Though many college athletes decline to continue their athletic career after college, Marist track and field alum Spencer Bossi-Johnson could not bring himself to hang up his jersey just yet.
How could he when the Olympic trials came calling?
After graduating from Marist in 2017, Bossi-Johnson continued his running career in San Diego and hit his half marathon personal record of 1:05:20 in the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. This year, Bossi-Johnson took it to the next level. After ranking 150th and heading to Orlando for Olympic trials in February, he placed 42nd, finishing in 2:18:15 (5:17 per mile).
“It was a pretty surreal experience,” said Bossi-Johnson. “If you asked me at Marist if I ever would be qualifying for the trials I would probably say no because I was a pretty decent runner at Marist, but I wasn’t on the national stage or anything.”
Pete Colazzio, the director of men’s and women’s track and field at Marist, made his way down to Florida to watch his former runner. At Marist, Bossi-Johnson was considered an average runner. His freshman year, he placed 264th overall in the Boston University David Henry meet and as a sophomore, he placed 92nd at the Bison Outdoor Classic.
“When he was here I said to Spencer, ‘Your best events are not in college’,” said Colazzio. “I knew he was going to be a half-marathon and marathon runner because coaches talk all the time about the ceiling. He was strong, but he wasn’t fast and then he went out to San Diego, hooked up with his teammates and he elevated his game.”
While his strengths lie in marathon running, Bossi-Johnson had many accomplishments in his college career, one of them coming during the 2015 MAAC championships.
“The 2015 MAAC cross country championships when the team finished second, he wasn’t even our lead runner”, said Colazzio. “Iona College has finished first in the MAAC for over 30 years, so getting second is like the equivalent of winning for the rest of us… we just nailed it that day and I know that’s one of his fondest memories.”
During the memorable day, Bossi-Johnson put together a college career-defining performance, finishing sixth in the 10,000-meter event in the MAAC championship.
“We just really pulled together a really good team that year and it instilled a lot of confidence that I think helped pull me through the rest of my career at Marist,” said Bossi-Johnson
While Bossi-Johnson did not think he would someday be competing in the Olympic trials, he did consider continuing track and field to some degree before graduating from Marist as a hobby.
“I didn’t think I’d be running at the level I am,” said Bossi-Johnson. “But when I moved to San Diego, I think the fourth day I was here, there was a local race and then I ran that and won it. A bunch of guys came up to me and they’re like, ‘Oh, who are you? We want you to join and train with us.’”
Colazzo still keeps in touch with him to this day, a big resource to Bossi-Johnson when he first graduated. He spoke with him about training, nutrition and taking care of his body since Colazzo knew that he wanted to continue running past being a student-athlete.
“Once he got involved in the local running community that really elevated him because training with that club he was training with guys who were as good and better than him and he just got better.”
Even after moving coast to coast, Bossi-Johnson still can be seen doing events today in the Poughkeepsie area. He ran the Dutchess County Marathon back in 2021, and keeps in touch with the current athletes and coaches at his alma mater, his post-collegiate acting as motivators to the Red Foxes.
“He has a huge impact on the current team”, said Colazzio. “The current team worships him, especially the older guys because he came back to run the Dutchess County Marathon a few years ago. The guys love him.”
While Bossi-Johnson fell short of competing in the Olympics, his post-college running career is merely in fruition. He hopes to qualify once more for the Olympics trials in 2028, with aspirations of running an international marathon in one of Boston, London or Tokyo next year.
Edited by Marley Pope and Dan Aulbach
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo; Photo from Marist Athletics
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