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Salute to Seniors series article feature on Lake Braddock distance runner JJ Pitrelli. Behind his team's two state caliber runners in Nick Tuck and Alex Corbett, Pitrelli has been one of the Lake Braddock's squads consistent performances in the distance events as a regular member of the team's top 7 in cross country which placed 4th in the state meet this past fall and was able to run a 1600 PR of 4:36 in his final open race in the Patriot District Championships. Continuing his studies at James Madison University in the fall, Pitrelli ran on Lake Braddock's sub 8 minute 4x800 meter relay this spring as well.
Interview with Lake Braddock distance runner JJ Pitrelli
What was your most memorable race?
My most memorable race of high school was probably the last individual race that I had which was the 2013 Patriot District outdoor 1600m. I went 4:36 for the 1600 which was a HUGE drop in time from the previous year and I finally broke the 4:40 barrier. Also my teammate Alex Corbett won the race and broke 4:20 for the first time, so it was cool to be able to say I was in the race with him.
Who would you consider your greatest competition over your four years?
I would say our biggest competition over my 4 years was probably our district rivals, West Springfield. In XC the past two years it was always a close district meet between them, us, and West Potomac. In the past two years they would always start out the season better than us, but we'd really shine in the post season and we won the last two patriot district XC titles. They're a great team and it's been great competing against them so many times. Robinson has always been a huge rival of ours also.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment came during XC this year when I was the captain of our team that made it to the AAA state meet and finished 4th. It was an incredible season that I will never forget.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
If I could do it all over again I would focus more on weight training than I did. I didn't really do any weight lifting until the end of junior year and I think it helped a lot with my finishing strength. Also, I would have tried to get more iron into my diet.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
The most difficult obstacles I had to overcome was training when there wasn't practice or when it wasn't convenient. Over high school there were many school trips/family vacations that I went on where it wasn't always easy to keep up my training, but most of the time I got out and ran when I needed to.
What will you miss most?
I'm going to miss all the friends I made on the team and on other teams. I'm gonna miss my coaches because they are one of the most experienced and dedicated coaching staffs in Virginia. I'm gonna miss the feeling of kicking at the end of a race and finishing with a big PR. I'm also going to miss all the fun my team and I had over the summer and at Camp Varsity Running Camp.
What advice you would give to younger athletes?
Never settle for being good, there is always room for improvement. Leave everything on the course/ track every time you race.
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
Coach Mangan always told me how to lead as a team captain and how to do things to improve how the team worked as a whole. Coach Steve Hoogland always told me how to train effectively and turn my efforts in practice into great races on the track. Coach Switzer always taught me how to be efficient with my running form and how to balance my priorities that school and track presented. Coach Custer always used his experience in track to run the team and was always open to suggestions from me and the other team captains.
What are your college plans?
I will be attending James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. JMU does not have a Men's D1 Cross Country/Track team, so I will not be competing at the collegiate level.
Who would you like to say thank you to?
I want to thank my parents for supporting me through my 12 seasons of running. They were always very active within the Lake Braddock program and volunteered when they could. I also want to thank my coaches for teaching me everything I know about the sport and giving up their time to help me improve as a runner.
