Davidson's Ackley working smart toward goals
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
By Scott Hennen
shennen@cbussports.com
Hilliard Davidson’s Connor Ackley during practice April 18 at the high school. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Connor Ackley has found it takes more than hard work to become an elite distance runner.
The Hilliard Davidson senior was working out too much and too hard, and it was keeping him from reaching the lofty aspirations he had for himself.
Now as the Syracuse recruit enters his final track and field season, Ackley aims to win the 1,600 and 3,200 meters at the Division I state meet in June at Ohio State. He won both events in the state indoor meet last month and the Division I state boys cross country title in November.
Last spring, Ackley finished second in the 1,600 in 4 minutes, 10.67 seconds at the state outdoor meet. It wasn’t the performance he was expecting.
“Junior year, I was training crazy,” Ackley said. “I was doing secret workouts on my own. I was doing workouts four or five times a week, and I was just building mileage, mileage, mileage. I only dropped three or four weeks before the state meet, and you’re not going to run fast doing that.
“I didn’t have the season that I wanted, and it kind of showed in the times. I was working as hard as I could and I just wasn’t getting the times. I was starting to wonder if I had what it takes. But taking a step back and not letting that destroy you is the big thing. I was really lucky I didn’t get injured or worse.”
Ackley holds the program record in the 1,600 (4:07.51) and 3,200 (8:48.04). He has always believed hard work equated to success but that’s not always the case with running.
“I’m a really hard worker, and I used to (play) basketball,” he said. “My (basketball) coaches had the mindset of you have to work harder than (your opponent), and I thought that’s what I had to do to take it to the next level. Obviously you have to run fast in the workouts and be focused but it’s not the same sport. This sport (distance running) is a little more intricate than that.”
Hilliard Davidson assistant track coach Pat Schlecht works with his distance runners at practice April 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Pat Schlecht has been the Davidson boys cross country coach for the past 26 seasons as well as working with distance runners during track season. He said it’s not just working hard but being smart in your workouts.
“I found out (Ackley) was doing 90 miles a week coming into cross country (last fall) and I asked him if that was part of the workout schedule,” Schlecht said. “He had to cut back a bit and follow our workout schedule.”
Schlecht said it was understandable for Ackley to have that train of thought concerning workouts. He has the ability to train at a level that most athletes cannot attain.
“I would say his VO2 — which is his ability to use oxygen — is a strength with him,” he said. “His ability to run at a fine line and not cross it, so you get too much lactic build up. That’s what slows us down ultimately.
“He’s not afraid to train right at that line, which is when we get better. Usually going to that line is very painful and a lot of kids can’t do that or maintain that for periods of time. He can do that on the micro- and macro-cycles.”
Ackley won the state cross country meet in 15:10.1 at Fortress Obetz. As a junior he was second on the same course in 14:58.1. He placed 11th (15:48.5) as a sophomore and was 22nd (15:53.0) in his freshman season.
He won the 1,600 (meet-record 4:07.51) and 3,200 (9:04.0) on March 4 in the Division I state indoor meet at SPIRE Institute in Geneva.
Ackley also earned first-team all-national status by finishing fifth (15:11.8) in the Champs Sports Cross Country Championships on Dec. 10 in San Diego.
“Connor is the fastest cross country runner to ever run in Ohio; he has the fastest time,” Schlecht said. “Connor knows what he wants, he has his goals and he’s not afraid of hard work. He understands race strategy after a first couple of years of making a lot of mistakes.
“He understands how to do those things that help you develop, and that’s been our goal. He understands how you can keep getting better each and every year, how you can do that progressively and how you can rebuild on the things that we have learned before. He understands the importance of base-building before every season. This has been very special to have this guy with all of these talents.”
Hilliard Davidson’s Connor Ackley runs under the scoreboard during training at the high school April 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Winning the 1,600 and 3,200 would cap a standout career at Davidson, but being a part of the program also gives him the confidence to reach those ambitions.
“I have been trying to do this for a while,” said Ackley of winning the state 1,600 and 3,200. “There are a lot of great Davidson runners before me like India Johnson, Colin Burdette, Lindsay Stull, Max LeClair and all of those All-Americans and state champions. I definitely strive to be in the same conversation with them and I know I train on the same track that they did so I know it’s possible, and it definitely pushes me.”
Ackley is headed to Syracuse where he plans to major in mechanical engineering. He not only has low numbers in competition but high numbers in the classroom, carrying 4.6 GPA.
Now that his training regimen is on track, he’s ready to see how the spring plays out.
“It was kind of a case of being stupid and doing too much in a season,” he said. “I think what has allowed me so much success this year is taking a step back and not letting my pride get to me.
“I didn’t have the season that I wanted last year, and it was the case of doing too much. This year we were more deliberate and purposeful on all of the training the we did. It’s definitely a confidence-boost. I have what it takes, I just have to get the right tools and work out correctly.”