Mangus to run one last time as a Fairfield Lion
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
This is it for Fairfield senior Michael Mangus, as the racer has qualified for the second consecutive year to run in the Division III State Track & Field Championships.
The 3200-meter race at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium will complete what may be the most storied athletic career for any Fairfield Lion.
Mangus is a three-time state qualifier in cross-country, placing 14th and fourth in consecutive seasons, he placed at the State Indoor Track and Field Championships, and now he has a goal of placing Saturday in the 3200m run.
Last year, Mangus finished 12th with a time of 9:54.07 in the 3200m run.
Don't bet against Mangus placing in this race, as he was the 2014 regional champion, winning with a time of 9:36.50 (defeating 14 other runners), as he also won a district and Southern Hills Athletic Conference title this season.
"Regionals were similar to some of my other races in that I was pretty much alone," Mangus said. "I had to push myself. It was different in the atmosphere. Regionals is just a big-time race, and I think that makes everybody else run faster."
Mangus then spoke about running alone.
"It's a really good problem to have," he said. "You definitely can't run your best times like that. My best times that I've ran in my life, I got seventh and 19th places in those races, so it just goes to show what the competition can do for you."
[[In-content Ad]]Getting to the state track meet began this winter for Mangus, as he raced in more indoor track meets than he usually does.
"I ran a lot more indoor track than I ever have this winter," he said. "My goal for the outdoor season was to break 9:30, and I actually ended up doing that indoors, so it made me reassess my goals and focus on even faster times.
"It helped motivate me even more for the outdoor season."
Even though this is the third state event for which Mangus has qualified his senior season and the sixth of his high school career, the runner said he still gets butterflies.
"[Nerves] are always going to be there to a certain extent just because of the level you're racing at and all the competition there," Mangus said. "Definitely the more experience you can get at a high level of racing at state and large invitationals is always helpful at the end of the year.
"This spring, the Eastern Relays I went to at the University of Louisville was the race where I was 19th and ran my personal best time."
For Mangus, this senior season was about building endurance, as he proved to himself he could race four races at one meet and still finish with some of the best times of his career.
"At our conference meet, I ran four events and was still able to come back and break 9:50 in the two-mile (3200m)," he said. "That was a big confidence booster to know I could run a time like that even after so many events beforehand.
"At districts, I had a new personal best in the mile (1600m) and was able to come back and break the district record in the 3200. At regionals, I decided to scratch the 1600 and go with the 3200 and won."
Mangus' coach and father, Bill Mangus, spoke about the improvement Michael has made throughout his career.
"I think Michael's gotten physically stronger and is physically able to handle more mileage and tougher workouts, and that's transpired into faster track times," Coach Mangus said. "Every year that a young man develops, he gets stronger. I also believe mentally, Michael has the mindset and confidence of having run multiple events and multiple good times all year long.
"I think mentally, that gives you a big edge at this time of the year. This time of the year is probably 75-percent mental and 25-percent physical."
It just isn't about the running for Mangus when it comes to his high school career. He was also one of the top students in his high school class as a co-salutatorian, along with being Academic All-Ohio twice in track & field and three times in cross-country.
Mangus earned a full-ride scholarship to Northern Kentucky University, a Division I school, for his academic and athletic accomplishments. He has committed to run both track and cross-country there.
"My academics are just like my running in that I'm looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that are presented to me next year [at NKU]," Mangus said.
Coach Mangus also spoke about academics.
"It's very satisfying to see that the hard work pays off in life and as well as athletics," he said. "The harder you work at something and the more you focus on something, the better you become at it, and I think that's evident with Michael's running and Michael's academic status."
With all that work and effort, Mangus still has the goal of not just making the podium, but to be in the Top 2.
"My goal is definitely to be first or second, top two, in the 3200," he said. "My times the last few races haven't been quite as fast as they were earlier in the year because I haven't run multiple events.
"The weather hasn't cooperated with the heat. I just need to get back to running those times again, which I know I can. I think if I can do that, I can't go wrong."
The 3200-meter race at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium will complete what may be the most storied athletic career for any Fairfield Lion.
Mangus is a three-time state qualifier in cross-country, placing 14th and fourth in consecutive seasons, he placed at the State Indoor Track and Field Championships, and now he has a goal of placing Saturday in the 3200m run.
Last year, Mangus finished 12th with a time of 9:54.07 in the 3200m run.
Don't bet against Mangus placing in this race, as he was the 2014 regional champion, winning with a time of 9:36.50 (defeating 14 other runners), as he also won a district and Southern Hills Athletic Conference title this season.
"Regionals were similar to some of my other races in that I was pretty much alone," Mangus said. "I had to push myself. It was different in the atmosphere. Regionals is just a big-time race, and I think that makes everybody else run faster."
Mangus then spoke about running alone.
"It's a really good problem to have," he said. "You definitely can't run your best times like that. My best times that I've ran in my life, I got seventh and 19th places in those races, so it just goes to show what the competition can do for you."
[[In-content Ad]]Getting to the state track meet began this winter for Mangus, as he raced in more indoor track meets than he usually does.
"I ran a lot more indoor track than I ever have this winter," he said. "My goal for the outdoor season was to break 9:30, and I actually ended up doing that indoors, so it made me reassess my goals and focus on even faster times.
"It helped motivate me even more for the outdoor season."
Even though this is the third state event for which Mangus has qualified his senior season and the sixth of his high school career, the runner said he still gets butterflies.
"[Nerves] are always going to be there to a certain extent just because of the level you're racing at and all the competition there," Mangus said. "Definitely the more experience you can get at a high level of racing at state and large invitationals is always helpful at the end of the year.
"This spring, the Eastern Relays I went to at the University of Louisville was the race where I was 19th and ran my personal best time."
For Mangus, this senior season was about building endurance, as he proved to himself he could race four races at one meet and still finish with some of the best times of his career.
"At our conference meet, I ran four events and was still able to come back and break 9:50 in the two-mile (3200m)," he said. "That was a big confidence booster to know I could run a time like that even after so many events beforehand.
"At districts, I had a new personal best in the mile (1600m) and was able to come back and break the district record in the 3200. At regionals, I decided to scratch the 1600 and go with the 3200 and won."
Mangus' coach and father, Bill Mangus, spoke about the improvement Michael has made throughout his career.
"I think Michael's gotten physically stronger and is physically able to handle more mileage and tougher workouts, and that's transpired into faster track times," Coach Mangus said. "Every year that a young man develops, he gets stronger. I also believe mentally, Michael has the mindset and confidence of having run multiple events and multiple good times all year long.
"I think mentally, that gives you a big edge at this time of the year. This time of the year is probably 75-percent mental and 25-percent physical."
It just isn't about the running for Mangus when it comes to his high school career. He was also one of the top students in his high school class as a co-salutatorian, along with being Academic All-Ohio twice in track & field and three times in cross-country.
Mangus earned a full-ride scholarship to Northern Kentucky University, a Division I school, for his academic and athletic accomplishments. He has committed to run both track and cross-country there.
"My academics are just like my running in that I'm looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that are presented to me next year [at NKU]," Mangus said.
Coach Mangus also spoke about academics.
"It's very satisfying to see that the hard work pays off in life and as well as athletics," he said. "The harder you work at something and the more you focus on something, the better you become at it, and I think that's evident with Michael's running and Michael's academic status."
With all that work and effort, Mangus still has the goal of not just making the podium, but to be in the Top 2.
"My goal is definitely to be first or second, top two, in the 3200," he said. "My times the last few races haven't been quite as fast as they were earlier in the year because I haven't run multiple events.
"The weather hasn't cooperated with the heat. I just need to get back to running those times again, which I know I can. I think if I can do that, I can't go wrong."