By Sean Moylan, Sports, Writer
Mike Bowden’s spectacular 16:20, seventh-placed time at last Saturday’s NJSIAA Group III State Tournament at Holmdel was several months in the making.
The Haddonfield Running Company sponsors a store run where many of New Jersey’s best distance runners get together and battle it out in races of varying distances. The store races are so popular they run them a few days a week.
Looking for something to take him to the next level, Northern Burlington County Regional High junior Mike Bowden, who may one day go down as the greatest Greyhound distance runner ever, found out about those races last winter and decided to give them a try.
”Since last winter a couple of times a week he would go down to Haddonfield to run in store races,” said Bowden’s Northern Burlington varsity cross country coach Steve Alustiza.
With the graduation of his older brother Dan and friend Matt Melillo, the gap time between Bowden and the other NBC distance runners widened considerably. So in order to adequately prepare for this year’s NJSIAA State Tournament, Bowden started doing workouts with the Haddonfield High varsity cross country team in addition to his Greyhound workouts.
”Nick Baker, Haddonfield’s head coach was good with it so I was too,” said Alustiza. “The main reason why we let him do that is he would be running with five or six guys at his level.”
Running is not like other sports in that you have to seek out the best to become the best. That is why Bowden is able to be so close to the Haddonfield kids, but like and appreciate his NBC teammates very much at the same time.
”They won states for Group Two,” noted Bowden of Haddonfield. “All of their guys were pretty good.”
Lately, Bowden has been pretty good himself. He ran a 16:20 time at Sectionals to place second behind West Windsor-Plainsboro North’s freshman phenom Joe Rosa.
”He’s (Rosa) at least a minute faster than I was as a freshman,” added Bowden, who was basically a star from the start of his running career.
Then, running on a very tough Holmdel course at the State race, Bowden ran a fantastic race to qualify for this year’s Meet of Champs.
”I was pretty happy with it (16:20) but I kind of want more. I’d like to go under 16:10 or close to it,” said Bowden, who had a 5:30 split in his first mile and ran his second mile in 5:15. “Usually coming out of ‘the bowl’ is tough for me because I’m coming out of my pace.”
Bowden was able to stay with the lead pack most of the way and for a time he was in fifth place.
”His goal was to qualify for the Meet of Champions and run a good time and he did,” said Alustiza. “It’s a tribute to him to make it to the Meet of Champs.”
It’s been a strange but productive season for Bowden, who won the Liberty Division Meet at New Egypt with a career best 16:10 time. He also posted two 15:58 times in road races at Haddonfield. And he did well at the Manhattan Invitational Race. But at the same time a hip injury sidelined him for much of the season and he actually competed on his own NBC course just once this year. But not running as much this season, has kept his legs fresh and strong.
”I feel really good,” said Bowden, who plans on getting out to a good position in Saturday’s MoC at Holmdel. “Basically I just want to run my race and feel good about what I did.”
”Running is all about confidence in your ability,” added Alustiza, who is amazed by Bowden’s incredible desire to do well. Mike Bowden is willing to do whatever it takes to make this his year.
