The shot is fired to signal the start of the race and the runners begin their quest of a two mile run. The pace is


set immediately as senior Nick Happe jumps to the front of the pack, where he will be at the end of the race as well. Not only did he win the 3200 meter run at the Marion Freeman Invitational at Clayton High School on May 2, but he did it in a commanding fashion as he broke a 41 year record at the meet with a time of nine minutes and two seconds. This was nearly a mirror image of several weeks before, as he was entered into the Kansas University Relays where he won as well.
“[Watching him run] is a tremendous feeling,” boys’ distance track coach Bob Doak said. “It is such a joy to watch top athletes perform. I can hardly put into words how happy I am for him.”
The Kansas University Relays get their name because it is one of the top college meets in the nation, but it has a high school division that incorporates some of the top athletes in Kansas and the bordering states. Since Happe is ranked as one of the top distance runners in the nation, the coaches wanted to send him to the meet to get a glimpse of his competition for later in the year.
“It is a good [meet] to see where you are,” head track coach Greg Hennefent said. “He got to see his competition from the other side of the state.”
As for any athlete, it is not possible to go out and break a 41-year-old record without practicing to become the best you can be. Happe is a prime example of this, as he runs nearly 70 miles a week and even practices on weekends to better himself.
“His work ethic is phenomenal,” Hennefent said. “His workouts are designed for him, and they are pretty tough. He does really well with it.”
Having the poise and determination to run nearly 70 miles a week has paid off for Happe, as he will be running for the Arizona State Sun Devils next year.
“[My goal] is to progress overall as a runner and keep up with my school work,” Happe said.