PLAINS — When you look at the landscape of Plains, Montana, you will see miles and miles of land that's perfect for distance running, which makes the area an ideal spot for some of the top runners in the state to train.
And there's something in the air for the distance runners on the Horsemen track team, as runners Owen Jermyn, Cord Greer and Simeon Costner are all in the top five in Class B for the 3,200-meter run.
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With the runners so highly ranked, freshman Simeon Costner said this group has been challenging one another all season.
“We do long runs together and stuff,” Costner said. “It's good having competition and stuff and being able to celebrate with each other, celebrate each other's victories.”
With Jermyn at the top spot in Class B with a time of 9 minutes, 40.63 seconds in the 3,200, along with Greer (9:44.61) and Costner (9:49.01) holding down the Nos. 3 and 4 times in the class, every practice this season for the young runners has been efficient and intense.
Greer said the performances throughout the year have left these runners hungry for more as state inches closer
“The practices are some of the best parts of the season, they're so fun and especially some of those long runs on Sunday,” Greer said. “Then what I'm looking forward to going to is, well, the biggest races, state, and it'll be nice because me and Owen right now are looking to go 1 and 2 in the 32.”
Achievements like these have made the small town of Plains rally behind its three state-qualifying athletes, which Jermyn and the others appreciate.
“It's been really helpful having them cheer us along the whole way,” Jermyn said, "giving us things that maybe we've struggled to have without their support, going along with us.”
But at the end of the season, these runners believe the high standard they have held each other to all year will be the difference in achieving their goals.
“Whether it's Lap 1 or Lap 8, we're always here supporting, we're always helping each other cheer you on, cheer us on,” Jermyn said. “We've all been there, we all know what it's like to be at this level and how hard it can be.”
