Peters Township’s Wolk wins national title
Nick Wolk
Nick Wolk set the winning pace during the 3,200-meter run during the WPIAL Class AAA track and field championships. The Peters Township won the race and is qualified for the PIAA championships to be held May 27-28 in Shippensburg.
Nick Wolk of Peters Township captured the WPIAL Class AAA boys’ cross country championship title.
Nick Wolk
Nick Wolk needed redemption. The McMurray resident sought it and he got it during Junior National competition this summer.
After completing his freshman season at the University of Pittsburgh in less than spectacular fashion, Wolk vindicated himself. He won the 5,000-meter run in 14:26 at the U.S. Track and Field Junior Championships in Sacramento, Calif and represented Team USA during the Pan-American Games held July 21-23 in Peru.
“I needed to get my last race off my mind,” said Wolk of his 23rd-place finish at the ACC championships. “It was a bad race. I didn’t feel I ran my best race.”
So Alonzo Webb suggested Junior Nationals. The University of Pittsburgh coach thought his rising sophomore had a chance to qualify so he encouraged Wolk to compete.
“Nick had an outstanding freshman season,” Webb said. “Winning the U20 national title and being named to Team USA for the Pan American Junior Championships is a testament to being able to compete at a high level this late in the season. That takes a commitment and dedication that a lot of freshmen don’t necessarily have.”
Indeed, Wolk went all out and trained hard. However, he was unsure of what the result would be until he reached California.
“When I said that I wanted to go (to junior nationals), I had no idea how well I would do. I thought it would be a good experience and good competition. When the other entries started showing up and I saw their times, I thought I could win. I thought I was just as good as anybody in the field. So I decided, why not? I’d go for the win.”
Wolk took the lead midway through the race. He held the position for all but 200 meters and turned on his signature kick to win by nine-tenths of a second. “A couple steps,” he said. “It really did come down to who had the best kick and I was faster.”
Of his strong finishes, Wolk added, “It’s constant focus on speed work. Short sprints,” he continued, “and trusting myself at the end of the race.”
Whether or not he feels good during a race, Wolk always has a swift kick at the end. “Whatever it takes to get to that point and get through the race,” he explained.
In addition to competing in the Pan-Am Junior National Games, Wolk got through a strong freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh. A double major in the political science as well as economics, he achieved a 3.65 GPA and earned ACC All-Academic honors while competing in cross country as well as track and field.
“I was happy with how I was able to adjust and I was able to achieve my goals both in and outside of the classroom,” added Wolk. “It’s a big commitment, particularly of your time, but I enjoyed everything about it.
During his first collegiate season, he achieved a personal-best time of 24:30 during the ACC cross country championships and finished third overall. In track, hee wanted to go under 14:20 and he did with a 14:16.12 during the Virginia Challenge. He also raced to a season-best 3:53.73 in the 1500 meters at the Louisville Invitational.
On top of seeing his times drop, he was able to see Pitt do well as a team. The Panthers scored more points than they ever had in ACC championship action. Syracuse won the cross-country title while Virginia Tech captured the outdoor track trophy.
“I’m pleased with how we’ve gotten the University of Pittsburgh in a great position,” Wolk said. “The dream for me is to help Pitt achieve and be competitive.”
Since he started running, Wolk has been competitive, achieving all his racing fantasies.
At age 6, his parents, Joe and Jeanne, both Pitt graduates, signed him up for his first race, a charity 5K. It was raining, recalled Wolk. As a result, not a lot of runners showed up to compete and Wolk captured an age-group award.
The result had a positive impact on Wolk, his psyche and his future. “I thought I was good,” he said with a laugh. “So, I stuck with it.”
By his senior season in high school, Wolk was better than good. He was the best. A four-year letterwinner and two-year captain, he won WPIAL championships in cross-country and track under the watchful eye of coaches Tim Wu and Justin Pinto. An All-State performer, Wolk finished as high as fourth in the state in cross-country and he holds the school record for the 1,600 run. Academically, he also maintained a 4.34 GPA, belonged to the National Honor Society and graduated Magna Cum Laude.
As he did in high school, Wolk adheres to a rigorous workout schedule. “Run, study and get enough sleep,” he said of his recipe for success.
A normal workout schedule features plenty of mileage, often with his best friend, Paul DeGregorio, who won the 2011 WPIAL cross-country title for Baldwin. Wolk runs between 70 to 80 miles per week or about 10 miles per day. He focuses on speed workouts. For example, run 16, 400s. He does mile repeats and interval training. Wolk says that his favorite thing is tempo runs where he must maintain a certain time for a long period. For example, run a 5:20 pace for eight miles.
“That’s one of my big strengths. A staple of track,” he said.
Wolk, however, has discovered there is room for improvement, not to mention opportunities to learn new approaches to running. During his freshman year at Pitt, he learned to accept his limits and work around them. He said that sometimes a runner can work too hard and his best may not be good enough then he finds himself not finishing anything.
“You have to realize that you can’t always be perfect,” he said. “Be the best you can be and control the things that you can control.”
While Junior Nationals and the Pan-Am Junior Games are for ages 20 and under, and Wolk is 19, he puts not restraints on his future. His long-term goals include winning an ACC championship, becoming a national qualifier and being All-America. Beyond that, he said that he is “unsure,” particularly regarding the Olympics in 2024.
“It’s hard to set a goal like that or if it’s reasonable. It’s hard to think about at this point but it would be a dream come true to do that.
“I realize I have a long way to go but I don’t put limits on myself,” he continued. “It’s a process. It’s about improvement and I have made big improvements from my senior season in high school through my first year at Pitt. So there are no limits at this point.”
While he was in Sacremento, he saw the potential. He was able to attend the U.S. outdoor senior championships and watched talents such as Paul Chelimo, a Kenyan-born American who won the 2016 Olympic silver medal in the 5,000 meters; and Rio gold medalist Matt Centrowitz.
“I got to see some cool athletes,” Wolk said.
In Peru, Wolk saw some Inca ruins but was too far away to visit Machu Picchu. While he stayed at a hotel resort, he was able to “experience” the culture. But, he experienced the competition, which showcased the talents of his peers from Colombia, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile and Ecuador as well as the United States. In his premier event, Wolk finished fifth with a time of 14:59.88. That was six seconds off the winning pace of 14:53.93 set by Carlos Hernandez Samaca, 19, of Colombia.
“I was a little disappointed after the race but I am extremely happy just to have made it here,” said Wolk.
From a tactical point, the race was slow, said Wolk. No one wanted to commit to taking the lead for more than 400 meters. The race sped up and slowed down many times and Wolk was unable to have the kick he expected to have when the time was right.
“It was cool to be here,” he added.
Anytime, Wolk gets an opportunity to run, it’s a “cool” experience. He said the thing he enjoys most about his sport is getting on the starting line and having a chance to perform, particularly after he has put in the preparation. “I believe that I have out-worked any opponent and I have a great opportunity here. Sometimes I don’t feel so good. Sometimes I feel very fast. But above anything, I enjoy the competition,” he said.
While Wolk would have enjoyed winning at the Pan-Am games, he was grateful for the opportunity to represent his country.
“I am extremely happy to be here and representing the United States,” he said from Peru. “It was a dream to wear that jersey. A proud moment for me,” he continued. “This has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I have learned a lot from this experience and I am so grateful for the United States of America track and field as well as the University of Pittsburgh for this opportunity.”