At the eight-mile mark in Sunday’s Philadelphia Love Run half marathon, junior Ryan Allen led thousands of runners by more than a minute.
But when he looked back, Allen realized he wasn’t totally alone. His Villanova club teammates, senior Liam Baker and sophomore Justin Williams, were just behind.
“There’s one point around the eight miles where you turn around and see everyone chasing you,” Allen said. “I saw [my Villanova teammates], and they were top three at that point. It was getting really exciting.”
While Allen came in first, nearly 50 Villanova club runners enjoyed a spirited morning of racing and Philadelphia sightseeing at the annual Love Run half marathon. The course pays homage to the “City of Brotherly Love” by beginning and ending at the “Rocky steps” of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
“It’s a very unique event because everyone [in club running] feels like they’re racing together, which we don’t really get in any other competition,” President of club running, junior Emma Spagnola, said. “I always encourage everyone to wear Villanova stuff, because the crowd will cheer for you, say ‘Go ‘Cats’ and put their Vs up.”
Allen’s race ended with a first-place trophy. He finished the 13.1 miles in a time of 1:10:05.
Baker finished fourth, with a personal-best time of 1:13:22.
“It was all so surreal,” Baker said. “Once I crossed that line, I was so grateful just to know that I could get to the end and that my teammates were close by, and Ryan [Allen] winning. This being my last year as a senior, I knew I had to make the most of it, and I did.”
In his first-ever half marathon, Williams came in sixth with a time of 1:14:02. Sophomore Wylie Dell’Olio also made strides in the 15-19 age group race, finishing second in 1:35:16.
For Williams, the supportive environment and opportunity to run alongside his teammates served as motivation to push himself throughout the race.
“I look up to Liam [Baker] a lot and wanted to have a good race with him for his senior year,” Williams said. “Sticking with him for as long as I did helped me finish in the top ten, which was unbelievable.”
13.1 miles in a time of 1:10:05. (Courtesy of Emma Spagnola)
Spagnola said the team looks forward to the Love Run as an opportunity for both the competitive and recreational rosters to race together. She finished 21st overall in the half marathon, running a personal-best time of 1:27:57.
Spagnola oversaw the registration and planning process for the club running team to participate in the Love Run. She worked with Ashley Vero, Villanova’s assistant director of club sports and recreation, to arrange a race tent and hotel rooms in downtown Philadelphia for the athletes.
The Love Run has become an annual tradition for Villanova club runners.
“Last year, I was telling myself afterward that it’s probably the most fun that I ever had during a race,” Baker said. “The crowd cheering on Villanova and so many of my Villanova classmates running the race made the environment a lot more fun. So this year I was looking forward to it more and more.”
Villanova club running, which was founded in 2006 by varsity head coach Marcus O’Sullivan, competes under the National Intercollegiate Running Club Association (NIRCA).
“Most of our competitive athletes came onto the [club] team wishing to walk onto the [varsity] Villanova team, so a lot of our top men’s and women’s athletes are very fast,” Spagnola said. “Most people assume a club sport would be very low-key. We do welcome anyone who is interested, but it’s awesome how we’re not running D-I, but we’re still racing so well.”
In the fall, both the men’s and women’s teams qualified for NIRCA national championships. Freshman sprinter Mason Canton and distance runner Nate Goldsborough will head to Richmond, VA this weekend for nationals, hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University.
While Allen participated in the Love Run to enjoy the experience with his Villanova peers, his forte is race walking, as a member of Team USA. Allen will race walk in the Penn Relays on April 26.
A highly anticipated event for the whole team is the club Penn Relays, hosted at Franklin Field by the University of Pennsylvania club running team, in late April.
