DLN ALL-AREA CROSS COUNTRY: Henderson’s Mulhern running toward history after just two seasons
WEST CHESTER >> Still only a sophomore, Jenna Mulhern has rapidly made her mark on the county running scene.
The Henderson runner had a fantastic season of cross country, winning the Ches-Mont championship, the District 1 Class AAA championship, and coming home with the bronze at the PIAA Championships.
West Chester Henderson’s Jenna Mulhern is, once again, the Daily Local News Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.
The year got off to a great start for Mulhern. The first big meet of the year came at Carlisle back in September. Despite it coming early in the season, Mulhern ran a personal best on the course, running neck and neck with Northern’s Marlee Starlipper.
“We’re just coming off a summer of training, so we hadn’t really gotten into our work outs in full yet,” said Mulhern. “But I ran a smart race and had a PR for the course. It was really fun to race with Marlee, who is a really great runner.”
When it comes to preparation for competition, there is no superstition or hard set routine.
“The night before, we’ll run the course and do striders, and I’ll stretch myself out and get to bed early,” said Mulhern. But nothing to specific as far as a routine, you just don’t want to get stuck in a routine, because the situation is different at every race.”
At the Ches-Mont championships at Unionville, Mulhern led her Warriors to a team title, capturing her own individual title, finishing a whopping 28 seconds ahead of the second-place runner. The Warriors edged the eventual District 1 Champs, Downingtown West, for the team title.
“We were second at states last year, but saw four of our varsity runners graduate,” said Mulhern. “We got two new runners this year, and they wound up running second and third for us. It was great winning the league, and after finishing second at districts, we thought we’d have a shot at top five in states, but we just didn’t have our best day.”
Mulhern did capture an individual title at the District 1 AAA Championships, running a 17:49.10 to top West Chester East’s Allyson Clarke (18:20.10) for the crown. After taking third at states, Mulhern moved on to the Nike Northeast Regional.
“Everything just felt great at regionals,” said Mulhern. “I ran a smart race. I didn’t get out too fast and still had a lot left in me for my finishing kick, and I set a PR for the course. I just felt really good that race.”
The end result was a time of 18:25.2 and a third place finish. Then it was off to the Nike Nationals in Portland, Oregon.
“It was a fun trip, and I got to room with Marlee Starlipper, a fellow PA runner” said Mulhern. “It was awesome to just get to sit and talk with her.”
Mulhern finished top 50, bettering her placement from last year by one spot, going from 44 to 43. Mulhern knows a better finish is to come.
“The conditions were pretty bad to start,” said Mulhern. “And after the boys ran first, the course was pretty torn up. But it was still a great trip.”
With two more years of high school a head of her, plans beyond graduation are still up in the air. Wherever she winds up, surely she’ll be running.
“I want to thank my coaches, and my team, who are always so supportive,” said Mulhern. “Couldn’t do any of it without them.”
