Photo credit: https://nj.milesplit.com/photos/files/4150268
Declan Kelly, a name synonymous with Oratory distance running. Declan Kelly has been among OP’s best distance runners ever since his freshman year. He follows his brother, Brian Kelly who also ran Cross Country and Track here at OP. Declan knew he had some skill early on, running 19:11 during freshman year Cross Country. While this is an impressive time for a freshman, it’s nowhere near his peak, as he dropped his PR to 17:30 as a sophomore. Declan attended his first nationals at the New Balance Indoor Nationals that same year, competing against the nation’s best at just 16. Since then, he has attended every nationals race with the team. Declan’s main event, the 1600, is second all time in school history (4:22.2), only 0.2 seconds off first place. He has also been a part of the school record SMR and DMR. He’s gone on to have a top three finish in school history at every Cross Country course, and holds the Horseshoe lake park school record of 16:07. Not only is this time his 5K PR, but it’s also the third fastest time in OP Cross Country history, making him the second fastest OP XC runner ever.
While these are all running accolades, Declan also is a great leader. He never hesitates to reach out and give advice to everyone, not just the top runners. He will be missed by everyone apart from the program and school, but his impact will still remain. He left the running program better than he found it, and helped set up OP for a successful future. Declan just finished his senior project, where he solved a rubix cube blindfolded (as he would refer to later on). He will attend the University of Florida in the fall, where he will study electrical engineering.
Tell me about your background, and how you were first introduced to track.
“So right now, I’m probably the most all around runner on the team, probably second in most events and first in another. When it comes to track, my first experience wasn’t good. I didn’t like it, and I was not fond of running, I’ll just say that.”
What are your strongest events and PR’s?
My strongest event right now is the 1600, where I run a 4:21 in, and then after that I would say is my 800 with I run a 1:57 in.
Besides running, what clubs or extracurricular activities do you participate in?
Well as I just told you, I solve rubix cubes for fun. I also do chess club, chess is fun for me, it’s a lot of thinking which makes it fun, and I’m also in Art Club.
What is your favorite running event/meet you have attended? Why?
“I got to say the Meet of Champions junior year, that was my first actually good race. I improved my mile PR by four seconds, running 4:24.”
What inspires/motivates you to continue training?
“Running is fun man, that’s the best part of it, running is just fun.”
What was your worst sports performance? What did you learn from that to make you better?
“I would say Conferences last year. I didn’t exactly have the worst races ever, but I was not happy with my performance especially since it was like eight seconds off my PR. That was just due to some health issues, I had some iron issues. But from then on I was just learning to take care of your body, and try and do everything that you can to keep it healthy.”
What do you believe makes a great runner?
“Dedication is literally everything because if you’re not going to go out there on days where you don’t have practice or even days that you do have practice, what can you do? Being consistent and staying motivated everyday is the only way you’re going to get good at running.”
How has the coaching staff of Coach Seebode and Coach McCrystal impacted your abilities?
“Okay so these two are the best coaches that I have ever met. They are just incredible coaches in general but also just incredible people. As I said, you need to stay motivated, and if you can’t stay motivated with those two as your coaching staff then I don’t know who you would be staying motivated with.”
What has been your biggest difficulty to overcome during your career?
“I would say back to that iron issue, because that really killed my spring season. That was after Meet of Champs when I ran my 4:24 PR and I was hoping that season would be the real breakout season but it kind of died from that, even my summer training after it kind of died. Staying motivated, really taking care of my health, and fixing that is what got me here right now and that’s why I still love it.”
How have you been able to balance academics while running year round?
“Ive had alot of people ask me this question, I don’t know really, I kind of just do it. I do my homework in school, sometimes I do it at home, but the balance is just there, I don’t know how to explain it.”
What advice would you give a younger runner or athlete who is trying to succeed in their sport?
“Run on the days where you don’t have practice. I did not do that freshman year, that was a bad idea. As I said before, staying consistent is the key to getting good at running, so wherever you’re not seen by the coaches, do what you have to do.”
What will you miss most about OP and the track team?
“Literally everything. These past four years have been the best four years of my life. I’m going to miss all the friends that are here, I’m going to miss the amazing coaching staff, the amazing teachers that are here, everything about this school has just been great. I can’t say anything bad about it.”
Do you plan on running in college? What other running goals do you still have after you graduate?
“I absolutely plan on running in college. I’ve been emailing the coach for Florida and he has been responding. I’m currently not on the team, but it sounds like I might be. But even if I’m not, I’m going to continue running no matter what, because while its ambitious, I want to break four in the mile one day”
Any final thoughts?
“For anyone thinking about running, take the chance, because although it may not sound fun when you first think about it, it really is. Despite it being a punishment in other sports, in our sport it is the main thing, and that makes it fun.”
