By Marc Bloom

This Saturday at the Nike Cross Nationals New York Regional, held at ultra-hilly Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, the self-described “fastest loser” will lay down a few of his cards in a prelude to his bid for the national title the following week in Portland, Oregon.
    
On Nov. 10, Nick Ryan, a Fayetteville-Manlius senior, ran 15:08 for 5K to win the New York State Public Schools class A title by 21 seconds in course-record time in Buffalo. His team suffered a one-point loss to surging Saratoga Springs, winner of last Saturday’s State Federation meet. As usual, Fayetteville skipped the Federation meet to focus on regionals, which should pit Fayetteville against Saratoga for the two NXN automatic team berths.
    
Ryan a “loser”? He said it himself after the Oct. 9 Manhattan Eastern States race at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The incomparable Edward Cheserek had just outkicked Ryan on...