Ringgold’s Pajak selects Notre Dame
Ryan Pajak of Ringgold is all smiles as he crosses the finish line in first place after winning the WPIAL Class 2A boys cross country title last year. Pajak recently committed to Notre Dame.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
By Eleanor Bailey/Almanac Sports Editor/ebailey@thealmanac.net
Pajak
When Ryan Pajak is giving it his all around the track at home meets, chances are he doesn’t pay too much attention to the life-sized billboard that is placed above the 50-yard line at the Ringgold stadium.
The billboard features a life-sized cutout of the stadium’s namesake, Joe Montana, with his arms raised in celebration during his career in the National Football League with the San Francisco 49ers.
Montana left the area nearly 50 years ago to play quarterback for a Division I University that Pajak will soon be a part of.
The senior cross country and track standout has announced his college choice to be Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.
Pajak obviously knows of Montana’s legacy, but that didn’t have any influence on his selection to be a part of the Fighting Irish.
“It is neat knowing that he (Montana) went to Notre Dame, and it is kind of hard to miss what he went on to do, but that’s where the similarities end,” said Pajak. “I think what really separated Notre Dame from the other schools was the team culture, the coaches and the outstanding campus.
“There are outstanding runners on their team who are a great group of guys. I have been out training a lot by myself or with Coach following me in a car, but it will be awesome to run with people who can push me to be the best every day.”
Pajak puts in plenty of mileage during his training, which he hopes leads to a successful collegiate career. In college, cross country races are 8K and 10K, while high school races are 5K. Distance track races in college feature 5,000 and 10,00 meters, while high school tops out at the 3,200-meter run.
“I have always been a big mileage guy, which I hope plays in my favor,” Pajak said. “I am looking to compete in the 5 and 10Ks in college track. I really like cross country because courses are different, and you can go out and see some really beautiful sites. It breaks of the monotony of running around a track a bunch of times.”
Pajak plans on studying accounting and would take on a career as a professional runner but doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself. He will not be the only WPIAL athlete on the team next year as Butler graduate CJ Singleton is a member of the Fighting Irish cross country and track squads.
Pajak still has some business to take care of in high school before heading to South Bend as he wants to win at least one state championship before his high school career ends, but he is being cautious in the number of races he runs.
“I have been training pretty hard and putting in quality miles, but I haven’t really raced any this season,” Pajak said. “I did a scrimmage at our home course in Mingo Park. I will be competing in Hershey and Philadelphia coming up. I want to stay healthy and focus on the postseason.”
Pajak doesn’t want to shoot for a certain time he would like to run this year, but said, “Anything under 14:30 would make me very happy. I also want to run a sub four-minute mile. I ran a 4:09 this past spring.”