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07/16/2023 08:06 AMFor Jack Cozean, it does not matter if he is racing as a group of one or if he is one member of a fast-footed and fearsome foursome, he knows how to stay at the head of the pack and cross the finish line in first place.
The Haddam-Killingworth distance runner started off his sophomore season last fall on the cross country course by earning First Team All-Shoreline and All-State Team accolades. He did not skip a beat with regard to the outdoor track season this past spring, as he replicated his All-Shoreline feat by being part of the Cougars’ conference-champion 4x800 relay squad after they clocked in with a combined time of eight minutes and 25.65 seconds.
“I had big motivation during the cross country season, because even though we did not win Shorelines or states as a team, I kept pushing,” says Jack. “I struggled a bit during the indoor season this past winter and did not run my best. Yet before the outdoor season, I talked with [H-K boys’ cross country and outdoor track Head Coach Matt Diglio] about what I struggled with the most, and then I worked on that, and I saw big improvements during outdoor track.”
Diglio additionally notes that Jack houses all the desired intangibles to be a great competitor–helping him overcome hurdles in his mind to race towards rousing results and a future leadership post.
“Jack is extremely motivated, focused, hard-working, and goal oriented,” says Diglio. “He had a very good sophomore year that started off with a strong cross country season. He struggled in the winter with the mental aspect of the sport, which all distance runners deal with at some point in their running careers. What impressed me most about him was how he was able to overcome those struggles and return for a very strong spring track season. He was named captain for this upcoming cross country season, and I am excited to see his continued progression as a runner over the next few years of high school.”
From a mechanics and physiological standpoint, the 4x800 relay bred a feel of familiarity for Jack thanks to his cross country background, plus he had the added ingredient of the camaraderie and synergy surrounding his relay cohorts.
“With the relay team, we are all very close and get along well; we trained together and all love the sport. Coach Diglio helped keep us on the same page, but we are a close-knit group and we’re motivated to help each other,” Jack says. “Relay was something new to me, but I knew I had to put myself out there and do my best. For me in relays, it is about working in the first lap and then even harder for the second lap.”
Jack certainly sticks to a rigorous regimen when it comes to training that is either in season or during the offseason. Within his training, he has uncovered a true and time-honored trait of knowing when to conserve energy and speed and finding the right moment to kick things into high gear.
“I know I have to follow my schedule and what Coach Diglio puts out there for us. It is also about not pushing as hard on the easier training days and pushing more on the harder ones,” says Jack. “It was tough not winning Shorelines and states during cross country season, which I think brought me into my slump during indoor, but I just figured out when to push and not push as hard, along with not focusing so much on my times.”
Speaking more to his strategy and perfecting his pacing whether in a running lane or out in the open, Jack details that he loves to maintain his stature within the swarm of swift competitors and being at the right momentum after each heat of relay runs.
“In cross country, you always want to get out of the start running hard and run in a pack. For the second half of a race, I try to pick up the pace and pass guys and gain more on them,” Jack says. “With track, I know what my splits should be, hit them, and then push harder in the final lap.”
Returning back to cross country as a captain this upcoming fall as a junior for the Cougars, Jack aims to lead by example in addition to starting the return path to Shoreline Conference and state crowns in October with multiple meetups in July and August to forge friendships and bonds amongst the roster.
“My junior year will be a big year with cross country, as I will be a co-captain with a senior as a junior,” says Jack. “It is about motivating everyone over the summer and getting together as a team. For myself, I am also keying in on putting in the mileage and training this summer.”