Feb. 17, 2010

A talent-laden field competed in the Terrier Invitational mile at Boston University.

That was good news for a pair of former local greats, who both ran career bests.

UMass Lowell junior Angus MacDonald of Methuen placed seventh in 4:07.92 and Boston University junior Craig MacPherson of Derry finished ninth in 4:08.61.

MacDonald slashed 3.11 seconds off his career best from last winter.

"I got into the first heat and my coach (Gary Gardner) told me to just hold onto the group, let them bring me through and kick in the end. That's what I did,'' said MacDonald.

This isn't the Central Catholic graduate's first noteworthy performance for the River Hawks. In the fall, he placed 37th at the Division 2 NCAA cross country championships to earn All-American honors. He also was twice an All-American for his work on UMass Lowell distance medley relay teams.

Lowell has a proud tradition of distance runners and MacDonald is knocking on the door of history. The school's indoor mile record is 4:06.53 (Steve DeWitt in 2008) and the outdoor mark is 4:06.84 (Vinnie Fleming 1976). The next year Fleming took fifth in the Boston Marathon.

"That's a big goal,'' MacDonald said of the mile records. "I'm not sure if I'll do it this year. I won't get a chance in a big race until Nationals.''

He could be around for two more spring seasons as he redshirted last spring with what he believes was pneumonia.

The extra season would give the math major — he has a 3.4 GPA and made the NE-10 fall all-academic team — a chance to get his master's in education.

The MacDonalds have a lot of Ripken in them. He and his older sister, Kaitlin, both went from kindergarten through high school without missing a day of school.

"I never take a down day,'' he explained. "I'm always there to do my work and not take shortcuts.''

MacPherson, a transfer from Keene State, bettered his previous mile best from last spring by a hundredth of a second. He's also doing the job in the classroom, earning America East fall academic honors (3.0 or better GPA). The former six-time Eagle-Tribune has been a decorated scholar-athlete at Pinkerton (he scored 720 on his verbal SAT), Keene and now BU.