College spotlight: Reilly running toward NCAAs

Patrick Reilly is developing into a top-notch cross country and track runner with the Lehigh University track team. He owes some of his success to his friends and to a high school baseball coach.

The former Dallastown High athlete loved baseball as a youngster.

“I was in eighth grade, and some of my friends were doing cross country so I thought I’d give it a try,” Reilly said. “Then I knew my baseball days were numbered when I went out for the ninth grade team and was cut.”

Reilly had a chance to tryout for baseball in 10th grade but figured he’d be a benchwarmer at best.

“As a result, I decided to become a full-time runner,” he said. “I started to love running because I found that the sport embodies the idea that you get out of it what you put in.”

Reilly had some success as a college freshman, but he’s really come to the fore this season. Last fall, he led the Mountain Hawks to a fourth-place finish in the Patriot League cross country championships when he finished 14th (25:27.7 for 8k) out of 98 runners. He followed that up by finishing 36th (31.44.7 for 10k) out of 174 at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals.

And, he didn’t rest on his laurels this winter, which included making the All-Patriot Academic team after posting a 4.0 GPA in Arts and Sciences. In his first two indoor races, Reilly captured the 3,000-meter race with a time of 8:33.42 as the Mountain Hawks tamed rival Lafayette 107-77. Then, in the recent Armory Invitational in New York City, he finished fifth in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:33.98, which was an IC4A qualifier and a personal record by almost 12 seconds.

“Success in cross country carries over into winter and spring,” Reilly said. “Running in college is a year-round commitment so each season builds on the previous one.”

Between the 3K and the 5K, Reilly leans toward the 5K.

“Because I’m better at it,” he said.

However, there is no difference in the training.

“The training is the same,” Reilly said. “On our distance team, we are divided into two groups — long distance for 5K and 3K and middle distance for 800, mile and 3K. I train with the long distance group, which usually consists of mile repeats and 12x400 meter repeats.”

Matt Utesch is Reilly’s coach but most of his coaching comes from assistant Todd Etters, who is his cross country coach in the fall.

“Patrick works almost entirely with coach Etters,” Utesch said. “I have a lot of faith in Todd, so it is easy to have him work with a great kid like Patrick.”

Utresh, like many college coaches, wants to have athletes progress to the full potential the minute they walk on campus.

“However, that can’t happen so it is important when they move quickly through the process,” he said. “It has more to do with self-awareness, and Patrick thinks larger than himself and his training, and he is developing very well and at a faster rate than others. We think we have hit a home run with Patrick, and we are glad that he’s doing so well.”

Next up are the Patriot League indoor championships Friday through Sunday in Boston.

“I’d like to finish in the top three in the 5K at the Patriot,” Reilly said.

He has developed a mindset for running that race.

“You try to think about anything other than running,” he said. “It is a 25-lap race, which is pretty boring and challenging at the same time. I just try to find my groove, stay on pace, and keep my mind off the fact that I’m in pain.”

A victory or a good finish could set up Reilly for a berth in the NCAA Division I championships on March 11-12 in Birmingham, Ala.

“The NCAAs are such a difficult meet to qualify for,” Utesch said. “The athletes who qualify are elite compared to ‘people who run’ that it’s not even in the same ballpark. With that being said, I would never limit a kid like Patrick by saying he won’t or can’t make it. The combination of having the brain, commitment, dedication and talent is super rare, yet Patrick may just have it.”

Reilly has some realistic thoughts on the NCAAs as well.

“I need a lot of people around the country to get injured,” he said. “Only the top 24 in the nation in each event make it to the championships. But I hope to achieve that goal by the time I graduate.”