Men’s amateur baseball…Townhall basketball…volleyball leagues…
Cleveland athletic coaches often find a way to participate in the sports they lead, and first-year cross country and track & field coach Casey Olson is no different.
Olson likes to run, and he did it on a big stage on Monday when he competed in the Boston Marathon. Finishing the 26.2 miles in 2:39.51, he took a respectable 440th place overall among the 30,000 runners.
“Running Boston was incredible,” Olson said. “With that many runners and even more spectators, the atmosphere was loud and electric at all points. I ran with a couple of college teammates, which added to the atmosphere as well. The course was as tough as advertised, which made it a very fun challenge for me.”
Monday was Olson’s third marathon and his first time running the Boston Marathon. His previous two marathons were Grandma's Marathon in Duluth in 2022 and 2023.
“Marathons are awesome. They are simultaneously extremely difficult and can be demoralizing but are also rewarding and electrifying. It's the culmination of a lot of hard work and training, which makes them highly emotional events. You can only run a marathon so often, which gives each one added significance and creates an incredible atmosphere.”
Marathoners need to qualify for Boston, and Olson did at Grandma's each of the last two years. For his gender and age range, the necessary time was 3 hours, but posting the required time doesn’t guarantee a spot in the race since the Boston Marathon has a limit on how many people can run. This year, the required time was 2:54:50 for Olson’s gender and age.
Olson started training in December, roughly 20 weeks before race day, gradually increasing mileage and the intensity of his workouts.
“That was one benefit of a milder winter: it was easier to train consistently.”
He didn't have a specific set goal, but he was hoping for a time around 2:45.
“I didn't plan to attempt to PR at this course given how hilly and tough of a course it is known to be. Running 2:39 was not a PR, but I'm very happy with how the marathon went and my finish time.”
Olson, a Harmony, MN native, was a runner for Gustavus Adolphus College. He joined CHS last fall as a high school social studies teacher. He is the assistant cross country coach and the head track & field coach for Mankato Loyola/Cleveland.
Begun in 1897, the Boston Marathon attracts more than a half a million spectators. This year, the event’s 128th running, Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia took first place with a 2:06.17 finish.