Inside the minds: Lehigh 4×800 relay team’s route to victory

First-year Mekhi Britt, sophomore Ian Zalewski, junior Aidan LaTourette and senior Alex Heidemann stepped onto the track knowing the fate of the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry rested on the outcome of their 4×800-meter relay. 

Rauch Fieldhouse buzzed as teammates lined the track and fans cheered in anticipation. The score stood at 88-86 in Lehigh’s favor as the men’s track and field meet came down to its final event. From the opening leg to the anchor’s final lap, the relay showed how each segment requires a specific strategy under pressure. 

LaTourette toed the starting line and waited for the horn. Surging forward, he opened the relay for the Mountain Hawks. He said he didn’t know the relay order until minutes before the race, but once he learned he’d run first, his focus narrowed. 

He said his job was to establish a competitive pace immediately. If the first leg falters, it’s difficult to recover lost time. 

“You can’t really win the race on the first leg, but you can lose it,” LaTourette said. “In my position, I just have to keep my guys in the race and give them a chance.” 

For the first two laps, LaTourette sat behind Lafayette’s Titan Casey before passing him at the halfway mark. He then handed the baton to Britt. 

A Lehigh Valley native, Britt attended Bethlehem Catholic High School and said he’d never competed in a meet with stakes this high.

Before finalizing the lineup, coach Debbie Utesch pulled Britt aside. 

“(Utesch) comes up to me and goes ‘(Britt), you’ve got this, but we can always put someone else in your place,’” he said. “She asked me if I could handle the environment because it was insane.” 

After a few seconds of contemplation, he nodded and prepared for the second leg. He said his teammates began shoving one another and hyping him up, fueling his confidence. 

As the second runner, Britt said he aimed to create separation early because the 800 meter drains a runner’s energy by the final stretch. With the relay serving as each runner’s second race of the day, he said long-term strategy made the difference in success. 

Britt took the baton and immediately found himself chasing his Easton competitor, who’d secured the exchange two steps ahead. 

“When I started running, Lafayette actually got the baton first and I just went out as fast as I could from there,” Britt said. “We really started to gain our lead and win during my leg.” 

He completed his leg in 1:57.17 — the second-fastest split of the group — and flipped the race’s momentum. When Britt received the baton, Lehigh led by about five meters. By the time he handed it off, the margin had grown to nearly four seconds. 

“That’s what turned the tide of the relay,” Britt said. “From when I got it to when I gave it away, we already knew the win was ours.” 

Zalewski ran third and took the baton with roughly a 1 1/2-second lead. He said his focus was to continue extending the gap. 

After Britt widened the margin, Zalewski said he no longer saw Lafayette’s runner and aimed to make the anchor leg as straightforward as possible for Heidemann. 

“Running third, I had one goal, and that was to widen that gap,” Zalewski said. “I told our anchor I wanted to make his job easy entering that final leg.” 

Zalewski said the third leg demands someone dependable and consistent who can protect a lead. With a 7-second advantage, Heidemann took the baton with a clear path to the finish line. He said his experience in the 800 and closing strength made him the natural choice to anchor.

By the time he received the baton, Heidemann said his confidence was at an all-time high. Early in his leg, he was nearly a full turn ahead. 

With 300 meters remaining, Heidemann said his coach yelled two words as he passed by. 

“(Utesch) told me to ‘enjoy it,’” he said. “I got to soak in the cheers from the crowd, take a deep breath and finish the race without any pressure on my shoulders.” 

The Mountain Hawks defeated the Leopards by 15.95 seconds. 

Heidemann said anchoring carries added meaning because he runs to secure the victory for his teammates. 

“Sometimes in an open race, you’ll have an off day and say ‘Today wasn’t my day,’” he said. “In a relay, you’re racing for three other guys. A relay team can’t give up on one another, no matter how hard it gets.”