Athlete: Connor Olson
Year: Junior
School: Wayzata High School
Location: Plymouth, MN
1600m PR: 4:16.99
3200m PR: 9:08.27
Connor Olson of Minnesota, who as a sophomore led the 2012 Nike Cross Nationals field midway before finishing sixth, is off to an excellent start in his junior season with a victory in the Columbus Catholic meet in Wisconsin on Aug. 31 and a 9:15.0 3200m last weekend in his Wayzata team’s Saturday Night Lights time trial. Olson, who turned 17 in July, is one of at least six national-class athletes from Minnesota who make it perhaps the deepest state in boys cross country this fall.
Saturday Night Live: On an evening when the temperature was 83 degrees, Olson, 6-foot-1 and 145 pounds, sped the first 1600m of the 3200m time trial in 4:32 with no one near him to finish in a stadium record of 9:15.0. After training 60 miles a week all summer with a couple of weeks at 70, Olson felt he was in good shape and had hoped to run 9:10, just off his track PR of 9:08.27 set last spring.
Across the Border: In his first cross country race a week earlier in Marshfield, Wisc., Olson clocked 15:23 for 5K as Wayzata almost shut out its Minnesota rival Stillwater, 16 to 44. The Trojans swept the first four places ahead of the Ponies’ sophomore Eli Krahn, who ran 8:58.67 for 3200m last spring, the fastest freshman time in the country.
Heavy on Quality: Olson said that most of his mileage is “invested” in quality work-outs, like a summer threshold staple, 3 x 12 minutes on the track at 5:12 mile pace, with 2-minute recovery. “Get in a rhythm, knock ’em off,” he said. In the fall, he’ll do a 5-mile progression, going from 5:50 pace down to 5:05.
A Little Ahead: Wayzata coach Bill Miles says Olson is an athlete “who is really good at the ancillary stuff”—lifting weights, drills, flexibility, proper nutrition, getting enough sleep. “The little things seem to separate you from the competition,” said Olson, who gets 8 hours sleep a night even with morning shakeout runs before school.
The Family Team: Olson’s parents, Anthony and Susan, were college runners at St. Cloud State in Minnesota. Olson’s older brother Tyler currently competes for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. It was Tyler who coaxed Connor into running in seventh grade. “He told me I could use running to get in shape for hockey,” said Olson.
Early Ice Time: Olson started playing ice hockey—the “state sport,” as he called it—at age 5. He excelled on top tier teams, playing until after his freshman cross country season at Wayzata. “I realized I could get more out of running in the long run,” he said.
Big Meet Breakthroughs: Olson has a habit of coming into big races with little fanfare and making breakthroughs. “Connor thrives on pressure,” said Miles. “The bigger the race, the tougher he gets.”
Riding the Wave: How does an athlete (a sophomore yet) who placed fifth in his state cross country meet, go on to place sixth in the seven-state NXN Heartland Regional and then sixth in the national championships? “I seem to step up in big races,” said Olson. “I’m still trying to put together how I do it.”
Owning the Moment: Olson analyzed his startling 2012 NXN ascent in a teachable moment for all runners. After getting out slowly in the Portland mud and struggling in “no man’s land” around 70th place at the 1K, “I just starting fighting through,” he said. “I thought, ‘Okay, you can make it up.’” He did, reaching the leaders at 3K. “Then I thought, ‘Why not go for it? You can own this moment.’ I started pushing the pace and separating from the group.” Olson held the lead for about 800 meters before others bridged the gap. At the finish, he was about 100 meters behind the winner, Sam Wharton of Ohio.
Trusting Your Instincts: The national opposition will have to sit up and take notice next time around. With Olson in the field, anything could happen. “I don’t like to race afraid,” said Olson. “I like to race reckless, but controlled.”
Historic State Meet: That attitude may be necessary in the Minnesota state finals in November. The top 5 boys from the state track 3200m championship from last spring are all back with times from 8:57.07 to 9:02.58. That depth may be unprecedented for any one state. Olson’s 9:08.27 placed him eighth. “It motivates you to know it could be an historic race,” he said.
Roy Griak Showdown: Many if not all of those headliners, including Olson, will contest the multi-state Roy Griak Invitational at the University of Minnesota on Sept. 28 in St. Paul. Before that, on the next two weekends, Olson and his Wayzata team will run the Metro Invitational and Apple Valley Invitational.
Marc Bloom’s high school cross-country rankings have played an influential role in the sport for more than 20 years and led to the creation of many major events, including Nike Cross Nationals and the Great American Cross Country Festival. He published his cross-country journal, Harrier, for more than two decades.
