After finishing seventh as a team at Nationals last year, top womens’ cross country returner, Cecilia Furlong knew her team needed to start the season with a statement.
Furlong helped her team do just that, as her first place overall finish lead her team to the win last Friday at the Baltimore Metros Invitational in Timonium.
Furlong, a junior from San Francisco, is Coach Bobby Van Allen’s top runner, after former top-runner Laura Paulsen, graduated last spring. Furlong was excited for the season to start after a long summer of training.
“As a team, going into Metros, we really wanted to open the season with a win,” Furlong said. “We did a great job of sticking to our race plan, and running in packs and continuing to push our teammates throughout the entire race.”
The team finished first overall by edging out Division I opponent, Towson, by eight points. The 11th-ranked Blue Jays placed four runners in the top five, to capture their third straight Baltimore Metro Championship.
Furlong finished in 18:11, to secure a 16 second victory over Towson’s Katie Ogden. Senior Megan Brower placed third overall for the Blue Jays, followed by sophomore Liz Provost and freshman Lara Shegoski at 18:50 and 18:55, respectively.
Furlong runs all season long between cross country and track.
The BME major has a strong work ethic all year long, not just when she is in her running shoes. In addition, Furlong is one of the most consistent staff writers for the sports section of News-Letter and has aspirations to continue her higher education at the graduate level.
Furlong was a late comer long distance running and did not get involved with cross country until her senior year in high school but has burning passion for all sports. Her favorite event: the steeplechase.
Cecilia has worked with Van Allen for four years. “Bobby really listens to what we want to focus on, both individually and as a team,” Furlong said, “and incorporates this into our training.”
Assistant Coach Ryan Orn has also contributed significantly to Furlong’s success.
“Ryan is great at keeping us motivated and positive, and both of our coaches give us the ability in our training to push ourselves and continue to improve.,” Furlong said.
For her final season, Furlong will be in the front of the pack for most events as a direct result of hours and hours of hard work.
The ending to her junior season will only fuel the fire beneath her.
“Our seventh place finish at nationals last was a major disappointment,” Furlong said. Furlong says that the high expectations they had entering the meet, made the ending that much tougher to bare.
Plus, Furlong just missed qualifying for the nationals in the steeple-chase, her favorite event.
College is very much a long distance race, metaphorically similar to a cross country event. If all goes to plan, Furlong will end her collegiate career at the front of the pack.
