Running for Ron
Inspired by his late grandfather, Lincoln-Way East grad Jung finds ‘new purpose for running’
Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, the year 2020 had been a roller coaster for Matt Jung.
TheLincoln-Way East graduate and Tinley Park native battled a knee injury in early February for St. Ambrose, lost his beloved grandfather and nearly broke a 20-year-old indoor track record at theDavenport, Iowa, university.
Jung, who’s off to a hot start this season for the Bees in cross country, was named the men’s runner of the week by the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference for a seven-day period ending Oct. 11.
Jung took 24th out of 224 runners in an 8K race at the Seminole Valley Stampede. He finished in 26 minutes, 16 seconds, which was 48 seconds off his previous best this fall.
He’s running with inspiration from his late grandfather, Ron Jablonski.
“I have a new purpose for running,” Jung said. “Every single day he would pick us up from school and take us to his house. We would spend hours and hours there.”
His grandfather’s death hit him hard, but before the funeral, Jung competed in the Bearcat Open indoor meet on the weekend of Feb. 7-8 at Northwest Missouri State. He finished fifth in the 5,000-meter run with a 15:14.03. Jay Jennessee set the school record of 15:13 in 2000.
“I couldn’t recall much from that daywhen I got the call that he passed away,” Jung said of his grandfather. “It was the Tuesday after Super Bowl Sunday and that
weekend we traveled to Missouri for a race.
“When we started, I was in another world in my head and I just missed a school record.”
But Jung said things went downhill after that, thanks in part to the aching knee. The pandemic hit in March, students were sent home soon after, and the outdoor track season was canceled.
He said he used that time to heal his knee and to refocus.
“I often refer to the distance athletes as my ‘Tenacious Bees,' andMatt is the perfect representation of that,” St. Ambrose cross country coach Beth Jansen said. “He has encountered a number of obstacles in the last 10 months. Each of these situations has showcased his tenacity.
“He is determined, persistent, tough and resilient, so very resilient. I am confident the best is yet to come for him.”
Coming up is theCCAC Meet, which the Bees will host on Nov. 7. The NAIA hasmoved nationals to the spring. Jung finished 239th in the nation as a freshman and 136th as a sophomore.
Along with competing in cross country, Jung serves as a campus minister. He's in the middle of a scavenger hunt he helped organize which ends onHalloween.
Besides cooking up fun activities, Jung provides a person for students — especially freshmen — to lean on for advice.
“The year 2020 is definitely a challenge and trying to deal with everything has been hard, but I've been trying to findways to be positive,” Jung said. “I have friends who cheer me up. I'm around people on this campus who are positive.
“Yeah, we're in a time of unknown, butwe're doing everythingwe canandthis school is offering a lot of stuff to do that is safe.”
Jung can relate to people who have struggled during the pandemic.
“There are times this year where I have reached some low points where I just didn't want to do anything,” he said. “But I've always been to find some type of grace to get out of it, whether it's being with my friends or working as a campus minister.
“It's been a blessing in disguiseworking with different people.”