ROCK HILL, SC—Three former Winthrop athletes competed in one of the, if not the premiere road races in America, April 16 as the three ran competed in the Boston Marathon.
Brad Orr, Jose Figuero and Patrick Mitrovich competed as athletes for Winthrop sports teams and have continued their competitiveness beyond their collegiate careers.
Orr, a four-year member of the Winthrop cross country/track & field program (2004-2008), was the most experienced runner of the three. In spring of 2011, Orr decided to qualify for the Boston Marathon and in September that goal became a reality in Sioux Falls, SD where he qualified during the Sioux Falls Marathon on 9/11/11.
“I ran every day but I had no goals or purpose in my training,” said Orr. “So I decided to go big and make everyday training more meaningful and add some excitement.”
That preparation of running several miles per day and an adjusted diet paid off as he qualified with a time of 2:35:09. The hard work didn't stop there. “I averaged 90 miles a week for 8 weeks leading up to the tapering period, which started two weeks before the marathon. My longest week peaked out at 100 miles and my longest run reached was 24 miles. I also had a quick weight session once every week or two to build some strength,” added Orr.
The 2007 Big South Conference performer didn't admit to any nerves the week leading up to the race. “I am more excited than anything and looking forward to the overall experience of such a major event.”
Orr set out to break 2:30 at the Boston Marathon but thought it could go plus or minus five minutes. Orr didn't break the 2:30 mark, but did run a 2:42:33. Not his ideal time, but the conditions for the day of the race did not end up ideal and Boston Marathon officials warned runners that the conditions would be extremely difficult in the heat. Temperatures rose to the low-to-mid-80's and turned out to be the second slowest race since 1985.
“It was too hot,” said Orr. “I had to alter my plans several times before and throughout the race. What really stood out to me (about Boston) was surges adrenaline from the crowd. Being able to feed off the crowd was a new feeling to me that helped me stick with it.”
At first, Orr wasn't happy with his time that was 7-12 minutes over the pace he'd like but wasn't disappointed. “I did not do as well as I had originally planned,” said Orr. “Times were off across the board, but I was excited when I realized how well I had placed.”
The time of 2:42:33 ended up being the top time by any runner from the state of South Carolina and 105
th overall. The winning time came from Kenyan Citizen Wesley Korir of 2 hours, 12 minutes and 40 seconds.
Asked what his thoughts were when he cross the finish line, Orr stated he “couldn't believe how difficult it was and now I understand why running and finishing Boston is such a big deal. It was very challenging and a great feeling to know I had finished. I don't know when I will do it again, but for any competitive marathoner, Boston is what it is all about. I'm sure I will be back sooner rather than later.”
Figuero was not a competitive runner in college rather he was a two-year starter of the men's soccer team. It was 2003 when Figuero began running distance in 2003 and in 2004 he set his goal to qualify for Boston. He did so with a time of 3:01.
The training was a different road for Figuero, who stuck to weekends to do most of his training. Understandable for someone that spends his weekdays teaching at Nation Ford High School. “I did not prepare very well for this race due to a busy schedule. Instead of high daily mileage, I instead put in long mileage during the weekends.”
Unable to prepare as strong as he needed leading up to the race, Figuero said wondered if he was ready for the race, especially in the warm conditions. “I was nervous about the lack of training and the heat. I decided not to go out for a PR and just hang on to around a three hour marathon. I was able to hold this pace through the 30 km mark and then cramping and mental roadblocks came into effect. The race itself was a blur but I did set a ritual from the very first aid station. Gatorade, water, and water over the head. I didn't miss a single one.”
Knowing his goal of breaking three hours was not going to happen, Figuero soaked up atmosphere over the final miles. “I ran as hard as I could without forcing my legs to cramp and enjoyed a freaking loud crowd on both sides of the road. The heat was bad but the city of Boston and its marathon supporters overcame this with tremendous organization and help on the course.”
Figuero wasn't off much from his goal of three hours as he finished the race in three hours, eight minutes and eight seconds. He listened to the warnings on race day about the heat and advice for amateurs to not run, but he took the bus anyway and checked in.
“In all, I was happy with the fact that I ran a much better race than my training deserved. I hope to go back to Boston in the near future to try and have a better time. It is such a special race and I would love to make this tough course a personal best at some point.”
Mitrovich was also a member of the men's soccer team at Winthrop as he was a four-year starter from 2006-2009.
Running long distance was just become a hobby recently for Mitrovich, who picked it up about two years ago. Mitrovich started out with some smaller 5k and 10k races and then became interested in competing in marathons. Once that became a goal, Mitrovich instantly thought about qualifying for Boston.
Mitrovich qualified at the Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon and again at the Myrtle Beach Marathon. He qualified with a time of three hours and eight minutes and set a goal of three hours and 10 minutes at Boston.
“I followed an 18-week program that peaked around 60 miles per week,” said Mitrovich about his preparation.
Prior to the race, Mitrovich said he felt more pressure qualifying than actually competing in the Boston Marathon. “I'm very excited and I'm a little nervous but I definitely want to enjoy this one.
Mitrovich, like Figuero, heard the warnings of running in the heat but decided he wasn't going to miss out. “With the people that were meeting me there flying from San Diego, CA and Phoenix, AZ, at no point did I think about not running. It may be a once in a lifetime experience and I was not willing to throw that away.”
The race conditions were extremely tough for Mitrovich, who ended the race with a time of four hours, 10 minutes and four seconds. “The race conditions were the hardest I have ever experienced. It was the hardest mental battle I have had to deal with in any sport because of the amount of cramping I had to deal with over the race.”
Asked what his thoughts were when he first crossed the finish line, Mitrovich said he was happy he just finished. “I did not have the training schedule I would have liked while playing soccer so I was happy with finishing this one. I did not do as well as I would have liked, but taking everything into perspective I was happy with what I accomplished.”
Mitrovich, who made the trip to Boston for the first time in his life, is very interested in making it back to compete in the Boston Marathon. “Having never been to Boston I was excited just to visit a new city. The staff of the Boston Marathon really made you like a celebrity though the whole process including the expo, Athlete's Village, and the race itself. It was a great experience that I wish everyone could experience. I would love to re-qualify in the next few years and hopefully get to race in better weather one year.”
Just how tough were the conditions in Boston that day? Over 2,100 runners needed medical attention during or after the race. That's about 1,200 more than usual years, according to Running Doc on NYDailyNews.com.
Geoffrey Mutai, the 2011 Boston Marathon winner and the holder of the world's fastest marathon time, did not finish at Boston as he exited around mile 18 due to cramps. Besides finishing the race, something Orr, Figuero and Mitrovich can brag about for years to come.
