Catching up With Top Returners: Mark Hadley

-Athlete Name: Mark Hadley

-School: Boardman

-Year of Graduation: 2014

-Best time in a 5K race and in which meet: 15:01, New Balance Outdoor Nationals

So far my summer training has been going just as planned. I took a week off after nationals and slowly worked my way into some high mileage and tempo runs and am in the process of beginning intervals and speed work. But most importantly, I've stayed healthy. Last summer was a completely different story. I was constantly taking days, and even weeks, off for nagging injuries. This summer has been a blessing because of the fact that I've been able to train consistently all the way through.

-What are your goals for the upcoming season?:

First and foremost, making it to Foot Locker Nationals. My main goal for this season is to place top ten at the Foot Locker Midwest Regional and qualify myself for the national race in San Diego. State is definitely still a huge race and I'm going to put everything I have into winning it. But in the end, the success of my season is going to be determined by whether or not I make it to Foot Locker.

I started running in 7th grade when I decided that it was in my best interest to run and get in shape for basketball rather than play football and risk injury. It was a really hard choice for me at the time because all of my best friends were on the football team. But looking back on it now, choosing to run was the best decision of my life.

During the regular season, no. But as I said earlier, I'll be running in the Foot Locker Regional and hopefully National races. Also, if we like our chances as a team, we'll be taking our talents to the Nike Regional qualifier in Indiana.

Definitely National Trails Raceway in Hebron, the site of the state meet. Not because it's a track covered in grass that produces disgustingly fast times, but because I had the race of my cross country career thus far on it sophomore year.

I'd say the toughest course I've encountered during my career is  West Branch's. The course is nothing but short, steep hills and razor sharp turns. The general consensus of most runner's is that Woodridge is the hardest, and I'm sure they're right. I've just never had the honor of running there. I'm going to take this time to apologize to my Coach, John Phillips, who remains under the illusion that Boardman High School is home to Ohio's toughest course. Coach, I admire your dedication to representing the maroon and white, but this is one area that we must agree to disagree.

The Spartan invitational is always a big race for myself and the rest of my team. The fact that its on our home course certainly helps, but mostly because it's a huge race and there's always great competition. I'll also put some emphasis on the Midwest Meet of Champions this year. This is the first time I'm running it and I expect to see some great runners there.

Without question my favorite race is State my sophomore year. I was expecting to maybe get top twenty and hopefully break 16:00, and I just had one of those days. I ended up running a 15:31 and getting fifth. Unfortunately, I was only able to manage a 2 second improvement on that time last year and a sixth place finish, but I'm ready to shatter those times and create several new favorite races throughout the course of this season.

-Favorite cross country memory?:

Standing up on the podium after state my sophomore year in front of a huge crowd still in complete disbelief of what I had done.

I'm not really exciting outside of running. I usually have an hour nap incorporated somewhere into my daily schedule which otherwise involves reading running books, checking in on milesplit, and watching Seinfeld re-runs and old races on youtube. When I'm feeling ambitious, I go hang out with the guys on the team and shoot hoops or play volleyball.

-Favorite quote?:

"I can do no great thing, just small things with great love." -Mother Teresa

I totally stole this quote from Ryan Hall's book, Running With Joy. It's a great motivational book, and it really got me back on my feet for a great track season after a less than impressive junior cross country season.

I literally have five worn out pairs of Nike Lunarglide 4's in my closet and it's about time for a 6th pair in a week or so. On top of that, I've been wearing older models of the shoe since 8th grade. If it ain't broke don't fix it

I just got a flashy new pair of Leopard Spotted Nike Victory XC's yesterday. They're pretty awesome.

Considering I don't own an Ipod it'd be pretty hard for me to listen to it on a run.

I'd love to meet Ryan Hall. Not just because he's a fantastic runner, but mostly because he's a strong Christian that's truly using the abilities he's been given to glorify God. This is my true mission as an athlete. Dathan Ritzenhein is a close second because in my eyes he's the best American high school cross country runner that has ever lived. His ability to endure huge quantities of pain from the time the gun goes off to the end of the race without batting an eyelash is remarkable. Seriously, watch his Foot Locker races from 1999 and 2000. They're beyond impressive.

I was a bowling prodigy as a young child, I can make ridiculously obnoxious farting sounds with my armpit, and I don't eat pasta for some odd reason.