Cav athletes to run in Boston marathon

by Chris Nielsen

The qualifying time to compete in the Boston Marathon staff writer this year is three hours and 10 minutes, a time Fullem and Jones both beat.

For many Cabrini students, Thanksgiving break was an opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest and relaxation. For Ryan Jones, Jeff Fullem and Dom Staino, three members of Cabrini's men's track team, it was an opportunity to race in the Philadelphia marathon.

By the end of the race, Fullem and Jones had both qualified to compete in one of the most prestigious races in the world, the Boston Marathon.

The Philadelphia Marathon is a yearly event on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The 26-mile race begins and ends at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It stretches all the way from Manayunk to South Street and through many well known Philadelphia sites in between, such as Independence Hall and the Philadelphia Zoo.

Jones and Staino are both sophomores and members of Cabrini's cross country and track teams. Fullem is a junior transfer to Cabrini and a team member.

The three were all instrumental in bringing Cabrini to its repeat as PAC champion during this past cross country season.

This year has been Staino's debut as a distance runner after playing football all throughout high school. Jones has to cope with diabetes in addition to the regular rigors of distance running.

Going into the race, Staino was the favorite to run the fastest time of the three. However, an injury in the middle of the race hampered his performance.

Fullem ended up with the strongest time, running the course in three hours and three minutes. Jones followed with a time of three hours and eight minutes.

Their qualifications are a historical first for Cabrini College.

"Back in the '80s, Cabrini had nationally ranked cross country teams and none of their runners qualified for the race," Fullem said.

This year will mark the 102nd running of the Boston Marathon. Set for April 19th, the race is considered by many to be the most prestigious event in marathon running.

Every year, thousands of marathon runners train in the hopes of being able just to reach the qualifying time to enter the marathon.

The Philadelphia Marathon was Fullem's second attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon. It was Jones's and Staino's first marathon ever.

Choosing to enter in the Philadelphia Marathon was a controversial decision for the runners. Since the race took place in between seasons, it did not directly affect anyone's season. However, the runners chose not to tell head track coach Tom.O'Hora or many of their teammates of their decision.

When Jones and Fullem do compete in the Boston Marathon, they will miss the last two meets of the outdoor track season.

"Coach will be pissed," Jones said. "We feel bad, but it is our championship. To qualify is a very big deal for us."

When Fullem and Jones do compete in Boston, their goals are to "finish in under three hours and have fun," said Jones. Running against the premier runners from across the country, both hope to make the best of this opportunity.

graphic obtained from the Internet

The 26-mile Philadelphia marathon, in which three Cabrini track team members recently competed, takes runners through key sites of the city.