In His Own Words: Connor Ferrentino - The Road To Get Back On Track



Freedom senior Connor Ferrentino is eager to return to the state track meet. After finishing third in the 1600 meters as a sophomore, the University of Alabama signee had an injury plagued junior year. He is coming off a 2013 cross country campaign where he was district and regional runner-up and finished 8th at the 4A Cross Country Finals. In only his third meet of the year, Ferrentino has run a personal best time of 4:21.47. Over the course of the season Connor will be blogging for flrunners.com and sharing his experiences!

My junior season started with so much promise and high expectations, but my season came to a crashing halt after only a few early season meets when I was diagnosed with an avulsion fracture in my hip. All of my hard work, time and effort put me in a great position to be successful, but once my injury occurred it made me realize the importance of listening to your body and taking action even when small pains arise. It was difficult to not be competing and watching the results of all the races last spring I was supposed to be competing in, but it made me more motivated to come back even stronger.

A short while after the three month recovery from the avulsion fracture, I ended up getting a stress fracture in my right tibia, most likely due to compensating from my original injury when I started training again. My summer training was mainly focused on cross training in the pool and on a racing bike. I started running again four weeks before the cross country season started and was more motivated than I had ever been before. I could not believe how great it was to feel the running burn again. I was a bit cautious with my training in the beginning but really started to put in some solid work in October. I ended up running a 15:30 as my PR at the FSU / Pre-States which I was happy with, but I was most satisfied with managing to stay healthy for a full season.

Over the winter training period to get ready for the spring outdoor season I started to put in solid base mileage, core work and cross training. All I could think about was being back on the track and running fast.  Before the first meet, Wildcat open, I was so excited to compete. I was pacing waiting for the race to start and my heart was beating out of my chest. I was so pumped. I ran a 1200 in 3:10 with even splits that first meet and really felt like I wanted to keep running around the track after I crossed the finish line. It felt great to be back on the track and competing again. For the past three weeks or so I’ve started to really get some good speed work in to build on my strength work. I can feel myself getting stronger and stronger, and my times in the speed work are going down each and every week. I ran 1600 meters in the next two races, and am not only happy with my times, setting a new PR in the second race, but am happy with how I feel and how I am progressing. I am so excited to be back.

I am looking forward to a few of the big races over the next few weeks like the FSU and UF relays, but also continuing to improve. Great things to come, and new PR’s to go after.

I would like to wish all of the runners in Florida great success this season. I look forward to “continuing to see you on the track”.

Last but not least, Roll Tide! I can’t wait to be in Tuscaloosa in August and training with my new team at the University of Alabama. I’m so lucky to have this opportunity in front of me and can’t wait for the journey to start. 


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