Winning on a whim
PENN TWP — After finishing among the top 10 in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter races at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships, Ethan Wymer was ready for a rest.
Or maybe not.
The Knoch graduate and Saint Vincent College sophomore decided to run the recent Penn Christian 5k in Penn Township, a while after the PAC meet and shortly after running the Pittsburgh Half-Marathon.
“I was still in shape and it’s close to home,” Wymer said of the Penn Christian 5k. “I never planned on running it, but then I figured, why not?”
He wound up topping the approximate 100-runner field — and setting a course-record time of 16 minutes, 10 seconds.
“That felt pretty good,” Wymer admitted. “It was a good way to end the spring season.”
He was on a pretty good roll before that, placing third in the 10,000 meters at the PAC Championships with a time of 33 minutes, .06 seconds. He placed seventh in the 5,000 with a time of 15 minutes, 46 seconds.
“Ethan came on really strong toward the end of the season,” Saint Vincent cross country and track and field coach Kevin Wanichko said. “His time in the Pittsburgh half was very impressive.
“I think he’ll carry that momentum into next cross country season and beyond.”
Wymer ran the Pittsburgh Half-Marathon in 1 hour, 13 minutes.
“My cross country season wasn’t very good last year,” Wymer said. “I did a lot better on the outdoor track. I didn’t prepare for it the way I should have. I’ve learned from that and hope for a much better result next fall.”
He plans to settle into the Bearcats’ summer conditioning program now before running in the St. Barnabas 5k, an August event that will lead him into cross country season.
“Ethan is a hard worker and I think he over-trained coming into last (cross country) season,” Wanichko said. “He’s ready to shoot up to another level.”
Wymer is hoping that level will approach Tim Patterson, a Butler graduate who won the 5,000 and 10,000 at the PAC meet and was named the league’s outstanding performer at the event.
“Running with Tim has been so helpful to me,” Wymer said. “His ability is something special. Just working out with him, following him and seeing how he’s doing it is beneficial ... He’s just a great runner.
“I put him at a different level when compared to myself. If I can approach where he’s at, I’ll be happy. My goals are to finish among the top 10 at the (PAC) cross country meet and make the podium (top three) in the spring meet.”
Wanichko sees both as possibilities.
“I think he can be an all-region runner,” the coach said. “I can see him going sub-15 (seconds) in the 5k and that would put him in that neighborhood. He used to swim here, too, but he gave that up to concentrate on his running.”
Wymer was a swimmer for Knoch and was a four-year letter-winner in cross country and track and field. He was a team captain his senior season.
