Better late than never for Dylan Bucior.

In the middle of last season, he joined the Jim Thorpe High School cross country team.Now, a little over a year later, he has signed a letter of intent to attend Division I Temple University for cross country. Bucior, who is a 100 and 200 meter sprinter for the Olympian track team, recalled his first cross country practice trying to complete the three-mile course."I was exhausted," he said. "I actually stopped twice to walk because I wasn't sure I could finish. I wondered what I was getting myself into. Then I did poorly running my first actual race."From his insignificant beginnings as a junior to this incredible year, Bucior would become Schuylkill League champion, District 11 runner up, and a medal winner in the PIAA state championships."When I think about how fast all this has happened, it just blows my mind," he said.It's been a rocket rise to the top for Bucior, who chose Temple over offers from Rider, West Chester, Shippensburg, Kutztown, and East Stroudsburg."I just love the city atmosphere at Temple," he said. "They also have a new training facility and their program has been improving each of the past three years."He will join former Jim Thorpe teammate Jonathan Condly at Temple."I didn't choose Temple because he's my friend. It's too important of a decision to do that, but knowing Jonathan will certainly help me with adjusting to the college life. I'm excited about running with him, too."Bucior never realized he could make the difficult transition from sprinter to long distance runner until he had substituted for a track teammate in an 800 meter race. He ran the event at 2:24, and now he owns the school record with a time of 2:01.Building his endurance and running for the track team improved his cross country strategies according to assistant coach, Marie Rosahac."Dylan likes to make his move somewhere in the middle of the course and build up a lead before he approaches the finish line. He's especially strong running up hill. This is where he jumps out of the pack."In this past season's district championship, he built his customary lead, but was defeated at the finish line by .28 of a second."I was not disappointed that I lost at the wire," he said. "I gave everything I had to give and when I do my best, win or lose, I am very satisfied with myself."Bucior, who intends to study environmental law at Temple, credits his parents, Melissa and Brian who attended most of his races, even the early Saturday morning events that were long drives from Jim Thorpe."They just tell me to have fun and I do. I don't concern myself with winning races. I have fun no matter how or where I finish."Thorpe's head coach, Drew Benyo has also contributed to Bucior's achievements."He's an amazing coach and is very inspirational. He tells me to go out and run my race. That's all I want to hear."His family and friends will now want to hear more about Bucior during the next four years when he laces up his shoes to run for the Temple University Owls.