This is the 32nd in a series of features on runners in the Chattanooga area.
Most have involved folks who have been running for a number of years, but this one is a little bit different.
It’s about a young man named Hank Warren, who is a junior at Boyd-Buchanan. He’s an active young man who has all but discovered running by accident as he was using it as a means to get in shape for soccer.
What this personable blond-headed young man has found is a sport that he really loves and one where he’s reaping some incredible results from some dedicated training. And in the process, his habits are rubbing off on younger teammates who are also enjoying running for running’s sake for the first time in their lives.
When Hank was in the eighth grade, he suffered a severe multiple break in his lower leg and ankle playing football. As soon as he was able, he jumped quickly into soccer, another sport that he dearly loves and has played since he was four.
Severe back pain led to the revelation that he also had a cracked vertebra, which totally cancelled his plans for playing sports for the rest of that school year.
Then at the start of his freshman year, he decided to run cross country with the idea of again getting in shape for his first love, soccer. He experienced almost instant success and he’s now running further and faster than ever before and he’s decided to focus on track and cross country while deciding to no longer play soccer.
Warren’s best time as a freshman for the 5K distance was 19:30. He improved a bunch last year with a time of 18:10. Now a year later and more dedicated than ever, he broke the Buccaneer school record in his first race at the 5K distance with a time of 17 minutes, 44 seconds.
Today he ran even better at Baylor by finishing 15th out of 223 competitors with another PR of 17:31.
Amanda Brazier is the head coach for Boyd-Buchanan cross country after serving as an assistant for the last two years. She has personally witnessed how this young man has really blossomed into a fine runner.
“He had a running buddy on our team last year named Rainer Zarzour, who was a senior and had the school record of 18:08. Hank broke that record in our first 5K meet a few weeks ago,” Brazier said Wednesday afternoon while the Buccaneers were having a pep rally as part of Homecoming activities.
“Hank has a tremendous amount of natural talent and he has such a strong work ethic. He’s been doing some training with a guy from Collegedale Academy, but I have been suggesting that he just run for time instead of distance.
“We go out to Enterprise South and he just takes off. While others on our team cover five or six miles, Hank will log eight or nine. He’s always doing extra intervals as he does a lot of training on his own. Most days he’ll go back out and do another three miles after we’re finished with our workout,” Brazier said.
Warren finished fifth in the region meet last fall and ran in the state meet for the first time. He had also qualified the year before, but a conflict with a mission trip he had planned didn’t allow the trip to Percy Warner Park in Nashville on the first Saturday in November to take place.
“Rainer and Hank went to the state meet last year and they were the first ones to ever run that race. His goal is to win the region this year and go back to the state. It will be interesting to see what happens, but he has high hopes,” the coach stated.
“I just want to help these high school kids develop a love of running. It’s a struggle for some as they use it as a way to get in shape for other sports, but running has become an end in itself for Hank.
“His attitude has rubbed off on the other kids and they’re learning they can be good too if they do the necessary training. I love talking to Hank about running and it’s fun to watch him run his heart out and get positive results. He’s bringing others along with him as he’s a real leader,” said Brazier.
“I started running in the eighth grade to get in shape for soccer before I found that I had a serious issue with my back. Once I got over that, I’ve been running strong ever since. My plan is to be a region champion and to earn All-State honors at the State Meet,” the 18-year-old son of Mark and Terrie Warren said with a serious tone.
“I’ve played soccer since I was four, but I feel like God is calling me to run. I went to the state meet last year and didn’t do as well as I wanted, but I’m hoping to do better this year,” the Junior class president who has a perfect 4.0 grade point average continued.
“I try to run about seven miles every day. If I take a day off, I feel terrible, but I also ride my bike for two hours on Saturday at Enterprise South. I really like running on trails. I don’t run with music, but I can hear the birds chirping when I’m in the woods. It’s more like personal meditation than anything,” he said.
“I feel great after a run, but I love doing outdoor activities like hiking, fishing and canoeing. I’m also a tenor in our school chorus, but I don’t like playing video games. But running has been a great experience for me,” he said with a smile
Hank has also run a couple of half-marathons, one at the Country Music event in Nashville and at Chickamauga two years ago. Last fall, he made the decision to enter the marathon at Chickamauga.
Needless to say, it was an eye-opening experience for him, but he had a pretty good day by finishing 127th overall in 3:55:38, which is a 9:01 pace for the 26.2-mile distance.
“I ran that marathon last fall and had to have help walking when I got finished I was so tired,” he recalled.
“He ran Chickamauga last fall after cross country ended and finished under four hours after doing the half the year before,” his coach said.
“I certainly would not have recommended it, but he did it without telling me and he did okay. The good news is that he’s healthy and ready to go this fall,” she stated.
This young man has found a sport that he loves and he’s getting good results for all of his training. More importantly, he’s serving as a great role model for younger runners as they discover for themselves the benefits from consistent training.
The sky is the limit for this young man. Who knows just how fast he can run and how far it can take him?
But he’s making great strides this fall and he still has another year ahead of him.
(This is the 32nd in a series of features on runners in the Chattanooga area. If you know someone who would make an interesting story, email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@comcast.net)