Running- some hate it, others love it. And for some, like Adam Wood, it is everything. Adam Wood is one of Herriman’s top distance runners, and a cross country team captain. He has been called ‘Herriman’s prodigy miler’ by coaches. He holds multiple school records in cross country and track and field. But getting to where he is today has not been a walk in the park.

“Cross country demands greatness”, said Adam. “All it takes is all you’ve got.” Adam began running his freshmen year because, “it was the only thing I was good at.” What started as hobby quickly became more than that. He rose to the rank of second on the cross country team by Sophomore year. That same year in track, he ran at state championships in the 1600m and 3200m. He represented the Herriman boys at state cross country championships his junior year and he ran at track and field state championships for the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, Medley. He also helped qualify the boys 4x400m team for the finals.

What has kept him motivated through over three years of competitive high school cross country and track and field? “I love the feeling I get after I race my hardest.” His personal records include: 1:57 800m (half mile) 4:23 1600m (mile) 9:26 3200m (two mile) 15:57 cross country (three mile) “Every day the boy pushes me to work harder and be a better athlete and person.” says Jackson Webber, one of Adam’s fellow athletes and varsity runners. Running won’t end for Adam after his senior year. He has plans to join the 5.7 percent of high school cross country runners who go on to run in college. He currently has several schools looking at recruiting him, including Weber State, Southern Utah University, and Utah Valley University.

“Running isn’t that bad. It gets a bad rap, but it’s not that bad. I believe everyone should [try] it and if you refuse to run you should come and support, because 90 percent of the school probably hasn’t been to a track [or] cross country meet.”