friday night?
“A victory at Millrose would be awesome, although I have to consider the runners I’m up against,” Kehl said when asked about the race. “I’m looking forward to Madison Square Garden, racing on the track and the huge crowd of people that will be there.”
This time, competitors and the people in the audience will know the name, Tom Kehl.
Tom Mallon caught Paul Vandegrift's indoor 800 state record (1:52.32 now is 1:51.79). He has his sights on Paul's 1:48.8 outdoor record. But first there's Millrose, and in his first full year of actually training for the mile, he dropped from over 4:21.20 1600 to 4:16.64 Mile to qualify for the meet. PennTrackXC's Don Rich conducted an email interview with both Tom and his coach, Mike Cox. Here are the questions, and coach's and athlete's incredibly open replys.
Central Bucks South Head Coach Mike Cox
Talk about the team from last year and what those two records and one near-record meant to you and to the program.
It was a great and fun group of guys who were just absolutely committed to the program and determined to work as hard as possible to achieve to their fullest potential. Before they went out on the infield to race at Outdoor states I told them that whether they got the 4 x 800 record or not, I was so proud of how much they grew as athletes and men the past year, how hard they worked, their sacrifices, and how close they grew as a “brothers”. To me nothing was more important then that aspect and the record would be their reward for that achievement.
Did you see the assault on North Penn's records coming? Did the team use them as motivation?
I knew they had the ability to go after the records, but that it would be very difficult to stay healthy and focused throughout the year. I always showed them what they could do and we obviously talked about them often, but we never focused exclusively on the records. Our team mantra is “Results happen naturally when motivation is pure,” so I always tried to have them motivated to race to their best and achieve to their full potential and not fixate on results and winning... but performance.
Tom got Paul Vandegrift's indoor 800 record. Is he the guy to get his outdoor 1:48.8?
I definitely think with the right circumstances he can run that time. He certainly has the ability (as evidenced by the solo 1:49 split at States in the relay last year) so it will be a matter of whether he can stay healthy and we can find the right race environment to hit that mark. Outdoor States would be the preference since the crowd is electrifying and it fits well into our training plan, but the District and State schedules in PA are so difficult for peak performances and record breaking, especially if someone wants to double (eight races in 1 week is tough).
How did you persuade him to do the mile? With that 800 speed, it's an obvious transition, but word is he was not thrilled.
I have consistently told Tom since he first entered our program that I personally feel he will have greater long-term success in the mile but that we would be patient with the process. I don’t think it is an issue of not being thrilled with the mile, but rather focus and racing/training experience. The past two years we focused exclusively on the 800 (using the mile for training) because of what we felt could be achieved in the 4 x 800. With those teammates gone he can now focus more on his individual events and although there is considerable overlap in training between the 800 and mile, it does take time to mentally/tactically transition to that event. The mile at the Hispanic Games served as that transition since he was able to see what he can physically do in that event, but also what he needs to improve tactically to race to his potential.
What does getting a Millrose qualifier mean to the program? Was it part of your plan since XC?
Although we had talked about Millrose before as a “that would be cool to run at Millrose” it was not a part of our focus for this year. This has nothing to do with our view of Millrose and other teams’ priorities at all, but rather how it would fit into his training for the year and transition to the mile. Tom, since it wasn’t a priority last year, never broke 4:20 in the 1600/mile, so I wasn’t sure he would be able to run a fast enough time so early in the season to qualify. When I talked with him after Cross Country about our goals for the season, I told him our approach would be “if you run fast enough at Hispanic to make it in, awesome, but we won’t change our overall plan for Millrose.” We are very proud for him and our program to get this invitation since it shows he is making great progress so quickly in the mile and this a huge opportunity for him to race with the top milers in a such a high profile meet. We are especially excited that PA will be so represented with Tom K., Sarah and Abington competing that night!!
Can you give an overview of Tom's training last year to this? Max distance? Rest? Timing of interval workouts? Toughest workout?
Our training hasn’t changed much the past several seasons (outside of pace) except we have spent more time on the “little” things such as nutrition, sleep, and core. This year we have also added a little more mileage since he is moving up to the mile. But he averages about 35-40 miles a week (factoring in more for base and less during competition). I think he has put in a good solid base in the last few months and he is currently focusing on the last stage of that Base period with an emphasis on strength. We use a multi-tier/multi-pace training format so we always do intervals, tempos, speed work throughout the year, but the emphasis (relationship in intervals between pace and recovery) changes, so right now the emphasis of our “quality/hard” sessions is on hill and shorter distance intervals with little recovery and greater total volume. Toughest Workout from last week:
AM Session (6:20): 30 minute pool run with 6 x 60 seconds with 20 second recovery on
resistance bands
PM Session (2:30): Warm-up, CP Power Session (plyos based), 15 min easy run, Drills &
Dynamic Stretching, 9x 200 @ 31 with 30 sec jog recovery, break(jog/drills), 5 x 200 @ 28 with 1 min jog recov; 5 min break (jog/drills); 1.5 miles of 50/50 (fly/sprint); 5 min break (jog/drills); 2-3 x 300 @ 39-41 with 2 min recovery walk; Cool-down
Other than the obvious talent, what makes Tom unique? Special?
I think one of the biggest qualities Tom has is the ability to push past his comfort level. He works very hard when training and just when I think he is at his max, he is able to push to an even higher level. I think those who have raced against him or have seen him race can see this in his finishing kick. Just when he is at the peak of the pain threshold when most would say “ok, I have had enough and am just going to cruise in," he is able to switch to a whole other gear. There is something in his personality, his internal motivation that makes him able to do this.
Plan for outdoor, post-season?
STAY HEALTHY!! The plan, at this point, is to keep working towards improving times in both events and see how the training and racing unfolds. We have talked a little about the post-season but we want to evaluate that when we get closer to May and how it fits into his long term goals with transitioning to college.
Tom Mallon
1:51.79 Indoor PR | 1:49.79 FAT split @ Penn Relays
4:16.64 Mile
Last year you set the state indoor record (left in photo by Don Rich) for the 800 that had been held by Paul Vandegrift, plus the outdoor 4x800 record after a near-miss at the indoor. Is the outdoor 1:48.8 of Paul's among your main goals this year?
Definitely. That’s probably one of my biggest goals this year, though I think I’m probably going to try the 1600/800 double so it might be pretty challenging. That’s an extremely fast time and is going to require a lot of dedication and hard work, but anything is possible when you set your mind to it.
What did it mean to get those two records last year?
It was awesome. That’s really the only word I cold use to describe the feeling because it was just so surreal. We had worked so hard all year shooting for that record and to actually be able to achieve our goal was a huge accomplishment and extremely rewarding.
This year you seem to be able to focus more on individual events. I heard early this season that you weren't in love with the mile, but then you run a big PR and qualify for Millrose. Are you now a miler? How'd you get talked into it?
From the beginning, Coach Cox always said I would have more success in the mile than in the 800. I guess being able to focus more on individual events has a lot to do with it since I am now able to compete in both events, but the 800 will always have my heart. I don’t know why, but no matter how much it hurts, for some reason, I just love the 800. It's such an exciting race.
Which event do you like the most? Which is your best from a potential standpoint?
Like I said, the 800 is no doubt my favorite. I love the fast pace and being able to kick hard at the end. I really don’t know which race I’ll end up achieving more in, but everyone I’ve met always tells me I look like a miler. I still don’t have the 400 speed to be a great 800 runner, or the endurance to be a great miler, so I’m going to have to work hard on both.
Describe the differences between the two races from your experience.
The 800 and the mile are definitely two completely different races. To place high in an 800, you usually need to be towards the front from the beginning. But I’ve learned that the mile is a different story. It is really anyone’s game, and ultimately anything can happen in the mile. It just feels so much longer than an 800 and that’s been my biggest struggle so far. The 5th and 6th laps are always the hardest to stay focused mentally and keep your pace up.
Talk about your strategy at Hispanic, and how the race went? Pleased with the time? Effort?
I went into the race not really knowing what to expect. It was pretty much my first big-time mile race since I’ve never raced it at districts or states. So I definitely knew the pace would be significantly faster than what I was used to in that event. I just wanted to stay up there with the top guys and see what I had left at the end. That didn’t exactly happen since I dropped off kind of mid-way through the race, but I made some ground back at the end. I was definitely very happy with my time, it was a big PR and you can never be unsatisfied with that. I do know that I started my kick way too late and had some left at the end, so I’ll use it as a learning experience for Millrose and know for the next time.
How much can you improve through outdoor?
It's hard to say how much I’ll improve throughout the season since you never really know what the future holds, but I definitely plan on dropping my mile time a lot more over the course of this year, and I think Coach Cox knows all the right things to do to make that happen. He’s really the greatest coach I could ever ask for and is always here for me and my teammates when we need him. He really knows what he’s talking about, so I’m planning on running some pretty fast times come outdoor thanks to his training.
What does it mean to make Millrose?
I think that it’s a huge accomplishment for me to make Millrose. I’m really happy that I was able to get in. It has always been one of my dreams even though I was never really a miler. I went up last year just to watch and the atmosphere of MSG is just amazing. I knew then that I had to get in this year just because of how cool everything was.
Some are calling you the dark house of the race. How do you see yourself? The race?
There are some pretty talented runners in the race that have a lot more experience than me, so to pull an upset would be pretty nuts. I’m not going to say its impossible, but it will be extremely challenging. Big races like this are usually my strengths, and if I can get mentally focused come race time, then anything is possible. I just plan on going out there and running as fast and hard as I can, and whatever happens, happens.
How do you approach a race like this mentally? Rituals? Relaxation? Keeping it fun?
I think I’m just going to relax and keep it fun. It’s just a learning experience, and a great opportunity to run against some of the fastest kids in the country.
How's the college search? Are coaches looking at you as both 800 and mile?
It’s going pretty well. It’s really fun talking to everyone at races and seeing where they’re going. It;s kind of scary, actually. But the whole search process is actually really fun though it can be stressful at times. I have my last visit this weekend (Jan 23) to Stanford, so hopefully when I come home I can finally make some sort of decision. The majority of coaches that I’ve talked to haven’t really mentioned specific events, but it sounds like most of them plan on keeping me in the 800 and possibly the mile, occasionally.
Mallon has also looked at Texas, Tennessee and the University of Virginia
This year's surprise continues to surprise.
By Don Rich
It was late August, 2009. Research by PennTrackXC.com was winding down on the upcoming cross country season. There were some clear front-runners on the horizon, but the cool thing about the sport is - you gotta run the races. And when you do, you get surprises.
During that research, one name kept popping up again and again. Quite a few coaches told of a very special talent who was going to hit the prep running scene at full throttle.
And when she took off at her first high school cross country race on the Friday before Labor Day, the predictions seemed right on.
(Leading from the gun at the Wood Invitational, Sept 4th - Photo by Don Rich)
This Sara Sargent - a ninth grader - was the real deal.
The surprise?
Just five months later, she has already surpassed anything anyone said she might do.
She won all but two invitationals inside Pennsylvania. One of those was against New York star Aislinn Cuffe.
She won her first PIAA AAA State Cross Country title.
She qualified for her first Foot Locker Nationals, and finished 21st in the country.
And then she turned her sites to indoor. A 5:08 1600 in the first week of January did not serve as a clear indicator of what this young talent was about to do next.
(Sargent ran her 5:08 at the DVGTCA meet on January 8 at Haverford College - Photo by Don Rich)
Eight days later, she heads off to the Armory in New York, and in a small, yet very elite girls mile field, finishes 3rd in a PR of 4:57.87, less than a second from the win. The time earns her an invitation to the Millrose Games Girls Invitational Mile.
To understand what motivates Sargent, you should know that while she is thrilled with the invitation - "I run to represent my school and Pennsylvania" - she was mainly after a PR.
While it was her first time under 5, she had gotten close as an 8th grader, running a 5:02-point 1600 at the CYO Championships at Franklin Field.
To her indoor coach Tim Cass, Sargent is not just a dream athlete from a talent standpoint. Coaches know that they can help any athlete improve if they have one key attribute. They must be coachable.
"You ask her to do something, and she does it. She is just so focused in training; so intelligent about what she has to do. Especially in races."
So for the DVGTCA meet eight days before Stanner, Cass gave her target splits for the 1600. The 3/4 target was 3:45, right on five minute pace. Sargent came through in 3:49, eventually finishing in the 5:08.
"She was so hard on herself," Cass says. "She just wants to excel."
Sargent says it wasn't her best race. "I just was not on."
But it is the fact that she mentally put the race behind her so quickly, and began to focus on the goal of running a PR eight days later at Stanner that really impresses Cass about this athlete.
Despite getting boxed in early, she hit her marks at Stanner after a quick opening 200 of 34 seconds. Her 1:12, 2:30 and 3:46 were right where she wanted to be... closing in a strong 71. And she surged when the push started.
Cass says he is continually surprised by her strength, especially for someone of a seemingly petite stature. "Negative splits say strength to me," Cass says. Then adds with emphasis, "She has it."
"Foot Locker helped for indoor," Sargent says. "I was able to train through mid-December, and then took two weeks off."
(At Foot Locker Northeast - Photo by Don Rich)
Cass says Sargent is doing this on relatively low mileage. A long run is 35 to 40 minutes, which translates to five or six miles. "We're more quality than quantity," he says.
The program couples the tempo, high tempo with easy days, cross training in bad weather, and strength work.
"The great thing with Sara is, if you tell her to go easy, she does it."
Cass says from all he has seen, Sargent's drive comes from within. "Her parents are so supportive," he says. "She is not being pushed. She has just been around it."
And it's that being around the sport that brings us back to Sargent's race on Friday at Millrose. Her dad, Greg, has been to the race before. And Sara was raised knowing all about Foot Locker, and Millrose, and the Penn Relays. Sargent witnessed Millrose last year, and recalls thinking, "That would be pretty cool."
Yep. Pretty cool. See it. Think it. Do it.
That describes Sargent's approach to preparation for all her races.
She admits to getting nervous for any race... from dual to national. "I use the nerves to my advantage" she says.
"And the night before, I visualize the race, think about the strategy, and go."
The day of the race, she'll follow her own superstitions. Her dad will put her race number on her. Her mom will wear Sara's lucky necklace - with a running shoe she got for her first Communion.
She is after all, just a normal girl.
And that is why Cass is having so much fun, and is really looking forward to outdoor and beyond.
He too knew she was coming. And sometimes, he says, he has seen talented athletes come into a program and disrupt the team. But not Sargent.
"She is such a team player," he says. "These girls are so close."
And while Sargent is taking center stage at meets like Foot Locker and now the Millrose Games, Cass knows she will be right there when it's time for the team stuff.
"I'm a relay guy, and I think we could have a pretty good DMR."
One look at his roster, and you'd have to agree. He has a talented choice in a lead-off 1200 between FR Stephanie Radzinski and SO Ann Herman. He has a 57-second 400 in SO Zakiyyah Richardson. He has a strong 800 in SR Morgan Perry. And of course, he's closing with Sargent. And in the DMR, a sub-five anchor is always nice to have.
But first things first. Eleven quick laps against 11 very talented milers.
With the race number and lucky necklace in place, Sargent will not shy away from what she always comes to a race to do - win. "I want to get a fast time, but there is always a chance I could win," she says. Then adds matter-of-factly, "I'll go for it."
No surprise there.