Marissa Kuik | Colorado MileSplit
After an incredible finish at the 3A Cross Country State Championship where Matthew Hayden of Frontier Academy finished runner-up, he is poised to chase his first state title.
Fall Cross Country Season, 2024: Matthew put together an incredibly consistent fall season, running very strong times and finishing high up in many of the races. His best finish was an individual win at the Coronado Cougar Classic in the smaller school division, where he ran a time of 16:29. However, by far his best race of the whole season was his runner-up finish at the state meet. He ran a time of 16:07, which was only a few seconds behind his PR of 16:01, which he ran on a much faster course.
Matthew shared a little bit about his course preferences when it comes to cross country and stated, “I prefer the strategic and challenging courses. They offer a greater reward, as runners achieve something more difficult and are better prepared for future cross country courses. For example, racing on a hilly course like the state course taught me how to manage my effort, which has made me a smarter runner on all types of terrain.” Clearly he showed that ability to manage his effort at the state meet last year.
Matthew also mentioned his excitement for the Flyin’ Ryan Invitational, where he ran his current PR of 16:01:
I love this meet so much because it’s the old regionals course and because it has a deep meaning behind it. The Flyin’ Ryan Invitational is a race that serves as a memorial race in honor of runner Ryan Vomacka, a Mountain View High School graduate who tragically passed away after a battle with brain cancer. I’ve had an incredible experience at this meet and since it’s in my hometown, I get to do numerous workouts and have had plenty of positive, impactful memories at this place.
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