Somers' Duzynski Finishes Strong at States

SOMERS, N.Y. - After qualifying for the states as a freshman, Julia Duzynski didn’t make the cut last year. 

Undeterred, by the year lapse, she didn't miss a beat upon returning on Nov. 23 at Queensbury High School. 40th to 15th place put her on the podium, and the effort obviously going to the next level, there was no holding back on the stage either.

“I had my smile face on,” said the junior. “I was so excited.”

She did start the weekend with a more laid back pace, however. 

“I sat with one of my friends who I met at running camp,” she said.

Off the bus, the runner got a look at the course, and the huge hill at Bowdoin was nowhere to be seen. At the same time, her ability to make up ground on the incline was easily put aside. “It was a decent-sized hill. So once I passed people on the hill, no one passed me on the flat parts,” she revealed.

On the other hand, the beginning is always another matter. “I try not to go out too fast,” said Duzynski.

Otherwise, the Tusker made friends with a select few. “I found a group of people I could run with,” said Duzynski.

Still, the cluster eventually narrowed to one. “Cassidy Donovan from Tappan Zee,” she said, “we paced each other.”

A marker that couldn’t be missed, and helped carry her through the hardest part. “The most challenging thing was pushing myself after the hill, but everyone was going through the same condition. So I had to remember that everyone was struggling.”

Zoned in together, the push played out until the stretch. “I was a little bit in front of her,” said Duzynski. “She caught up to me, and in the last 800 meters, she sprinted and I didn’t.”

No regrets, the medal earned reflected her feelings for the home town. “Somers is such a great place,” she assured, and was proud to represent.

The team making the trip to support her back up the boast and provided a springboard to the Federations.  “Out of 300 people,” she said, “I finished 72nd.”

Up from 170 in 2022, the season is over and is just beginning. “Our first indoor meet is Dec. 1,” said Duzynski, and the goal is to qualify for the states in 1500 and 3K.

Just business as usual, running lets her reflect. “I don’t know why, I just have so much to think about,” she said. But as long as her brain continues the leg work, Duzynski can’t complain and the medals should keep piling up.