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Workouts pay big dividends for runner

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By JEFFREY JONES

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 11, 2009

RIVERVIEW - For Riverview distance runner Michael Babinec, it seems the best is yet to come.

With each race, the Sharks' sophomore has been shaving minutes off his best time. At the recent Hillsborough County championships, Babinec posted another lifetime best of 17 minutes, 9 seconds, landing him second place in the Federal Division and 12th overall.

Just the week before, at the Hillsborough County Freshman-Sophomore Championships, Babinec placed second behind Chamberlain sophomore Max del Monte, who is considered by many to be among the elite of the county's budding superstars.

Babinec's bright future can be attributed to more than just improved physical ability, although Riverview coach Shana Brown said that's part of the reason Babinec has improved drastically from last year's times - by nearly a minute.

"He grew a little bit over the summer," Brown said. "He went from just being a little kid to growing about a foot taller, gaining some muscle and just becoming a better athlete."

The newfound success can also be linked to the goals that Babinec has been setting for himself and accomplishing.

"Babinec's goal all season has been to run a whole race next to (senior) Mike Zwijacz of Newsome, and at (the county championships) he ran the entire race next to him except for about the last half mile," Brown said. "He's been trying to do that all season, but he was actually able to hang longer with him this time, finishing right behind him."

But goals alone aren't going to win races, and when it comes to preparing for a race and making adjustments on the course, Babinec seems to have found a niche.

He trains six days a week, mostly with his team at Riverview High, but also by himself near his home. On Mondays and Saturdays, he works out with a group in Lithia to better prepare himself for upcoming prep races.

"We meet at the trails (in Lithia) and usually run along FishHawk Boulevard to a certain point, and then turn back, about six miles," Babinec said. "Then once we get back I usually do an extra one or two miles, sometimes with someone with me or just by myself."

Those types of intense workouts have paid dividends, but Babinec also has technology to thank.

While running an event, he essentially has a mini-coach attached to him telling him what pace to maintain to achieve the desired results.

"I have a special watch that if I'm running like a 5:20 mile (it) will beep at me telling me I'm going too fast, then if I'm running like a 5:45 mile, then it will give a different chime and tell me I'm going too slow and need to speed it up," Babinec said. "So it keeps me right in the middle there, right where I want it, and then it's just a matter of me running that race."

Ironically, the idea to use the watch originated with the very runner he is trying to keep up with during most races.

"I saw Zwijacz had one during the summer last year, and he told me how it works, so I got it my freshman year and been using it ever since."

Another resource has been his father, who produces a spreadsheet to help his son better his game.

"The sheets tell me the distance, my first mile time, my second mile time, third mile and finish time," Babinec said. "And he also put a program together that takes the distance out if it's not exactly 3.11 (5 kilometers) and calculates it to 3.11 miles so I know exactly what I'm running consistently, because each race is little different distance. It puts it in a better perspective."

Babinec appreciates his father's help and support. The Michigan State soccer player desperately wanted his son to follow in his footsteps.

But Babinec burned out on the sport, shifting to distance running. Babinec said his dad didn't know much about the sport until he decided to change gears.

"He's been really good about it now, very supportive."

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