Norwich’s resurgent cross country program is led by a pair of juniors who, by no means, fit your cookie cutter image of a distance athlete. One is known for his exploits as a record-breaking sprinter and middle distance runner. And the other? He started the fall sports season playing soccer.
Matt Murray has continued to set the bar high on the indoor and outdoor track and field programs under head coach Shaun Horan. Murray switched from football to cross country a season ago as a means to build endurance. Robert Jeffrey, Murray’s classmate, is the quintessential Johnny-come-lately. A longtime soccer player, he practiced with the soccer team in August before turning to cross country. Winning the Eddie Caputo Memorial 5K race helped Jeffrey make his decision to switch sports.
“He won (the Caputo Memorial) pretty easily, and I talked to him about the possibility of running cross country,” Horan said. “Once Robert figured out that cross country was something he could be successful at, he made the switch.”
It wasn’t long before Jeffrey was running stride for stride with Murray. Murray, who missed making the state meet cut-off by one spot a year ago, came into the fall season in better shape. Already a driven athlete, Murray has improved his times significantly over a season ago. “Matt has seen some of the other runners (in outdoor track and field) running the mile and two mile races in cross country, and cross country has helped them build their endurance,” Horan said. “Running cross country definitely makes him stronger for his best events, and it gets him ready for higher competition. He wants to be the best in track and field, and he really wants to be the best in cross country, too.”
Murray and Jeffrey have different strengths on the cross country circuit, but as sure as the sun rises in the East, they are finishing at the top of every race they compete. Depending on the course, Jeffrey has the upper hand, while Murray has claimed the higher finish in his fair share of races. They both have victories this season at meets and invitationals, and highlighted their season this past Saturday. At the highly competitive Marathon Invite, Murray finished second and Jeffrey third in a 140-runner field with each finishing the 5K course in under 18 minutes. The twosome is on pace to extend their season into November’s state meet, and are our choices this week as Planet Preowned/Matthews Ford Norwich Athletes of the Week.
Jeffrey is truly a tyro when it comes to cross country running or any running competition for that matter. You wouldn’t know it, though, by his performances. Horan said that Jeffrey has diligently scouted opposing runners from the moment he joined the team, and he knows which runners are the ones to chase – or beat. Strategically, he is miles ahead of the typical first-year runner.
“Robert does his homework, and he comes into every race mentally prepared,” Horan said. “He has done a phenomenal job figuring out his competition.”
During the early stages of the season, Jeffrey had the advantage of being an unknown quantity in racing circles. He has consistently raced along side and beaten many established veteran runners, and no longer has the luxury of anonymity. “At first, people had no idea who Robert was,” Horan said. “When he first got here, they probably looked at him as just another Norwich kid. I’m sure they recognize him now.”
As a top-end track and field athlete, Murray’s reputation preceded him. Still, distance running is not the same as running quarter- and half-mile races. That said, if Murray is anywhere near the front in the final half mile, look out.
“Matt really does have that final kick,” Horan said. “This week, the Owego coach was talking to me, and he said he told his athletes to get the heck away (and create separation) from Matt before it gets down to the last half mile. If Matt is next to someone the last half mile, there aren’t too many who can keep up. When Matt starts to surge, I haven’t seen anyone stick with him.”
Through most of this season, Jeffrey and Murray ran their own races, and it just happened that they consistently finished within a few seconds of each other. The duo turned the corner at Marathon, and worked as a team. It turned out to benefit them both, Horan said.
“They put their own competitive stuff aside and raced as a team the first 4 1/2 kilometers,” Horan said. “They purposely ran shoulder to shoulder, and pushed the pace on guys around them. They’ve been building up to using that strategy in which they spot anyone on the course, and work together to pass that person. They leave their competition behind, and it’s been fun to watch.”