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Schools

Harriton Junior Sets Sights On Cross-Country State Title

Max Norris has worked his high school career for this opportunity.

Max Norris thinks there’s something missing if he’s not out there. It’s an urge, a strong, sound compulsion to run. It doesn’t matter if there are a few inches of snow on the ground, or if it’s a holiday—the  junior is out there running, trudging 12 miles in bone-numbing chill toward a dream. It’s an unbending, wrought-iron approach that keeps Norris moving, pushing himself to edges most high school athletes his age wouldn’t go near.

Norris is hoping to achieve that dream Saturday when he runs in the PIAA Class AAA cross-country state championship on Hershey’s 3.6-mile Parkview course.

He’s already accomplished a number of Harriton school-record firsts this year: The first Harriton runner to ever win the Central League championship, and the highest Harriton finisher at the PIAA District 1 Class AAA championship, taking fourth place overall behind Upper Moreland’s Drew Magaha, whose 15-minute, 16-second time happens to be the best in the state.

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Still, expect Norris to be in strong contention for the state championship on Hershey’s hilly course, which plays more into Norris’ strong running style.

“Max is an incredible talent and he’s incredibly focused, it’s a rare combination for someone that young to have that great combination,” Harriton coach George Dick said. “Max is willing to work hard, and I really believe he has the ability to finish among the top five in the state. Cross-country may be one of the best sports there is, because everyone in the field runs the same race, and to be honest, every course is different. Max is a speed guy. He has the raw speed. He’s shown time and time again he also has the endurance.”

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Norris has gradually moved forward. He finished 43rd as a sophomore last year. He already exceeded his personal-best time with a 15:31 he posted in the John Sharp Viking Invitational in early September. He’s been able to ignore the burning lungs and the throbbing joints each time he tackles running up another hill. 

"The mental aspect of a good cross-country runner, I believe, goes more into what goes on before a race than during a race—it’s why I push myself the way I do,” said Norris, who carries a 4.6 GPA on a weighted scale of honor classes. “A lot of times when I’m running, I think of happy things, like how grateful I am to be healthy and happy to be in the position I’m in, and I think back on all the training I’ve done, and the time my coaches and teammates put into helping me, and I want to make them proud. But in that last mile, you have to dig deep.”

It shouldn’t be hard for Norris to find that something extra. To increase his speed, he runs 10 to 12 hill sprints, and tempo workouts that requires a consistent pace that’s slower than a 10K pace, which tricks the body to flush out lactic acid. In two years, he’s never missed a workout. Norris has a good chance to finish among the top 10 runners in the state, making him an all-state runner.

“I’m definitely going to try to win and do everything I can to win,” Norris said. “I’ll fight for first. If I don’t get that, I’ll fight for second, and if not second, I’ll fight for third,” Norris said. “If I finish fourth or better, I’ll try for nationals.”

There’s no reason to doubt him. Norris suffers from another compulsion other than running. Winning.

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