ROWLEY — Nothing is enigmatic about the River Rival Region and its plethora of talented runners.
The scenic surroundings north and south of the Merrimac River are a legitimate hotbed for runners. It's a safe bet that this pedigree of racers, joggers, and sprinters will continue pounding along the North Shore's asphalt and cobblestone well into the ice caps' disappearance and the thunderous arrival of the Four Horsemen.
The truth is blatant. The runners of the River Rival Region are hard-core. And one Rowley native and Connecticut College senior is proving why brains and brawn are becoming quite the fashionable tandem.
Brian Murtagh, 21, was a runner even before he knew it. As a sophomore at St. John's Prep, Murtagh, who spent his winter and fall seasons playing hockey and soccer, found himself bored when the spring season rolled around.
"I wasn't playing a sport, so my friends gave me the idea of trying out for the track team," explained Murtagh. "It definitely kept me in good shape, and I figured I'd continue to compete."
After a successful introduction to the sport, Murtagh made the decision to try cross country his junior year and eventually made the art of running a full-time endeavor. His junior year saw Murtagh's progression as a runner soar, and before he knew it, he would be competing against college competition in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).
Akin to how to he ended his high school path, Murtagh began his collegiate running career at Connecticut College — a small, liberal arts school in New London — with flying colors, winning the NESCAC steeple chase and Division 3 New England steeple chase as a freshman. Murtagh's success carried on into his sophomore year as he continued to make a name for himself with an impressive win in the Division 3 New England 3K.
Primed for another excellent junior season, Murtagh needed to separate himself from the rest of the pack. But in all of his zeal and anxiety, Murtagh overtrained and found himself injured.
A series of tendonitis slowed him down, but Murtagh persevered and continued to compete, placing second in the NESCAC championship with a time of 26:26 — the highest finish ever for a Connecticut College runner.
But Murtagh, who desperately wanted to get back to his winning ways, was sidelined once more with plantar fasciitis and then from a string of strained calf muscles.
"The whole last summer, I was running in orthotics and heavy shoes to support my feet," said Murtagh, "and then at the end of the cross country season I had to race in very light racing shoes that inevitably caused my calves to strain.
"I continued to race, but I really wasn't in great running shape," said Murtagh, who enjoys skiing and golfing when time permits. "I was basically just trying to prepare myself for the track season. I thought I was good to go, but I was just to quick on the gun."
Though Murtagh didn't have a season that was up to his usual par, he was still good enough to qualify and be named to the NESCAC All-Academic Team — an honor bestowed upon athletes at the junior level or higher with at least a 3.3 GPA who competed in the NESCAC Championship meet.
"It's always great to be recognized for hard work," stated Murtagh, who is an economics major with a minor in math, who is carrying around a 3.5 GPA. "I'm disappointed that I couldn't have performed better, but I've learned that I need to be more cautious to not rush into training so hard."
Murtagh, who has been running more this summer than he has since he was a freshman, is feeling good and his injuries seem to be a thing of the past.
"I'm not running as much as I'd like, but it will be enough to give me a good pace for the season," said Murtagh. "I was pretty close to setting some personal records this past year, but all in all, I'm just excited to be heading into this next season healthy."
In preparation for his final stint at Connecticut College, Murtagh has been making sure to even up his routines by running and biking.
"I've been trying to steadily increase my running, but I've been going all out in my biking workouts," said Murtagh, who rides a Giant road bike. "I've been riding with the CCB bike group out of Topsfield on Tuesday nights and early mornings on weekends. It's definitely a fun way to get my aerobics done."
Riding for 40 miles in two hours (20 mph) is undoubtedly a great way to keep Murtagh's joints strong and healthy, and if he continues to listen to his body and regulate how much it can handle, he is aimed to have a record year.
If there is anyone who has witnessed Murtagh and his road to recovery, it's his mother, Christine.
"At this point, I think Brian is doing very well," said Christine Murtagh. "He's managed to get his injuries under control, and though he still has to tend to his plantar fasciitis, he doesn't complain about it. He simply treats it like anything else.
"He's become very well-versed at understanding his body," said Christine Murtagh. "He runs three seasons a year, and all of these injuries have, of course, frustrated him to a degree, but he's very focused and very diligent. He's on a mission and he's certainly nearing the his end of the road to recovery."
The Murtagh File
Name: Brian Murtagh
Hometown: Rowley
Age: 21
Height: 6-2
Weight: 165 pounds
School: Connecticut College
Year: Senior
Major: Economics
Minor: Math
Events: 3K, 5K, Steeple Chase
Most recent accomplishment: Named to the NESCAC All-Academic Team
