GOLDEN GIRL: Wilberforce School junior track star Stella Blanchard shows off the medals she earned for winning three individual events and being part of a victorious relay at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public B meet. Blanchard placed first in the 400 meters, the 800 and the 1,600 and helped the 4×400 relay to victory in the meet which took place from May 29-30. Blanchard went on to take second in the 800 at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions last Wednesday. (Photo provided by Lois Szeliga)
By Bill Alden
While the snow piled up outside this winter, Stella Blanchard was storming through the indoor track season.
Competing as an individual, Wilberforce School junior Blanchard tested herself against tough competition in middle distance events.
“That was the first time I had done winter track, I think it helped a lot,” said Blanchard who placed second in the 800 meters at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) State Indoor Meet of Champions. “I feel like I had a really good foundation going into outdoors. I was already running fast 800s.”
Building on that foundation, Blanchard produced a brilliant performance at the NJSIAA Non-Public B meet from May 29-30 at Buena Regional High. Blanchard placed first in the 400 meters in 56:07, the 800 in 2:09.42, and the 1,600 in 4:54.63 and helped the 4×400 relay to victory.
Coming into the spring, Blanchard was focused on improvement, not medals.
“I just wanted to run a little faster than I did indoors, that was my only expectation,” said Blanchard. “I didn’t know where that was going to bring me. I had no clue how everything would play out. I just had an open mind about it.”
In looking to get faster, Blanchard fine-tuned
her training.
“During the season, I do more longer reps like 600s,” said Blanchard, noting that Wilberforce doesn’t have a track on campus and that she does sprints on an open field there. “I stepped up my base for the mile so going into outdoors, I narrowed it down the speed work, multiple reps and some distance runs. I did speed work on the weekend. If I don’t have a race. I will find a local track that is open just to get some track work in. It feels great.”
Running cross country in the fall also helped Blanchard build the stamina to handle multiple events.
“I think cross country has helped a lot on my endurance,” said Blanchard. “If I didn’t do cross country, I probably wouldn’t be where I am right now. Any time I run an 800 or even like the mile, I am like oh it is not a 5K.”
In reflecting on her performance at the Non-Public B meet, Blanchard noted that the schedule of events helped her juggle things.
“The 800 was on one day and then the 400 and the mile were on Saturday,” said Blanchard. “The 400 was before the mile so it was spaced out well. I was confident. I went in top-ranked in the 4, 8 and mile so I was going to try to keep that ranking. I was hoping for the triple. I was like OK, I am going to attempt it and win every race.”
Blanchard was thrilled to achieve the triple, a feat that seemed unlikely earlier in her career.
“It meant so much, last year I came in third in the 800 and I won the 400,” said Blanchard. “So coming into this year, I just had a lot of confidence in my training. I was incredibly happy about where I was and how I have progressed. If you had asked me sophomore year or even in the beginning of junior year, are you going to win all three events at the state meet, I would have been heck no.”
For Blanchard, helping the relay win was just as meaningful for her as the individual triumphs.
“My teammates are amazing and incredible athletes, all of the others are seniors and they inspired me when I was a freshman and a sophomore,” said Blanchard, whose was joined by seniors Laura Sallade, Eve Szeliga, and Emily Prothero on the relay. “I just love being able to use my abilities to help us qualify for nationals and come in first at the group meet for the 4×400. We work together so great.”
Last Wednesday, Blanchard produced another amazing performance at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken High as she battled Natalie Dumas of Eastern, the top-ranked high schooler nationally in the 800, to the tape in the event. Coming into the meet with a personal record of 2:06, Blanchard went stride for stride with Dumas, just getting edged as she came in at 2:03.64 with Dumas winning in 2:03.46.
“Once the first lap came around, I put myself in second,” said Blanchard. “We went out a little slow, I think I hit the first lap at 64. I stuck on her. She was at 2:04 coming in, so I thought, ‘I am going to stick on her and she is going to drag me to a PR.’ I was like I feel pretty good because we went out in 64. I still had a lot in the tank so I moved up on her. When it came down to the last 200, I tried to pass her. I was right on her so I thought I might as well take this chance and attempt to pass. It came down to she beat me by a millisecond, like 18 hundredths.”
Reflecting on the scintillating race, Blanchard saw it as major step forward in her progress.
“It gave me a lot of confidence because now I can stick with her,” said Blanchard. “I was proud that I was able to do it and also that I didn’t hesitate. In the past, I might have hesitated like maybe I shouldn’t try to pass her. It is a little risky, she is a lot better than me, she can outkick me. I was in good shape. I was like I have trained for this. I am ready to make moves.”
In assessing Blanchard’s effort at the Non-Public meet, Wilberforce head coach Lois Szeliga was confident she could deal with the workload of three individual events.
“Going in, I am sure she was confident and I was confident that she could handle it.” said Szeliga. “It is a grueling thing.”
Szeliga is not surprised to see Blanchard doing big things this spring.
“Stella has an incredible support network, that helps her,” said Szeliga, noting that Blanchard’s father, Eamon, is a former N.J. MOC cross country winner who went on to run at Rutgers. “She trains very seriously, she is very confident in her training. She is smart about her training. She gets adequate nutrition and good rest. She is very mature in how she goes about everything. She knows that she can go for it if the opportunity is there.”
Blanchard displayed that maturity in her battle with Dumas at the MOC.
“Stella shines on the big stage, she has gone to a lot of really tough competitions,” said Szeliga. “I know that she was very confident going in; she was training so she could peak at the right time. That was one of the most thrilling events. She is such a gutsy girl, she really gave everything. She is really inspiring when she runs. She has her goals and she said I am going to go for this. Everybody was just in awe. Natalie is incredible and Stella is right there. We have had success on the state level but this is just another level. I was thrilled to be a part of it.”
Looking ahead, Blanchard is focused on giving her all when she competes in the New Balance Nationals later this month at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
“Last summer, I spent a lot more on distance than speed,” said Blanchard, who will be doing the 800, 1,600 and the 4×400 at that meet. “I think this summer, I will try to incorporate a little more speed into my training. I am more of a track athlete now.”
Buoyed by her success this spring, Blanchard is looking to keep running at the next level.
“I definitely see myself running in college,” said Blanchard. “I really love the sport and I want to continue it. College offers higher competition. It is a lot of fun, I just want to keep it going.”