Jaynes, Beach set AU 10K standards at Lee University Invitational
By Carlos Rodriguez | Sports editor
The Augusta University men and women’s track 10,000-meter school record were both broken at the Lee University Flames Invitational on April 7 in Cleveland, Tenn., with sophomore Avery Jaynes breaking the men’s and graduate student Hannah Beach breaking the women’s record.
For the second time this season the men’s record was broken, but for the first time in five years the women’s record book was rewritten.
The first time the men’s record was broken this season was back on March 17 at the Charlotte 49er Classic. In tough rainy conditions, senior Hans Troyer broke his own school record of 30:45.33, after winning the race with a time of 30:39.25. His previous record was set last season at Emory University.
“The race in Charlotte meant a lot to me,” said Troyer. “After a poor performance at Berry (Victor Ice Breaker Duals), I was nervous coming into it, but luckily consistent training took over and I was able to top my best from last year and come away with a great time despite rough conditions.”
AU Coach Jacob Burgamy spoke about Troyer’s grittiness that night.
“Hans ran a really gutsy race that day and made that race what it was,” said Burgamy. “Some of the other guys had run just as fast and were probably capable of running what he did, but he was the only one who was willing to take the pace and push like he did from over 5K out. That race really came down to him not being afraid to be aggressive and do the work himself.”
In that same race, Jaynes ran 30:55.55 for second place. Fast forward three Friday’s later at Lee University, both men toed the line in similar conditions. Jaynes and Troyer worked together for a great portion of the race, but Jaynes started to pull away with about 2,000 meters to go.
Jaynes crossed the finish line with a time of 30:19.75, breaking Troyer’s record by nearly 20 seconds. Troyer still dipped under his previous record as well, running 30:33.70. Jaynes finished 15th and Troyer 23rd overall in a race that included NCAA Division I runners.
“Coming through 5K, I knew I was on a pretty quick pace; it just didn’t register at the time I was on record pace,” said Jaynes. “The moment it clicked was when I had 800 left. I could hear everyone cheering and knew I needed to push just a little more to get it.”
He was greeted with cheers and hugs from teammates and his family, making the moment even more special for him.
“Being able to share that moment with my family and teammates makes it mean more than anything else,” said Jaynes. “Seeing how excited and supportive my teammates were after the race truly makes me appreciate the team we have here. My parents have always supported me when it comes to running. Being in that moment with them is something I will never forget.”
Troyer, the fifth-year senior from Newnan, reflected on his time here post-race.
“As a senior about to leave the program, you want to know that you’re going to leave the team knowing you made a difference for good,” said Trooper. “I almost shed a tear knowing that the program is where it is, and I’m proud of Avery and the rest of the guys.”
Despite a three-year difference in age, Troyer and Jaynes have been able to grow closer this year, training together each day.
“Avery and I have had a fantastic semester training together and getting to know each other better,” said Troyer. “He is a great workout partner because he knows when and when not to push. We hop in the workouts, check the boxes and move on to recover for the next one. Meanwhile, during all this, we’re all cracking jokes and keeping the mood light. I look forward to hanging out with him and the rest of the team each and every day.”
The sophomore also gave his praise to the fifth-year veteran for helping him reach this point so early in his career.
“Hans Is one of the biggest role models I look up to,” he said. “He’s not only a great leader but an amazing runner too. He’s always supported and believed in me since I've gotten here, and I wouldn't have been able to get that record without his help.”
Directly after the men’s 10K at Lee concluded, it was time for the women’s race to cap off the night and time for Beach to shine as the lone Jaguar in the race.
Coming into the race, Beach had a personal record of 38:00.03, a time she ran two seasons ago when she was competing for Anderson University. She transferred to AU for the 2021-22 cross-country and track seasons.
During the Lee race she latched on to the back of a pack to help her stay on target of running a fast race. As the race went on, she started separating from the pack and picking people off, jumping eight spots throughout the race and finishing with an enormous personal best of 37:07.18. Beach finished 17th overall in the race with Division I runners from schools like Georgia Tech, Dayton and Lipscomb.
“My emotions were a little bit everywhere during the race,” said Beach. “The lap splits were a little faster than what we originally planned. The 10K is a long race so I was definitely nervous that I went out too fast, but after halfway and I still felt good, I knew it was going to be good.”
Her time shattered the previous school record of 37:52.25 set by Lara Way in 2018. Her season best last year was 38:22.04, so this was a breakthrough she’s been waiting for.
“I was so ecstatic to break the record,” said Beach. “It was something I have been working towards since last year and to be finally able to has meant a lot to me. To break it by 45 seconds was a complete shock and made it even more exciting.”
At this point last season, Beach didn’t even know if she’d be running another year. She had no cross-country eligibility but had a track season left if she wanted. Training through the cross-country season on her own and waiting to put the Augusta uniform back on has paid off.
“Coming back for another season was definitely a hard decision to make, but it was well worth it,” she said. “Not only because I get another chance to meet the goals I've had, but I get to be able to compete for the team for one more season. I want to represent the program well and do whatever I can to help the team. This team means a lot to me, and I am grateful and blessed by the opportunities and experiences.”
Burgamy spoke about their approach and plan leading up to this 10K.
“We knew from training that she was crazy fit and a breakthrough race was coming if we put everything together on the right day, but it really came down to how perfectly she executed the race,” he said. “The biggest thing we talked about was just being patient early, knowing that some of the women in her section were going to get out fast.”
The Jaguars head to Daytona Beach, Fla., this week to compete in the Peach Belt Conference Championship on April 20-21. Beach and Jaynes are both ranked first in the PBC in the 10K, while Troyer ranks second. Both the men and women will have several other runners in the event as well as it kicks off the championship at 7:00 a.m. for the men and 7:45 a.m. for the women.
“The 10K is an area at this meet where I think we have an opportunity to pick up a lot of points,” said Burgamy. “Ideally, we'll see a handful of podium finishes, but we'll just see how the races play out. At this point, it's all about getting everyone fresh and ready to go for it.”
Contact Carlos Rodriguez at carrodriguez@augusta.edu.
AU’s Avery Jaynes (4), Hans Troyer (36) compete in the 10,000 meters at the Lee Flames Invitational track meet; both bettered Troyer’s AU record in the event. At the top of the page, Jaguar women’s distance runner Hannah Beach also set an AU record in the 10K. (photos by David Nguyen, special to the Bell Ringer)
