Walking Away With First Place

Freshman Adam N. Saravay ought to be discouraged.

Track Coach Robert "Pappy" Hunt says he's the slowest member of the men's varsity squad. And in spite of practicing nearly 20 hours weekly, he has yet to complete a mile in under seven minutes.

Surprise

But the aspiring freshman isn't disappointed. In fact, he's really quite pleased.

Saravay is Harvard's only race-walker.

In competition, a race-walker must keep one foot on the ground at all times, and his knee must be locked when passing under his body.

Although race-walking is not recognized as an official event in intercollegiate track, Saravay works out daily with the Harvard thinclads. He also participates in local competitions around the area which feature race-walking as an event.

"Adam's part of the team as far as we're concerned," says Hunt, who works with Saravay in addition to coaching the women's track team. "We cheer him on just like everyone else."

Saravay began race-walking as a high school sophomore in New York, where race-walking has become a competitive track event.

Though race-walking is still virtually unknown in many regions of the country, the event is last gaining national distinction The Olympics leatures two race-walking events--the 20 and 50 kilometer walks--and an article in last month's New York Times said that Race-walking's time seems to have arrived at last.

Since joining the Harvard men's team. Saravay has lowered his time in the mile to 7.21. He has competed in the Dartmouth Relays, the Northeastern Athletic Congress at Boston University, the Metropolitan Athletic Conference and the Greater Boston Track Invitational, and he is currently gearing up for the Outdoor Track and Field Junior National Championships, to be held in July at Niagara Falls.

Saravay attributes much of his current success in race-walking to skilled coaching Though Harvard has no official coach for race-walkers. Hunt the grandson of a world champion race-walker has volunteered to coach the event.

Funny Looks

Being Harvard's only race-walker has its advantages. Saravay said Although many people "look at him funny" when they first hear he race-walks, the sport gives Saravay a certain status. "People yell things out of car windows, but I can never hear them because they're going too fast he explains.

People he meets often simply refer to him as "the race-walker," he says.

Nevertheless, walking solo can get lonely.

"I'd like some more competition," Saravay says.

Saravay may be in luck James E. Silberzweig, a high school senior from New York, applied for admission into the Class of '87 If admitted, he and Saravay would be the only two race-walkers to represent Harvard since 1976, Hunt said.

Regardless of occasional "race-walking blues." Saravay says he has no intention of giving up his unique distinction among tricksters.

Says Saravay. "It's a change of pace."