Track: For Redman and his Bulldogs teammates, 'it's all business'
May 19—LONDONDERRY — Jacob Redman and his teammates prefer silence.
Redman and his fellow Bedford High School runners in the 4x400 and 4x800 relays hardly talk before either event.
"You've got to be super serious," the senior boys track captain said after the Londonderry Invitational on Saturday at Londonderry High School. "At the end, of course we all joke and have a good time after, but it's all business during and a little bit before the race."
As part of his three events at the meet, Redman ran the anchor leg for both Bedford's winning 4x400 and 4x800 teams. The Bulldogs' 4x400 team consisting of Redman, sophomore John Colangelo, senior Jared Bekkering and senior Christopher Chong won the event in 3 minutes, 24.72 seconds, almost eight seconds ahead of runner-up Nashua North (3:32.37).
Redman, Bekkering, senior Patrick Fish and junior Ethan Pulsifer ran a combined 7:53.84 to win the 4x800. Runner-up Pinkerton Academy finished in 7:58.3.
The Astros led after the first two legs of the race before Bekkering, who ran the third leg, made up ground, setting Redman up to close out the win.
"He brings a very strong anchor ... It makes us know he's always got us in the end," Colangelo said.
Redman, who also won the 1,600-meter run in 4:22.49, was not always fully committed to running. He has always run indoor and outdoor track at Bedford, but he spent his first two fall sports seasons playing goalkeeper for the Bulldogs boys soccer team.
Figuring his height (5 feet, 10 inches) made it unlikely that he'd continue playing goalie in college, Redman switched to running cross country in the fall last year.
Redman's dedication paid off. He committed to Northeastern University late last fall.
"I think it helps a lot that he committed to Northeastern and he's already known that for a while so it took a little bit of the pressure off," Bulldogs boys track coach Meagan Saviano said. "He can just run and race. I think that is part of the reason he's running so fast, too, is he can just focus on his racing."
Redman won both the 1,500- and 1,000-meter runs and was part of Bedford's winning 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams at the NHIAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in February. Bedford finished runner-up to Pinkerton Academy at the meet.
Earlier this month, Redman obliterated his personal-best time in the mile run at the HOKA Elite Mile meet at Regis College in Weston, Mass. Redman placed sixth in the event with a 4:08.89.
Redman's previous best mark in the mile, which is about nine meters longer than the 1,600 run, was 4:16. His senior project this year, he said, was to break the 4:10 mark.
"I was gunning for 4:15. That was my goal," Redman said of his mindset for the HOKA meet. "It was very surprising and shocking that I actually did it. It was a great moment in my life."
The 800 run will be Redman's focus for the outdoor track postseason because that is likely the only event he can compete in if he qualifies for the New England Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the University of New Hampshire on June 8.
The meet is the same day as Bedford High's graduation.
The track postseason begins Saturday with the Division I Championships at Portsmouth High School.
Redman will run the mile again, though, at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals later in June. "The mile is always the coolest — it's my favorite event," he said.
Redman said he tries to show his younger teammates how to develop the right mentality — being serious about the sport and really wanting to reach your goals. Saviano said Redman is great about encouraging his teammates.
Colangelo said Redman taught him to run his hardest, that it's important to love what you do and to keep a positive attitude.
Colangelo said he will miss Redman next year because the senior is so crucial to the program.
"He almost just is a pillar for the team, in a way," Colangelo said. "Without him, I feel we wouldn't be as good as we are."
