Jack Pinho, All-American.
The Prospect native and Springfield College senior couldn’t quite believe what he’d accomplished last weekend at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, Ala., until shortly after his fourth-place finish in the mile.
“At first, it really had not hit me,” Pinho said, “but when I stepped on that podium moments after my race and I had my name announced and was presented my NCAA trophy and All-American medal, it hit me like nothing has ever hit me in my life.”
Pinho was seeded fifth entering the national championship meet and expected to advance to the finals. He finished third overall in last Friday’s preliminaries, posting a time of 4 minutes, 11.85 seconds, sending him to Saturday’s event final with All-American honors on the line for the top eight finishers.
But the two-day format of the championships put Pinho in a situation he’d never faced.
“Racing back-to-back days all-out is something I have never done,” Pinho said, “so I was trying to go in with a mindset that everyone else was going to be in the same boat and we would all be somewhat fatigued.”
Ramapo senior Jeremy Rodriguez seemed to be the only one unaffected by the quick turnaround, going out fast and breaking the Division III championship record by winning in 4:05.95.
Pinho, though, was tucked into the trail pack the entire way. Late in the race, he knew he had to do something to separate himself.
“In the back of my head, I’m telling myself, ‘These are the top milers in the country and there’s a reason why they are here. No one, especially these guys, is just going to pack it in,’” Pinho said.
With about 50 meters to go, Pinho made a pass on the outside to pull into fourth place. That’s where he crossed the line, stopping the clock in 4:12.19. The five finishers behind Pinho were all within .65 second of his time.
Pinho said he’s been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support he’s received throughout the season, and especially after his All-American performance.
“It surely does not go unnoticed, and I am forever grateful to be from the Valley, where people support their own at all times,” Pinho said.
Pinho enjoyed a breakout season this winter, taking down Springfield indoor records in the mile (4:07.89), the 800 meters (1:52.11), and the 1,000 meters (2:25.09). But it wasn’t all easy for the former Woodland standout, who suffered an ankle injury during his junior season that resulted in torn ligaments and a damaged psyche.
“It got so bad that it knocked me out of running completely for about three months,” Pinho said. “Physically I was in the trainer’s room rehabbing every day, trying to strengthen my ankle back to my normal use, but the part I struggled with was the mental aspect. I had never been out of athletics for that long in my life, and I felt I was losing a part of my self-worth. I was seeing an athletic counselor twice a week for months until I thought my mental toughness was ready for intense competition. Without the help of Springfield College’s finest professionals, I can’t say I’d be here with all this success if I hadn’t had them through this all.”
Not only did Pinho have the mental toughness to return, but he said his mindset was better than ever.
“I really started to buckle down on myself, started asking myself, ‘What are you actually working for? What’s my why?’” Pinho said. “I started appreciating the little things more when I got healthy. I was grateful to be at practice every day, having the strength to run again, compete, hit every rep in the weight room. I was so appreciative of the things I used to take for granted.”
One of the things that Pinho has never taken for granted is the effort of his parents: his mom, Jane, and his late father, George. Jack credited their sacrifices for putting him in the position to attend Springfield and for helping his other brother, Jake, position himself for a job with the Naugatuck Police Department.
Jane was in Birmingham to watch her son’s All-American run.
“My mom is by far the strongest woman I know,” Jack said. “She always tells me how amazed she is by my work ethic and continuous effort to never give up, but little does she know that her youngest son gets his most genuine traits from his mother.”
And for Jack, the thoughts of George still run through his mind all the time, more than five years after George’s sudden passing at age 48.
“My dad is with me through everything I do, but when I feel him the most is when I spike up and step between those race lines,” Jack said. “People have asked me all year, ‘Where do you find that extra gear at the end of races when everyone is tired?’ I have no answer, but I just look up to the sky and smile and know where that extra gear comes from in my heart.”
