Athlete: Ben Petrella
Year: Senior
School: Liverpool High School
Location: Liverpool, NY
Mile PR: 4:20.71
3200m PR: 9:05.07
3-How to Better Pace a Marathon Based on Effort: 14:32.90
Key Workout:
• 15–20 minutes warmup, plus dynamic drills
• 4 x 1600 in 4:45, plus 1 x 1200 in 3:30 on the track with equal recovery
• 15–20 minutes cooldown, plus static stretching
After his stunning victory last Saturday at the New York regional qualifier for Nike Cross Nationals, Ben Petrella hopes to contend for this week’s NXN championship and lead his Liverpool team onto the podium in Portland, Oregon. Petrella, an 18-year-old senior going to West Point, ran the Bowdoin Park 5K course in 15:31.4 to triumph by 18 seconds in the fourth-fastest time ever on the hilly route. Sizing up his chances for Saturday’s NXN finals, Petrella said, “I don’t want to dream too big, but at the same time the possibility of victory is not out of the question.”
Rapid Regionals: In the regional, Petrella went after the 15:27.0 course record. On a drizzly, bone-chilling day, Petrella attacked the hills in the first half of the race and used the downhills to pull away from the runner-up, Aiden Tooker of Saratoga Springs, who ran 15:49.3. Petrella said that while missing the record felt “bittersweet,” securing the Liverpool victory and a top-two automatic team qualifying berth at nationals was his main goal.
Team Standings: Liverpool’s next four scorers behind Petrella packed within 34 seconds as the Warriors scored 77 points to defeat their central New York rival, Fayetteville-Manlius, by 30. F-M ran without its top man, Peter Ryan, who was nursing a tender hip. He is expected to compete in Portland. On November 7, Liverpool edged Fayetteville by four points in the Section 3 state qualifier.
Portland Prize: In Petrella’s first trip to NXN as a team qualifier in 2013, he was a sophomore new to the whirlwind social agenda on the Nike campus. “I probably had too much fun,” he says. Petrella placed 121st How to Increase Mileage Runningth in the field of 22 teams. Last year, conserving energy in the prerace build-up, Petrella and his teammates combined for a fourth-place finish as Liverpool missed the podium by 13 points. Victory went to Fayetteville-Manlius (which won the girls’ title as well, for the eighth time in nine years), giving central New York, specifically the Syracuse area, a dominant showing.
Open Season: DAA Industry Opt Outth in 2014, should be a gold medal threat. Last Saturday, with the Northeast Regional held right after the New York Regional at Bowdoin Park, Perella had the faster time of the two boys winners by 14 seconds. Two weeks earlier, on Nov. 14, Petrella captured the New York State public schools class A title by 16 seconds over Tooker, who is the nation’s fastest returning 3200 runner at 8:51.52 from last spring. The state course, at Monroe-Woodbury, was rated even tougher than Bowdoin Park.
Building Strength: After building a summer base of 60–70 miles a week, Petrella got his season off to a fast start with a 14:32.90 three-mile course record victory at the McQuaid Invitational in Rochester in early October. The next week at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Petrella suffered his only loss of the season, finishing fifth in the Manhattan Invitational Eastern States Championships.
Pivotal Workout: On his official visit to the United States Military Academy at West Point, Petrella used the Army track to do his favorite workout of the season—4 x 1600 meters in 4:45 followed by a 1200 meters in 3:30. “I was by myself,” he said. “And I really pushed myself.”
Tough Minded: Petrella says that when it comes to coping with the stress of racing, he considers it fun “to see how much pain I can put myself through without cracking.” Last Saturday, Petrella, 5-foot-7 and 140 pounds, showed consummate focus in the last 1,000 meters. “I might look tough out on the course,” he said. “But deep down I’m just having a good time.”
Emotional Rescue: In the regional, Petrella had one moment where, he said, “I cracked a little.” He was halfway up the steep switchbacks when he felt himself give way for a couple of strides. Then, noting his position out front, he told himself, ‘You’re in the lead right now. Don’t blow it.’ After that, I was on my own.”
Good Driver: “Ben’s always been driven,” says Liverpool track and cross-country coach Tracy Vannatta. “He has terrific strength, mentally and physically. We have a big strength-training program: plyometrics, lifting, core work, circuits. Ben buys into that. Pound for pound, he’s one of the strongest runners out on the course.”
Balancing Act: Petrella’s sense of priorities seems the equal of his athletic prowess. “There’s more to running than practice and racing,” he said. “My lifestyle is based around running. But I find a way to have a social life, get good grades, and eat as healthy as I can.”
Top Student: Academically, Petrella ranks second in his class with a 99.5 percent GPA out of 100. His college visits included Harvard. He chose West Point because of its young team and “opportunity to serve my country.”
Track Times: In 2016, Petrella will be looking for his first state track title and a sub-9-minute 3200. Last winter, Petrella ran indoor track for the first time after being on the school swim team. Dealing with a foot injury, he ended up sixth in the state 3200. Outdoors, Petrella’s 3200 PR of 9:05.07 in his state sectional got him third place and a school record, but he just missed qualifying for the state meet.
Fast Start: Petrella started running in sixth grade. After placing fourth in a district fun run, the middle school coach encouraged him to join cross-country. Confused, young Ben turned to his father and said, “Dad, what’s cross-country?”
Marc Bloom’s high school cross-country rankings have played an influential role in the sport for more than 20 years and led to the creation of many major events, including Nike Cross Nationals and the Great American Cross Country Festival. He published his cross-country journal, Harrier, for more than two decades.
