Marauders runner breaks two school records in Terrier Classic race

The Marauders cross-country team travelled to Boston, Massachusetts, to compete in the Terrier Classic, where runner Alexander Purnell broke two McMaster records in one race

On the weekend of Jan. 31, 2025, psychotherapy master’s student Alexander Purnell and the rest of the cross-country team took on the Terrier Classic, an indoor meet where top schools from across North America compete in various running and field events.

Purnell, who ran for the Guelph Gryphons starting in 2018, just recently joined the Marauders at the start of the season.

At the Terrier Classic, Purnell ran the mile in four minutes and nine seconds, finishing third in his heat and 30th overall. In doing so, he broke the school 1,500-metre record. He is now ranked second in the country for the men’s 1,500-metre, just over two seconds behind his former teammate Max Davies.

“You just never know how these races are going to go. I like to distract myself before races, do readings and such to keep my mind off the nerves,” said Purnell.

Purnell also discussed the congestion at the start of the race and how it impacted his performance.

“The race was really condensed at the start, and a lot of guys were throwing elbows and things of that sort. But after a kilometre, I got free of the crowd and got up to third place, where I was able to go really hard until the end,” said Purnell.

When he broke free of the crowd, Purnell realized he had a chance to break the school record.

“Once I got out of all the elbow swinging and I got into that final 600 metres, I saw the time on the clock and I knew I could make a good time,” said Purnell.

Although Purnell broke some school records during this race, he knows he is capable of doing better.

“I know that if I got in a race that was a bit smoother, I would have been able to race a lot faster,” said Purnell.

As one of the senior members of the team, Purnell is a role model for some of the younger runners.

“I definitely have a bit of wisdom to impart. I’ll give them some guidance or pointers on how they can get to a similar level to where I’m at,” said Purnell.

Purnell talked about how he has been modifying his training in preparation for the upcoming U Sports competition on March 6, 2025.

“Now that we’re approaching championship season, I’ve been running shorter distances at faster paces, as that is what these races come down to most of the time,” said Purnell.

With only a few more races before the OUA and U Sports competitions, Purnell hopes to beat both of his records and bolster his national standings in the 1,500-metre race.