RallyNorth.net

Sun, Feb 26, 2012 11:00 AM @ Neutral Location

Team	Final
Andover	8
Central Catholic	0
Haverhill	0
Methuen	0
Pentucket	0

Andover's Mullins falls short of goal

Monday, February, 27 By Christopher Smith
Staff writer

BOSTON — Andover’s Maggie Mullins had a goal to run the 2-mile in under 10:50 at All-States yesterday.

There was only one problem: Her nerves got the better of her.

Mullins was the top seed in the event, with a personal best time (10:51.04) that is just shy of North Andover great Kirsten Kasper’s three-year-old area record of 10:48.68.

The Boston College-bound senior was clearly disappointed with herself after finishing third (10:58.02).

“It’s a big goal to get into the 40s,” Mullins said. “I kind of blew it.”

Mullins admitted she feels more nervous when others are running right behind her or close to her.

“I like it when I get to focus on my time rather than the people around me,” she said.

Mullins was the only local girl to place in an individual event here at the Reggie Lewis Center.

She has opted not to run at the New England track meet Friday. She will skip it and run at the New Balance Indoor Nationals meet March 9-11 at The Armory Track and Field Center in New York City.

“She was a little worked up, a little nervous,” Andover coach Peter Comeau said. “She still broke 11:00 so she ran a great time. I think she’s disappointed with third. She thinks she can win.”

Comeau said the best way for Mullins to break 10:50 is to forget about running for a few days — and just relax and recharge.

“She’s in her head right now and she doesn’t want to let anybody down,” Comeau said. “She’s an amazing girl and she thinks too hard.”

By skipping the New England meet, Mullins will go almost two full weeks without competing. She needs it.

“She really worked hard for this meet,” Comeau said. “We ran three hard races (MVC, States, All-States) in a row. Her body needs another week.”

Comeau will give Mullins both today and tomorrow off practice. 

“And then Wednesday we’ll bring her in and she’ll do very light running,” he said. “Maybe three miles. For her, that’s nothing. And then Friday, depending on the weather, we’ll do a speed workout.”

Mullins then will take Sunday off and do one more speed workout before competing March 9.

Smartest relay team ever?

North Andover’s Dana McManus, Alexa Duffy, Mikayla Guthrie and Julia Mehlman placed sixth in the 4x200 (1:48.00).

Mehlman is ranked 13th in her senior class. McManus is ranked 34th in the senior class and Duffy is ranked 18th. Guthrie, meanwhile, is just a freshman so she doesn’t have a class rank yet.

Mehlman and Duffy sit beside each other in AP Calculus. They say they all motivate one another academically as well as athletically.

The four, who broke the school record again after breaking it last week at States, will run at the New England meet.