by Sarah DeMaranville
Geneseo Current
Five Geneseo cross country and track coaches traded coaching duties for racing shoes recently, teaming up to capture first place overall in the Rock Valley Physical Therapy 5-Person Relay at the Quad Cities Marathon.
L to R: Aaron Skopec, Todd Ehlert, Megan Miller, Kyle Sellers, Jeff Brown
The “Geneseo TF/XC Coaches” team of Jeff Brown, Todd Ehlert, Megan Miller, Kyle Sellers, and Aaron Skopec completed the marathon relay in a chip time of 2 hours, 46 minutes, and 46 seconds, averaging a 6:21-per-mile pace. The performance earned the group both first place overall and first place in the Open Coed division, according to the race results.
The idea for an all-coaches team began after several members competed on separate relay teams during last year's marathon.
“After the Marathon last year, we discussed having an all coaches relay,” the group said. “We all thought it would be a great idea.”
This year's race marked the first time all five had competed together on the same relay team.
The coaches approached the race much as they might approach putting together a lineup for their own athletes. They discussed the different sections of the course and matched runners with legs that suited their individual strengths.
“We knew that we could do well in each leg to put us in a spot to have a competitive time,” they said.
And they weren't simply hoping to finish.
The group reviewed results from previous years and estimated the kind of time they believed they could run. Based on those numbers, they knew a victory was possible, although they also recognized that another strong relay team could show up unexpectedly.
“We were hoping for the win, but knew there could be a surprise team we did not know about,” they said. “We looked at previous years' times and guessed what time we might finish in, so we knew we had a strong shot.”
The competitive nature that comes with coaching carried over to race day.
Team members were stationed at different points along the marathon route, but technology allowed them to follow one another's progress. They tracked each runner through the race app and exchanged text messages with updates and encouragement as the relay unfolded.
“A mixture of both,” the group said when asked whether being coaches made the experience more competitive or more fun. “We are all very competitive people, so we wanted to go out there and do well.”
The finish provided one of the day's highlights: “The whole race was exciting for everyone, and crossing the finish line together with smiles on our faces was memorable!”
All five coaches are part of Geneseo's cross country or track programs. Ehlert is the Geneseo High School head boys cross country coach and Geneseo Middle School head boys track and field coach. Skopec is the GHS head girls cross country coach, while Miller is an assistant girls cross country coach. Brown serves as an assistant boys cross country coach at GHS, and Sellers is an assistant coach for both GHS boys cross country and boys track and field.
For one weekend, though, the coaches weren't watching the clock for their athletes.
They were racing it themselves.
