Kauke, Tigers’ track have to step up
By: Justin Feil
Josh Kauke has not progressed as much as he had hoped this spring, but the Princeton University junior could forget his disappointment with a strong showing at the Heptagonals at Yale on Saturday and Sunday.
"Not a lot of people know, but I’ve been hurt a little bit," said Kauke, a Ridgewood resident. "The only running I’ve been doing is my track workouts. I’ve had chronic knee problems. It’s where I can run, but I’m running in pain. All things considered, I’ve been pretty happy."
He has a season-best of 1:51.56, but has a personal best of 1:49.93 that he’ll be looking to top if he feels good enough.
"After the indoor season, we kind of shut it down early so we could peak by this points outdoors," said Kauke, who was second in the 800 at the indoor Heps. "My knee has been slowing down my progression. I think I’m ready to run a big race and hopefully contend for the 800 title."
Kauke can be uplifted after running a strong third leg of the 4×800 at the Penn Relays on Saturday. His move pushed the Tigers past Penn until the Quakers’ anchor, Sam Burley, overtook his Princeton cohort on the final lap. Princeton was 12th in the Championship of America top heat.
Kauke will be one of the Tigers trying to put an end to Burley’s middle-distance dominance while also taking a big step toward earning valuable points for Princeton, which figures to contend with Penn and Cornell for the Heps crown.
"Burley will probably do the 800 and 1500," Kauke said. "It’s the only way we see Penn having a chance. Last year, it couldn’t have gone better for him (with the 1500 going out slowly and being more tactical). That won’t happen this year with the guys from Dartmouth.
"We balance out pretty evenly with Cornell with the field events, which historically have been our strength. The meet will be made or broken by our distance guys. We have some guys ready to run some good races. Hopefully Jon Bell can win the 5k. Hopefully we can put two guys in the finals of the 800. I think they’re going to be the points that give us the meet if we win it."
A win at outdoor Heps would be the first since Kauke arrived on campus. Penn has won the past two years. Cornell broke Princeton’s indoor Heps streak after five titles this winter.
"We definitely feel we have a very good chance," said Kauke, who ran the fastest 800 of a Princeton runner in the indoor season and holds the third fastest Heps qualifying time behind Burley and Vincent Galgano of Columbia. "Obviously, it was tough because in indoors we lost by a few points when we lost the 4×400. Last year, we lost to Penn by two points when we lost the 4×400. It’s not going to be easy. A lot of people have to step it up."
Kauke is one of them. In addition to racing Burley, the Ivy League’s premier male on a national scene, he’ll run one of the 4×400 legs in what’s become a pivotal race in recent years. Last year, the Tigers had to run in the slow heat, yet turned in a season best.
"I’ve always been a 4×400 guy," Kauke said. "I was on the relay last year. After that race, there was an immediate high. Then when Penn beat us, it was one of the biggest lows I’ve felt on the track.
"You have to give it everything you got. You leave nothing on the track. I do enjoy (the 4×400). Penn will definitely be the favorite. They’re the ones who beat us last year. I think we have a good enough time to be in the same heat as Penn this year though."
And Kauke’s attitude remains positive despite a number of injuries that could hamper Princeton’s chances at a 37th Heptagonal crown. It’s been over a year since they last won one, the 2001-02 indoor championship, and only the senior class can recall an outdoor team title. Yet Princeton is confident.
"I feel like even though we lost the last two Heps, we’ve still thought of ourselves as the favorites," Kauke said. "That might have hurt us in indoor. We expected things to happen as opposed to making things happen. We have to realize we have a good chance, but know the title won’t be handed to us.

