This McLane grad is setting Penn track records, and he just won a half marathon. What's next?

Unofficially, Dylan Throop’s longest run from start to finish is 17.76 miles.

It’s no coincidence the 2021 General McLane graduate covers that specific distance on Independence Day. The former PIAA cross country gold medalist has made it his holiday tradition over recent years.

Officially, though, the 13.1 miles Throop, 20, ran during Sunday’s Presque Half Marathon were his most for a sanctioned race.

It also counted as the longest victory of his career.

Throop, a returning junior for the University of Pennsylvania’s cross country and track and field programs, completed a loop of Presque Isle State Park in 1 hour, 7 minutes, 37.85 seconds. Jacob Fopma, 21, of Urbandale, Iowa, was second at 1:14:37.54.

Riley Crissman, 25, of Butte, Montana, was the women’s winner at 1:22:55.64.

Throop’s decision to enter the race was spontaneous.

“I realized it made sense for what I’m training for right now,” he said, “but it also was kind of fun. This (result) will get me mentally ready for this season, knowing I was comfortable enough to quickly enter like that.”

Getting up to speed

Throop’s varsity running career crested during the 2019 PIAA cross country meet at Hershey. Then a junior for the Lancers, he won the Class 2A boys final in 15 minutes, 57.1 seconds.

That result, combined with Throop’s other athletic accomplishments and his grades, were strong enough to warrant enrollment at the University of Pennsylvania. He’s majoring in English at the Ivy League school in Philadelphia, with law school a long-term goal.

Time management, and not the kind on two feet, was Throop’s immediate challenge at Penn.

“The learning curve was absolutely enormous,” he said. “I remember trying to figure out what to do. I struggled with that physically and mentally. I’d come back to the room tired from a tough workout, but then still had to do homework.”

“But as soon as I got the lay of the land, asking coach (Steve Dolan) and teammates for help, I was in a lot better place by the time the second semester came around. I learned to tell people, ‘Hey, not today.’”

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Throop also learned how to run even swifter than his McLane days, particularly in track for the Quakers. Earlier this year, he set school records for the men’s indoor 5,000 meters (13:59.42) and the men’s outdoor 10,000 (28:48.59).

Throop’s 10,000 time was fast enough to qualify for the NCAA Division I East Region meet at Jacksonville, Florida. It also warranted an invitation to participate in the Transatlantic Series, which is comprised of track and field athletes from Ivy League schools and those from the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge in England.

The series’ latest meet took place June 21 at Oxford, where the Penn/Cornell men won 103-93. Throop, at 14:09.79, contributed five team points with his victory in the 5,000.

“It was really more about the trip over there than the time,” he said.

Great Britain wasn’t Throop’s first international trip. He qualified to compete in last August’s World Athletics U20 Championships at Cali, Columbia, but fate relegated him to formal spectator status.

“I had a calf strain that forced me to sit out,” Throop said. “I still went to cheer on the Americans, but unfortunately I was more of a potato.”

‘Already an incredible journey’

Throop is working for Marquette Savings Bank this summer. The bank sponsored his appearance, and subsequent win, in the Presque Isle Half Marathon.

Throop has yet to attempt a marathon, although yet is the key word. He plans to debut at 26.2 miles after his college running career concludes.

A college running career Throop can’t wait to resume this fall.

“It’s already been an incredible journey with all the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve met,” he said.

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PI Half Marathon results

Results for the July 15 Presque Isle Half Marathon at Presque Isle State Park:

Men

Overall: 1. Dylan Throop 1:07:37.85; 2. Jacob Fopma 1:14:37.54; 3. Noah Fopma 1:15:28.82

Masters: 1. Dino Montagna 1:23:15.06

Age 19-under: 1. Landon Owens 1:16:31.08; 2. Kamden Kramer 1:19:01.71; 3. Aidan Kincaid 1:20:54.77

Age 20-24: 1. Aiden Kruse 1:18:11.13; 2. Eric Gronbeck 1:20:38.90; 3. Kody Klein 1:20:43.22

Age 25-29: 1. Charles Bizzarro 1:25:15.70; 2. Bo Dinger 1:28:34.73; 3. Nathan Woodman 1:30:39.72

Age 30-34: 1. Thomas White 1:24:19.82; 2. Jonathan Kovac 1:24:20.71; 3. Matthew Crays 1:34:43.26

Age 35-39: 1. Eric Soder 1:20:24.37; 2. Peter Staudenmeier 1:23:16.73; 3. Brandon Polcawich 1:24:56.64

Age 40-44: 1. Daniel Bender 1:27:54.39; 2. Steve Parshall 1:31:13.91; 3. Peter Delaney 1:35:36.67

Age 45-49: 1. Craig Golden 1:32:56.48; 2. Jonathan Nolan 1:36:51.81; 3. Brian Sider 1:38:21.74

Age 50-54: 1. Douglas Basinski 1:30:21.53; 2. Tomasz Machinowski 1:33:29.53; 3. Corey Ha 1:35:40.59

Age 55-59: 1. Steve Slates 1:30:11.81; 2. David Gregory 1:38:26.76; 3. Tim Crissman 1:40:34.94

Age 60-64: 1. Dan Kweder 1:40:35.78; 2. Tim Green 1:45:10.06; 3. Eric Matyskiela 1:48:58.77

Age 65-69: 1. Jerry Kosar 1:44:59.71; 2. Jamie Hilton 1:47:28.51; 3. Frank Combopiano 1:50:59.36

Age 70-74: 1. Michael Ball 1:59:43.25; 2. Roger Leopold 2:14:25.75; 3. Jim Lovallo 2:15:54.09

Age 75-79: 1. Rod Brest 1:50:52.37; 2. Phil Szmedra 3:16:23.01

Age 80-over: 1. Jim Lombardi 2:09:16.09; 2. Leo Fohl 2:26:54.93; 3. Victor Rutkoski 2:52:41.62

Women

Overall: 1. Riley Crissman 1:22:55.64; 2. Nicole Hilton 1:23:42.70; 3. Michaela White 1:24:18.11

Masters: 1. Kassandra Gallo 1:28:45.72

Age 19-under: 1. Ashley Khatib 1:37:48.60; 2. Sydney Dunn 1:39:28.66; 3. Jill O’Rourke 1:40:09.44

Age 20-24: 1. Lydia Randolph 1:27:04.11; 2. Emma Steele 1:32:43.49; 3. Cait O’Rourke 1:33:57.32

Age 25-29: 1. Alexa Pustelak 1:35:41.38; 2. Ala Ingros 1:36:36.72; 3. Moira Ziemba 1:38:36.27

Age 30-34: 1. Mackenzie Fulmer 1:29:07.05; 2. Christina Thompson 1:40:49.14; 3. Mareah Garver 1:42:52.80

Age 35-39: 1. Jennifer Liaros 1:33:16.31; 2. Sarah McHale 1:37:03.67; 3. Adrienne O’Brien 1:40:03.93

Age 40-44: 1. Amy Brown 1:37:16.29; 2. Allison Pennell 1:38:01.17; 3. Heather Alexander 1:39:44.12

Age 45-49: 1. Leslie Kramer 1:34:20.41; 2. Kelli Proctor 1:41:06.98; 3. Bridget Fetzner 1:42:16.94

Age 50-54: 1. Deborah Kincaid 1:44:19.58; 2. Carrie Bordas 1:48:57.67; 3. Melissa Good 1:50:29.57

Age 55-59: 1. Nancy Crissman 1:53.23:14; 2. Dawn Gregory 1:53:36.20; 3. Renay Choma 2:02:17.29

Age 60-64: 1. Michele Keane 1:57:47.47; 2. Julie Sheehy 2:04:42.97; 3. Claire Lewis 2:13:34.21

Age 65-69: 1. Elaine Rutkowski 1:56:14.96; 2. Teresa Blue 2:27:52.68; 3. Jane Wilkens 2:34:37.72

Age 70-74: 1. Sandy Eckart 2:47:23.74

Age 75-79: 1. Mac MacKenzie 2:43:24.83

Non-binary

Overall: 1. Abby Yochum 2:25:24.67

Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: General McLane graduate Dylan Throop wins Presque Isle Half Marathon