HARDIN — Ben Bird has set the bar extremely high.
Hardin's Bird set the Class A state record in the 1,600-meter run as a freshman last spring, clocking in at 4 minutes, 17.71 seconds.
“I didn't even know I broke the record after I crossed the finish line. I looked at (head coach Cindy) Farmer and she was like, 'You broke the record!'" Bird said. "I was confused at the moment. I went up to her and she's like, 'You beat the record by two seconds.' I was shocked at the moment."
But Bird isn’t satisfied. Despite all the success as a freshman, Bird felt like there was unfinished business as he chases after the Hardin school record in the mile held by Nolan Real Bird.
“We always talk about how the mental side is 90% of it. Physically, his ability and his work ethic, that's going to take care of itself," Farmer said. "But that mental edge you have over the other runners, because he is so locked in every time he steps on the practice field or the track to compete."
Bird’s work increased after his state title. This fall his Hardin team won state cross country, but Bird didn’t win the individual crown, instead chasing Billings Central’s Greyson Piseno and Gatorade cross country runner of the year Finn Schretenthalerof Livingston. That has proven to be motivation.
“He loves that. He loves the competition, because he knows it's only going to make him better," Farmer said. "He will look and see who is competition is, what he has to do and his race plan, what it has to be."
"I want to start out with a decent time, beating my time from last year. That's all that really matters to me right now. Later on in the season we'll see how it goes," Bird said.
Bird showed guts to set the state record last spring, and he’ll need to be at the top of his game to hold off Class A’s best in late May.
