Keeping up to speed

A 2009 Saratoga High School graduate, Hayden Hohnholt is juggling competitive running with his love of teaching and working with kids.

Hohnholt, who runs both track and cross-country while at Concordia University, most recently ran the 3K in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Indoor Championships, which took place March 6-8 in Geneva, Ohio.

"I got ninth place out of 15 runners in the in 3K, but you had to be in the top 8 to get All-American, so I was one off," Hohnholt said. "It was kind of disappointing and I didn't run as well as I had in the past, but it was a fun experience and fun to race. That was my last race for the indoor season, and the outdoor season will start at the end of March."

Before then, Hohnholt ran the mile, 3k and 5k in the GPAC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Crete, Neb. Feb. 22. At the championship tournament in Crete, Hohnholt placed eighth in the men's one-mile run, sixth in the men's 3000 meter run and third in the men's 5000 meter run. His college team took first place out of 19 events scored, with 196 points total.

During last year's cross-country season, Hohnholt participated in the 58th annual Men's National Championships for cross-country in Lawrence, Kans. A fifth-year senior at Concordia, located in Seward, Neb., Hohnholt said he enjoys competing in various events for both cross-country and track.

"For cross-country we travel to quite a bit of places, but for track we stay pretty close to here in Nebraska," he said.

Hohnholt said he had always enjoyed running since he was young, but didn't get serious about it until eighth grade. He was also active in basketball during high school, in addition to competitive running in the fall and spring.

Hohnholt holds Saratoga High School's record for the 3200 meter run (10:08.46 in 2008), and was named Southeast Conference Player of the Year for basketball during 2008-09. As part of a team, Hohnholt's track team was the 1A boys state champion for 2008, and his cross-country team was the 2A boys state champion state for 2006.

In other honors, Hohnholt's 1A boys track team was state runner-up for 2007, and his 2A boys cross-country team achieved the same honor that same year.

"I can remember doing Hershey track in elementary school around maybe third or fourth grade, but it was probably around my eighth grade year that I became more serious about running," Hohnholt said. "I did track and cross country all throughout high school, and basketball in the wintertime."

When he's not running or sleeping, Hohnholt is now working on his middle-level teaching degree, which would allow him to teach anywhere from fourth to ninth grade. As part of his current student teaching, he teaches fifth-graders at an elementary school in Seward.

Hohnholt said he was inspired to be a teacher because of his parents. His father, Rex, is a teacher and coach for Saratoga High School, while his mother, Mary, works at Head Start in Saratoga.

"When I first started college my major was computer science, but then I changed my major to teaching," Hohnholt said. "I really enjoy being around kids and helping them in any way I can, like with schoolwork or life in general. To have that impact on a child's life is a great thing to be able to do, and teaching is a way to do that. For my first year coming out of school, I'll be happy to get a job anywhere I can, but after that I'll be more picky about where I want to teach."

As a competitor in both track and cross-country, Hohnholt said he enjoys running for the fun, exercise and friendships it brings.

"I love running and it's another way that I can hang with my friends," he said. "I also love trying to work hard and better myself. Running is one sport where you can show improvement by what you put in as a runner, and striving to be the best you can be is what I love most about it. I also love competing with the best people in the nation at your level, and seeing what you can do against them."