Mepham's Amokrane Aouchiche rests to keep leg up on competition

It’s build back time for Amokrane Aouchiche. At the end of a long winter season, the Mepham senior’s legs were tired. It’s an all-too familiar issue for top runners like Aouchiche, who compete deep into the cross country season and then equal that success indoors. Eventually, those miles add up and the legs just need a rest.

“I haven’t felt the best these past months, especially after the indoor season,” Aouchiche said. “I think, maybe, I worked a little bit too hard in the beginning and kind of faded away at the end. But, I’m trying to work back up….Shortly and sweetly, I think I’m going to come back to it.”

He’s on his way. Aouchiche won the 1,600 meters in four minutes, 48.76 seconds at the East Meadow Invitational Tuesday at East Meadow High School.

Aouchiche won the race with ease, clearing the field by over 10 seconds. The run was a helpful cog in his journey to 3,200-meter supremacy. He said he was trying to run 4:45 Tuesday, which Aouchiche envisions as a desired first-mile split when the senior gets back to the longer distance.  

Although tired legs made the final weeks of the indoor season frustrating, it did end on a somewhat high note. He finished fifth in the 5,000 in 15:48.35 at Nike Indoor Nationals at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island, good for All-American status.

Aouchiche didn’t take any time off after the indoor season, choosing to jump right into his senior swan song. But, he did lower his training mileage in an effort to reduce stress on his legs. He hopes to run much faster times as late-April quickly morphs into late-May, as it always seems to do in the school year’s final season.

“In a month, I want to try to go low 9:20’s, maybe break 9:20 (in the 3,200),” he said. “That’s what I envision because I was 9:30’s a couple of months ago, and that wasn’t too bad. But, my legs just couldn’t keep up with the training, I guess.”

Long Islanders all over state leaderboard

One month into the outdoor season, the state leaderboard was littered with Long Islanders as the weekend got underway. On the boy’s side, Floyd’s Eddy Vu ran 10.67 at the Longwood Boys Spring Classic earlier this month, the top mark in the state. Mount Sinai’s George Franks had the best 400 time (49.69), Westhampton’s Gavin Ehlers was the top 3,200 runner at 8:57.29, Freeport’s Jordon Quinn had the top 110-hurdle time (15.04), and Calhoun’s Logan Schaeffler had the top 3,000 meter steeplechase time (10:13.50).

In the field, Valley Stream North’s Ryan John is tops in the state in the long jump (23-1 ½) and triple jump (48-11). St. Anthony’s Nicholas Lourenco’s 16-foot, three inch pole vault clear was tops in the state and Valley Stream Central’s Samee Uddin’s 60 foot throw in the shot put hadn’t been bested, as of Thursday night, according to milesplit.com.

On the girl’s side, St. Anthony’s Giavanna Ciaravino ran a 12.21 in the 100 at the Nassau Coaches Invitational and Floyd’s Zariel Macchia posted a 7:01.05 in the 2,000-meter steeple chase at the Port Jeff Steeplefest. Both those times were ranked first in the state, as of Thursday night.

In the field, Rocky Point’s Alexandra Kelly had the top long jump (19-5) and triple jump (38-10) distances. Islip’s Desiree Pagan had the best discus throw in the state (125 feet) and Ashley Brule had the top pole vault clear (12-3), as of Thursday night, according to milesplit.com