Batavia Senior Will Polaski Sets New Personal Best at Regionals

Will Polaski ran a personal best of 15:06.8 at the Class 3A Naperville North Regional on Saturday. The Batavia senior finished in sixth place in the 3-mile race. He trailed his identical twin brother, Eddie, by just over a second.

Polaski recorded his fastest time of the season despite limited timing equipment on the course. He said he was not certain of his split times during the run. The result improved his previous personal best, which he set at the state meet two years ago.

The runner has maintained a high level of consistency throughout the fall campaign. He has finished under 15:30 in each of his last four races. Those results include a fourth-place finish at the Bartlett Flyin’ Hawk Invitational and a fifth-place finish at the DuKane Conference Championships.

Polaski’s performance contributed to a strong team showing for the Bulldogs. Batavia finished in second place at the regional meet. The team’s success was aided by the close times of its top runners. Polaski noted that having two athletes in similar time ranges allows them to support each other during competition.

The senior was selected as Athlete of the Week through an online vote. Other nominees included Johnny Solano of St. Charles East football, Kara Glenn of St. Charles North girls cross country, and Isabel Perez of Aurora Central Catholic girls volleyball. Polaski received the recognition from Matt McGowan, a sports reporter for the Berwyn Suburban Life.

Polaski attributed his comfort in the sport to a long history with running. He stated that running came naturally to him from a young age. He tried other sports, including basketball, but found running more engaging. He has run long distances of up to 13 miles during training sessions, which took approximately two hours.

The runner uses a mental strategy to manage fatigue during races. He focuses on the athletes ahead of him while distracting himself with random thoughts. This approach helps him ignore the pain in his legs and the remaining distance. He said he communicates with his brother during races to maintain a casual atmosphere.

Polaski described his team dynamic as relaxed and fun. He said the group often tells jokes and sings songs during practice. This environment helps build success, according to the player. He plans to continue running next season, potentially entering the track season and considering college athletics.