Originally published by the Greenfield Recorder at https://www.recorder.com/Running-Club-Franklin-County-Amy-O-Sullivan-Greenfield-33842155 on 4/13/2020; reprinted with permission.
By Jeff Lajoie
(Follow the link to check out the full series, which includes Westfield State Alumnus Brandon Palmer)
Amy O'Sullivan, Greenfield
It's been a whirlwind month or so for Amy O'Sullivan.
The Greenfield native and Westfield State University sophomore harrier had just finished a strong indoor track season, and was transitioning her training to prepare to run the 10,000 meters for the Owls' outdoor season when the news came down from the NCAA that all spring sports were being canceled.
"It definitely hit us all pretty hard at first," recalled O'Sullivan.
There was plenty of cause for optimism entering the spring. The 2018 Greenfield High School graduate had been shattering personal records throughout her time at Westfield, and was fresh off a memorable Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) indoor championship at Smith College where she ran the 5,000 meters, 3,000 meters and 1-mile in a rare triple-distance performance that helped the Owls capture a conference title.
O'Sullivan won the 5,000 title, and was the runner-up behind teammate Grace Phair in both the 3,000 and 1-mile.
"I usually only run one (of the distance events) in a meet so that was pretty crazy," O'Sullivan recalled. "Coach said, 'Listen, we need the points. We need every point we can get because it's going to be tight with Worcester State. Can you perform in all three events?'"
Not only did O'Sullivan run and place well in the distance trio, she also set a new PR in the 3,000 and tied her PR in the mile.
"It was a lot but at the end of the day, to hold up that trophy, it was definitely worth it," she said. "There was so much energy there, everyone was screaming. The place was loud. The bus ride back, the fatigue was setting in and I think I was ready for bed even though it was like 4 o'clock in the afternoon. It was the best feeling though."
O'Sullivan is now home in Greenfield for the rest of the spring, though she's following a training plan that has her running over 70 miles a week. Since she's not training for races, she said the training plan is a bit different from what she'd normally be following this time of year.
"I've increased my mileage a lot more, more heavy weight lifting and strength work than if I was racing the 10K," she offered. "There's been a lot of communication between us and the team and coaches. We've been doing team core sessions over Zoom, which has been fun and nice for everyone to motivate each other when we can't be together training as a team in person."
Back home in Greenfield, O'Sullivan said her go-to running spot has been the dirt track on Green River Road.
"It's pretty quiet there right now," she said. "Might see one car on the road if I'm out there."
It's been quite a ride for O'Sullivan since graduating from GHS, as she's quickly made herself an impact distance runner for the Owls. She finished third overall at the MASCAC Championships during the cross country season last fall, and has seen her 5K time drop below 18 minutes in the process.
"If you had told me in high school that I'd run under 18 minutes, I'd probably tell you you were crazy," she said with a laugh. "I hadn't even broken 19 minutes at that point. I've almost doubled my mileage from my senior year of high school to this past year. We found a training plan that really ended up working for my body and we've stuck with it."
O'Sullivan, who is double-majoring in mathematics and economics at Westfield, said that running has helped her remain grounded during a time of much uncertainty.
"It's the only physical form of activity that people can kind of do right now," she explained. "Running is something you can do on your own. It can help clear your head, calm yourself if you're feeling anxious. I definitely have been focused on it a bit more lately. Right now, it's really the only thing I can control. I think it helps people get through all this."