Howland’s Mauri off to hot start | News, Sports, Jobs – Warren Tribune Chronicle

Tribune Chronicle / John Vargo
Howland’s Vinny Mauri warms up before a race on Tuesday in Howland. Mauri is one of the state’s elite distance runners.

HOWLAND — Driving off state Route 46 and taking a side street into Howland Middle School, you’ll see a young man running.

He’s alone and running at a faster pace than most. This day, he’s wearing his all-black, two-piece warm-up suit with a Howland Tigers logo on the chest of the top.

He wears a stocking cap with yellow and red colors dominant and a poof atop the hat. It has the logo of Arizona State University, the school of choice for Howland senior distance runner Vinny Mauri starting next season.

“It’s warm,” said Mauri, who won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races during Tuesday’s dual meet with Boardman.

You won’t find him standing still for too long. A 5-to-10 minute rest? Not hardly. He’s running on the streets near the Howland track and sprinting on the soft, grassy infield, still squishy from the recent precipitation.

Tribune Chronicle / John Vargo
Howland senior Vinny Mauri, shown here during Tuesday’s meet in Howland, won the 1,600-meter run in a dual meet with Boardman. He also won the 3,200 race.

“I really like to get warm,” said Mauri, who will have plenty of time to enjoy the heat in Arizona. “I like to get in 3-4 miles before the races to get some mileage in. It is what it is at this point.”

He popped off a 1:57 in the 800 last Friday at the Cope Invitational in Salem. That’s the first time in his career he has run less than 2 minutes this soon in that race.

Getting in 400 and 800 workouts at this point for one of Ohio’s better distance runners is vital for this time of the year.

“Works on kick at the end of the race, get that last one to two laps down,” Mauri said. “Mentally, I can power through it.”

Howland distance and boys cross country coach Dan Libert said reining Mauri in and not letting him do to much is his job.

He doesn’t want Mauri to be doing too much this month. Plenty of injuries can happen this time of the year. Libert wants his runner to concentrate on training, doing his speed work. It’s a nice break from the mile and 2-mile races, doing the half and quarter miles.

Motivation is never an issue for the Howland senior.

“You don’t want him to get burned out. That’s what I’m afraid of,” Libert said.

Mauri went 4:09.42 in the mile during indoor season, drawing a lot of attention around the state. Then, again, the Howland senior has that uncanny habit. He’s not an attention seeker, just a good, gritty performer with one of the best strides in the state. The running community takes notice.

He finished second in the Division I boys 3,200 run at last year’s state meet in a personal-best time of 9:04.59.

Mauri knows he has to temper his workouts so he can get the best peak come late May, just in time for this year’s state meet in Columbus.

“Take some easy days when I need them,” he said. “Don’t go out and try to get a second run, trying to top the first one. Everyone is going to have bad days. Keep moving on.

“Mentally, I never thought I’d be able to go that low in the mile. I have a good 3,200 brewing up.”

His goal is to amp up his running come this year’s Division I Austintown District in mid-May, but it could come sooner if he enters this year’s Eastern Relays in Louisville, Kentucky on April 19-20. Mauri said his school has to work some things out with the Ohio High School Athletic Association to see if he can do that race.

Libert said the Howland senior is always looking for ways to motivate himself, setting big goals. Running in Kentucky would be one of those.

On Tuesday, Mauri continued to stretch in the infield, smacking his thighs to keep them limber. He’s always thinking, always looking to better himself on the track and in his workouts.

“He’s always looking for the edge,” Libert said. “He’s always got something he’s working on, looking for the next best thing.

“He’s a real running nut, that’s the best way to put it.”

You can see it as he pulls away from yet another opponent.