Pace Setter : March 2024

Olympic Trials Marathon - Two Athletes With Local Connections Finish in the Top 4

by Mark Mindel

     Top 3 Women at the Finish of the 2024 Olympic Trials Marathon - Photo courtesy of Mark Mindel

Louis Serafini Completes His Third Olympic Trials Marathon!

      Lou Serafini at the finish of the 2022 California International Marathon after running a 2:14:59

We had two great area runners racing in the Olympic Marathon Trials held on February 3rd in Orlando, Florida. Those two runners were Jonathan Aziz (see Aziz story) and Louis Serafini. Let me start by saying I’m very proud of these two athletes with local connections that finished so very well. Louis Serafini placed 35th in 2:17:09 and Jonathan Aziz was right behind Lou in 38th at 2:17:50.

Both Louis and Jonathan graduated high school in 2009, Lou from my alma mater Niskayuna HS and Jon from Notre Dame/ Bishop Gibbons. Interestingly, I coached Jon’s dad, David Aziz, in track at Gibbons from 1975-1977.

The streaming service, Peacock, covered the event live on Saturday morning and many of us adjusted our workout schedules to watch. NBC also aired a tape-delayed version at 12 noon.

Many in the running world questioned the late start of the race as it was originally slated for a 12 noon start. However, after much protest it was changed to a 10:10AM start for the Men and 10:20AM for the Women.

This still brought into play the heat and humidity of the Orlando setting. By race end, temperatures were mid 70’s with high humidity. The conditions took its toll on many of the runners. Men’s qualifiers Conner Mantz (2:09:05), Clayton Young (2:09:06) and Leonard Korir (2:09:57) were all slower than their entry times as was most of the field. The two-time defending champ Galen Rupp placed 16th in 2:14:07.

On the women’s side, marathon debutante Fiona O’Keefe won in an Olympic Trials record 2:22:10 followed by Emily Sisson, 2:22:42, and Dakotah Lindworm in 2:25:31. Notables Sarah Hall, 5th in 2:26:06 set an American Master’s Record but fell just short of qualifying as did Des Linden, 11th in 2:28:04.

As for Serafini, this was his 3rd straight Olympic Marathon Trials (2016 in LA and 2020 in Atlanta) and he recorded his best finish with a fine 35th place in a very respectable 2:17:09, especially for the warm conditions.

Serafini, a newly inducted member of the Greater Capital Region Track Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame, graduated from Niskayuna High School in 2009 and went on to compete at Boston College, graduating in 2013.

After college Serafini felt somewhat burned out by all the pressure of competition and hit the workforce, first working at Heartbreak Hill Running as a shoe fit specialist and then moving on to Tracksmith, where he now heads the Amateur Support Program which includes assisting runners as they compete in major competitions. His own racing experiences at the LA Trials in 2016 and Atlanta in 2020 have helped him in heading this program.

Louis Serafini front right wearing Tracksmith singlet and Jonathon Aziz back left wearing white New Balance singlet at the Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando Florida.

After a slight respite from racing, Serafini says his new attitude to “embrace the JOY of running again” has helped him actually improve dramatically in his results. He likes that “running brings everyone together!”

Serafini qualified for Orlando with a fine 2:14:59 11TH place finish at CIM in 2022, his PR and the top time ever posted by an area runner. To show his versatility, Serafini also blasted a 3:59.33 mile in 2018, one of only three area runners ever to break the four minute barrier.

Serafini said he liked the format of the Olympic Trials Marathon course in Orlando, a 2.2 mile loop followed by three 8 mile loops. He said this gave him the opportunity to see his parents, Rocco and Annie, his friends, and his fiance’ Gabi several times during the race for inspiration.

Congratulations, Louis, on a great race and good luck with your future!

 

Jonathan Aziz Gets a Top 40 Finish and Pastries the Next Morning

  Jonathan Aziz wearing United States of America athletic gear at the Olympic Trials Marathon during
                                                           race weekend in Orlando Florida

Jonathan, a native of Guilderland, graduated from Syracuse and is an Engineer at Aerospace Corp. in Boulder, Colorado. He competes for the Boulder Track Club.

Here, in his own words, is Jonathan’s experience from the race:

I'll start with the flight from Denver to Orlando (Thursday morning, before the Saturday race). I was traveling with my wife, Tara, an accomplished runner in her own right. We both raced the 2020 trials in Atlanta and met at a send-off party the week before that race.

Colorado had a large number of qualifiers for Orlando, so we were bound to see some competition on the flight. Indeed, I recognized half a dozen other racers, and the flight attendant wished us all good luck over the plane's PA system when we landed.

We proceeded right from the airport to the host hotel, and the reunions started. I texted Joe Whelan that I was on my way. Joe is one of my best friends, former Syracuse teammate and roommate, and we'll celebrate his wedding (with Monica) later this year. Before reuniting with Joe, however, I was surprised to find Zach Rivers in the lobby.

Zach is another friend and former Syracuse teammate, and you may recognize Zach as a former Section V standout! We had a short powwow in the lobby but then split ways for the evening. At the following night's pre-race dinner, I would catch up with all of the Syracuse alumni qualifiers.

All of the athletes were offered lodging in the hotel, but I elected to stay with my family (Tara, my parents, one of my three siblings, father-in-law, aunt-in-law) in an Airbnb. I was grateful to get away from the nervous energy and excitement that surrounds the hotel all weekend. Plus, our opportunities to get together are too few, so I was glad to take this one. We mostly relaxed, played games (Dominoes), watched TV, and just hung out chatting, trying not to expend too much energy. So, I'll take us to race in the morning.

Athletes gathered at the host hotel to take buses to the warmup area on race morning. It was only a one-mile ride but served as an athlete check-in and ensured we had reliable means to navigate road closures. Buses were originally scheduled to run from 7:15-7:45 am, for 10:10 am and 10:20 am start times. Nobody wanted to sit around the warmup area for 2+ hours before the race. We argued for the extension of the window to 8:30 am. Of course, nobody voluntarily loaded up buses earlier than that, but relaxed around the hotel until we were directed to get on the buses close to 8:30 am. Then we encountered another element of silliness in the lack of anywhere to sit in the warmup area. Athletes were sprawled out on the ground (parking lot) until it was time to warm up. Organization and execution of the weekend overall was wonderful, these two race morning lapses just had you scratching your head.

Race officials walked us up to the start some 20 minutes before the start, to allow time for introductions, the national anthem, and some TV broadcast chatter. This is a really special entry to the gauntlet of fans. Excitement and emotions rattle. I walked with and would line up beside Joe, and before the start I heard Tara call my name. I ran over for a kiss and heard her intentions of where she would try to line up and cheer. Returning to my place on the line (well, several rows behind it... I wasn't trying to go out fast), I felt my emotions surface. I was overwhelmed by all the support I was getting from family, friends, former teammates, competitors, and just fans. Having already taken a crack at this event in 2020, I very much felt like this time was all about racing for them, and not myself. That was my mantra to hang tough throughout the race. This isn't for me, but everyone else.

The race started and running felt easy early. As it should, but it's always a surprise coming from altitude how easy the pace feels. Even modest workouts at marathon pace at altitude have me huffing and puffing. The relative effort feels so different! We had a 2.2 mile loop through downtown before proceeding out on an 8 mile loop, and the crowds made for an electric environment. I was hanging back to warm up to the effort. After 3 miles or so I judged my group's pace to be too comfortable, so I worked my way up to the next group, including the familiar faces of Joe Whelan and Louis Serafini.

Maybe there were 10 of us together (I guess we could check splits to confirm) through the half-way mark. That was mostly comfortable. Obviously, we were working ourselves, but at an educated guess of what we could sustain the whole way. I was trying to maintain a consistent effort but also soak in the energy from the crowd-lined course. I relish that energy and pick out friends and family cheering. I definitely spotted Tara, my dad, and my coach Clint Wells. There's a strange phenomenon where I can always pick out certain people cheering (Dad), and others are more challenging to notice.

                          Jonathan Aziz during the Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando Florida.

We started to string out somewhere around the half marathon split, or shortly after. I think it was a relatively abrupt hit from the cumulative effect of the sun and heat finally sinking in. I for one knew ahead of time that I'd be fighting my body's poor thermoregulation, so I had been grabbing sponges to cool off since the first aid station. Then it was almost robotic, to just keep the effort between aid stations to refresh with some more sponges and fluids.

Suddenly we were around mile 18 and rounding through downtown again for the final lap. I did not feel good. The whole third lap was a drag, but I noticed some competitors were now standing on the sideline cheering, and even though I was slowing, I was still passing more people than were passing me. There's great risk here of significant slowing and jogging it in, but I kept catching a glimpse of another person to run down and reminding myself that I wasn't in this for myself, but for everyone supporting me.

With two miles to go, the fatigue almost didn't matter anymore. The energy of the crowd brought me to the finish line, and I managed something of a sprint in the homestretch to move up another position. 38th place, 2:17:50. I had the 62nd-best marathon qualifying time coming in (not counting some who qualified through the half) and was proud of meeting my goal to better that seed position. I also like the sound of the top 40. That’s what it takes to make NCAA XC All American, a ranking I was very far removed from in my collegiate career.

I found Tara by the finish line. It probably took an hour of bumming around before I gathered the energy to leave. We celebrated or consoled other friends and competitors, and then reunited with our family. Then, it was on to relaxing, burgers, and beer. Friends came over to our Airbnb Sunday morning to meet Tara for a run. And I took that time to go buy us all a bunch of pastries to top off the weekend.

~ Jonathan Aziz, Colorado Springs, Colorado

 

Mark Mindel is a long-time runner and coach who has completed every Stockadeathon. Mark is currently a Fleet Feet Vikings Marathon Coach.

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