Reed sets 5000m school record amid notable weekend for Track and Field

During the Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational last Saturday, John Reed (Gr) set a school record in the indoor 5000-meter run with a time of 14:16.39. The record was previously held by Grant O’Connor ’19 with a time of 14:17.84, set at the same meet in 2019. The meet took place on February 12 at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center, a world renowned 200-meter banked track.

Reed averaged 34.26 seconds per lap, or 4:36 per mile, over the course of the 25-lap race. Reed said, “Prior to the race, I knew the school record was a possibility, but my main focus was to try to run a time fast enough to get onto the D-III [Indoor Qualifying List]. The first couple of miles of the race were not on pace for the school record, and I didn’t realize I had a shot until [there were] two laps to go, when I heard Coach [John] Lynch shouting from the infield that I could get under the time.”

Reed’s recent performance moved him into eighth on the NCAA Division III Indoor Qualifying List. The top 20 individuals at the end of the season are selected to compete at the NCAA championships in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in March.

With the help of Lynch, Reed's simple strategy for the race was "to get in a good position in the first few laps and not run the first mile too fast, then start bringing the race down in the second half of the race."

"I knew there were going to be a few guys in my heat also competing for a spot on the D-III indoor nationals qualifying list, so I also planned to pace off of them,” continued Reed. He started off fast with a first lap of 32.49 seconds, then slowed down to about 35 seconds per lap for the next eight laps. He went through 1600 meters in 4:38.48. Reed ran between 34 and 35 seconds per lap for the next 1400 meters before splitting a 33.93 to close out the second mile of the race, going through 3200 meters in 9:13.26. He dropped the pace down below 34 seconds per lap for all of the third mile, going through in a time of 13:42.97 with one lap to go. Reed ran his final lap in 33.42 seconds, finishing the race with an official time of 14:16.39.

There were multiple other notable performances at the meet. Matt Lecky ’23 ran the second fastest mile in school history, with a time of 4:05.97, which is currently third in Division III Indoor Track & Field. He also received Liberty League Performer of the Week. Vince Simonetti ’25 ran a freshman indoor 5000-meter race record in a time of 14:42.45. Morgan Lee ’23 ran a mile with a time of 4:59.95, now number 15 in Division III. Jacy Scharlow ’22 competed in the high jump, maxing out at a height of 1.66 meters. Scharlow’s performance earned her Liberty League Field Performer of the Week.

Click here to see the lap by lap splits, here to see men's results, here for women’s results, here for men’s national rankings, and here for women’s national rankings.