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Feature - Tony Russell PA - 2013 - DyeStatPublished by
Tony Russell back in form after summer injury
By Chris Lotsbom, @ChrisLotsbom
Dyestat.com (28-Oct) -- Pennsylvania's Tony Russell is a man on a mission. The senior at West Chester Henderson High School is primed and ready for the championship stretch ahead, beginning with the PIAA AAA State Meet on Saturday. Coming off two big wins, Russell is on a roll. So far, the 2013 cross country season has been all smiles for Russell. On Oct. 12, Russell won the highly competitive Eastern States Championship at the Manhattan Invitational in Van Cortlandt Park, timing 12:20 for 2.5 miles and leading WCH to a fourth-place team finish. Two weeks later at the PA District Meet, Russell won again, covering 5,000 meters in 14:59. The pair of big victories only served to bolster Russell's racing confidence.  Before the cross country season even began, though, things were much less certain. Forced to miss a portion of his summer training to a right fibula stress fracture, Russell didn't know what to expect from the season."I had to take a month and a half off from my summer training, so I was a little worried about the kind of shape I'd be in mid-season," he said. "To say that I've been able to do this stuff (winning) is pretty good for my confidence. I'm pretty confident going into next week and (NXN) regionals." On Saturday at the PIAA AAA State Meet, Russell and his West Chester Henderson team (ranked 12th in Dyestat's most recent national poll; second in the Northeast region) will look to successfully defend both the individual and team titles. "Not a lot of guys have repeated," Russell said, pausing ever so slightly to show just what it'd mean to win twice in a row. "I wouldn't say it's as much pressure as motivation. There's a lot of good guys like Ross (Wilson, of Council Rock North) and the Martin twins (Ethan and Colin of Fox Chapel) and a few other guys that I have to worry about. But I'm pretty confident. As long as I do what I have to do I'll come out with the win." Russell said that his key to consistent success has been the team around him. Joined by veterans Reiny Barchet, Alex Knapp, and Seamus Collins --all of whom raced at Nike Cross Nationals last year-- plus Ricky Waltz and Kevin Moy, Russell and his teammates have formed a core group that sticks together through all aspects of training. In workouts, runners one through seven do the same repeats at the same pace, running together as one. Russell has found that these type of sessions help push --but not overwork-- himeslf and the team. Being part of such a tight-knit team that finished 15th at Nike Cross Nationals last year helps keep Russell focused on the goals ahead as well. "All my teammates know what it's like, so all the stress is off my shoulders. We all kind of help each other out when it comes to stressful situations and it kind of keeps me humble knowing what I'm doing. I'm just as good as our team is," he said. "Being able to go to nationals last year with the team was really cool." Though he won the Nike Cross Northeast Regional individual title in 2012, Russell's 106th place finish at the national championship serves as motivation for 2013. "I know what to expect, and I highly doubt it could get any worse than it was," he said with a laugh, noting how he got boxed in at the start and fell four times over the course of the race. The West Chester Henderson team doesn't plan to taper much for this weekend's State Championship, but instead continue to workout in preparation for Regionals. Under the guidance of coach Kevin Kelly, Russell and his teammates know what to expect. Russell, 17, maintains focus and calm in the face of increasing pressure. "I know how to enjoy the sport while being competitive," he said. "Pressure is good, but I know this isn't something I have to stress myself out over everything all the time. I just try to enjoy myself while I'm going to all these big meets and meeting people." More news |
