HT's Schmidt wins two at intersectionals

After winning both the 1,500 and 3,000 meters at last Sunday's NSCHSAA meet, Holy Trinity's Colleen Schmidt was left with the pressure of somehow authoring an appropriate encore Sunday.

At the CHSAA Intersectional Championships at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island, Schmidt broke a 5-year-old 3,000-meter meet record by nearly four seconds (9:55.56) and held off St. John the Baptist's Anne Carey to win the 1,500 in 4:45.11.

A leg-weary Schmidt could only revel in her two titles.

"I didn't think it would feel this great," Schmidt said. "I was doubting the 1,500. Just knowing I finished with strength and won again is a great feeling."

Despite a sizable lead throughout the 3,000, Schmidt accelerated during the final lap in hopes of breaking the meet record, which had been held by Trinity's 2005 graduate Katie DiCamillo. That successful final push almost cost her down the stretch of the 1,500. "My legs were dying," Schmidt said. "Even from the start, I felt it. When I saw [Carey] come up on my shoulder, I didn't realize she was that close. I just had to fight it."

Outside of occasional training runs with freshman Caroline Brown, Schmidt practices in a young man's world. As the most accomplished distance specialist, male or female, her presence during boys team workouts creates an atypical dynamic.

"It intimidates them [the boys]," she said with a chuckle. "But it also pushes them harder at practice."

SEE PHOTOSHigh school sports -- May

Boys coach Jim Muller enjoys what Schmidt brings to his squad. For a group of adolescent boys, what's a better motivational tool than a fast girl?

"It's something that we do for fun," Muller said. "They really appreciate what she is able to accomplish because they struggle to accomplish the same things week after week."

Armed with her Metro-area private school titles, Schmidt now has her sights on the state championships, June 12-13, where she will meet Roslyn standout Emily Lipari in the 1,500 and 3,000.

"She is comfortable having raced against [Lipari] a number of times," Muller said. "She aspires to her ability and pure guts."

SEE PHOTOSCHSAA Intersectional Track Championships

Racing only elite competition from this point forward, Schmidt is content to enjoy the journey of the elite distance runner.

"I'm going to try to push myself to stay with during and get a good time out of it," Schmidt said.