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Joe Dragon hadn’t run the mile since high school. But in December, when head coach Brien Bell believed Dragon was ready to tackle a new event six years into his Syracuse career, he jumped at the chance.

Bell had Dragon doing SU’s routine mileage training, but he incorporated a variety of speed workouts, like 200- and 300-meter sprints. Dragon’s ultimate goal was to break a four-minute mile, and in December, his weekly mileage was reduced by around 10 miles to prepare for the event.

Dragon trained at a pace faster than a four-minute mile in order to make his body comfortable at that speed to make race speed feel easier, he said.

Eventually, on Jan. 30, Dragon reached his goal at the John Thomas Terrier Invitational, barely breaking the four-minute mark at 3:59.19, just before his teammate Nathan Henderson, with the two placing fourth and fifth place among collegians, respectively.

“I’m not usually one to be like ‘Let’s change something,’” Dragon said. “But there is really nothing left to wait for, so I’m just trying to live a little more in the moment.”

With his mile goal completed, Dragon, in his sixth and final season at Syracuse, has added to his already-decorated Syracuse legacy. He has earned three U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Northeast Region titles, five All-Atlantic Coast Conference team honors and has won multiple regional and conference Championships. This season, Dragon has led the Orange in almost every major race, including the ACC and National Collegiate Athletic Association Regional Championships.

Dragon’s brother, Matt Dragon, a sophomore long distance runner for Syracuse, was in attendance for Dragon’s four-minute mile, just like he was for most of his brother’s races since before Matt began running himself.

Over the years, Matt has become a great training partner and motivator, Dragon said. Though both of them are Division I runners, neither thinks of themselves as naturally fast.

“Neither of us are super talented runners naturally, but we just love to work hard,” Matt said. “He’s really taught me that if you work hard every single day, you can accomplish crazy things in your sport, and I’ve seen him do it continuously.”

This year is the final season of the brothers’ stint as teammates, but Dragon’s mindset and example will live on in the team because, as both Matt and Bell expressed, Dragon represents what it means to be a “Syracuse guy.”

“Ask anyone on the team, player or coach, and they will tell you that Joe is a perfect representation of what it means to be a Syracuse cross-country runner,” Matt said.

This season, Dragon won the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational at Penn State and led all ACC runners at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational when he placed 15th. He also finished in 55th place out of 250 runners in the NCAA championship race.

“(I) just focus on the next step, I don’t overthink it and I don’t make lofty goals,” Dragon said of his thought process. “I generally don’t think outside the moment. It’s just another day doing what you love.”

Now in their last month as teammates, the Dragon brothers prepare for just two more races, with the first being an indoor 5k at the Cornell Marc Deneault Invitational on Feb. 19, and the last coming at the outdoor NCAA championships in June.

As for Dragon’s trajectory after graduation, he hasn’t committed to pursue a professional running career, though it’s always been in the back of his mind.

“That’s obviously always been an option, but I never bank on it,” Dragon said. “If the opportunity presents itself and I keep getting better, and I still love it — which is the main thing — then I’ll do it. But I don’t want to just do it because I’m good at it.”

When asked what he will remember most about his time at SU, Dragon spoke of his fond memories playing competitive board games like Catan and Clue. Dragon also cherishes moments with teammates after their hard workouts, which included incline work on Sweed Road and Tully Center strength sessions. The team would sit together in the van, sink into a chair, joke around and just be what they are: “Syracuse guys,” Dragon said.

“There’s only about 15 or 16 people who embody a true ‘Syracuse guy’ and Joe is one of them,” Bell said.

Published on February 16, 2022 at 11:25 pm

Contact Wyatt: wbmiller@syr.edu