All four members of the Paul VI High School girls 4×800 meter relay team are capable of running a blazing fast time on any given day. Each time they hear the starter’s pistol, Macy Huber, Grace Gutowski, Giovanna Mantuano and Shaelan McNally have vowed to give it everything they have. They feel they owe it to each other.
“I feel like we put the pressure on ourselves,” said Mantuano, adding that one of the main motivators “pushing me and all of us – is each other. We’re here at practice every day. We work so hard all of the time.”
Mantuano usually runs the third leg of the 4×800 and hands off to the anchor, McNally, who is a Bucknell University signee. The layers of trust began solidifying last year during the spring track season.
“I always remember at states during the 3,200 [meter run] last year,” Mantuano said. “I was the top seed of the slow heat. I really wanted to be in the fast heat, and I thought I couldn’t [get a personal record]. But Shaelan told me if I win the heat, I’ll PR. I asked her if she thought I could win, and she said, ‘yes.’ I did, and I got a PR. Knowing that she believes in me has really been beneficial.”
McNally is the oldest on the relay team by two years and is seen as a great mentor for sophomores Mantuano and Huber, and freshman Gutowski.
“Everything that she’s doing definitely reflects off of us. She’s taught me how to be a good runner. She helped me out a lot,” Gutowski said.
Individually, all four girls have put up fantastic times in distance events throughout the season.
“These girls push me, both on and off the track and I appreciate them so much,” Huber said.
On May 2, at the Nike South Jersey Track Coaches Association Track & Field meet at Franklinville High School, McNally won the 1,600 meter run in 4:47.95 with Gutowski not far behind at 5:15.86. Huber ran the 800 in 2:26.6, and Mantuano took on the extra laps in the 3,200, winning the event in 11:17.29.
A week earlier, they joined forces in the 4×800 relay at the George Rowland Relays on April 27 at Haddon Township High School and posted a winning time of 9:55.97. On May 4, despite wet conditions, they ran a comfortable 9:53.52 at the South Jersey Track Coaches Association Open at Rancocas Valley High School, winning by nearly 30 seconds.
“It would be nice if we could have another shot to see if we could get this relay to nationals,” McNally said. “We have a great [distance medley relay], a great 4×800 and some other great relays. It would be awesome to see them [qualify] at other big meets, too.”
McNally has her sights set on medaling in a few individual events, but she has also taken the lead as a mentor to her teammates.
“It’s given me a leadership role, but I can learn a lot from the people who are younger than me,” McNally said. “I call them all my closest friends.”
They were friendships formed before McNally even knew it was happening. All it took was a little bit of kindness.
“Shaelan is now one of my best friends,” Mantuano said. “When I was a freshman, she was a junior who was talented and super sweet to me. It really helped me orientate myself to the team. Being a sophomore this year and having her as a role model gives me a chance to be myself while also knowing that she believes in me.”
They’ve learned from each other. They’ve also learned to have fun with running, which can be a big deal while navigating the grind of cross country, winter track and spring track seasons, without much of a break.
“I’ve learned how to have more fun with the sport because of this team,” McNally said. “I don’t take everything as seriously.”
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