With the PacWest conference championship held on Nov. 9 and the BYU-Hawaii men’s cross country team finishing in 14th place, Clayton Kearl, a junior in business management from Utah, has been enjoying the success his team has been having this season. The team won three of the last four meets, largely in part to consistent performances from Kearl and other runners. Kearl firmly believes in living life to the fullest life and chasing after dreams. Little did he know, running collegiately would become his dream—one literally worth chasing after. It was as early as the seventh grade that Kearl discovered his passion for running. “One day our teacher came out and told us that today was the 1-mile run challenge, and whoever could run the mile under 7 minutes would get an automatic A in the class,” said Kearl. “Boom. I didn’t even think twice. I laced up my shoes and was off. Before you know it, I had broken the school record in the mile and ran a 6:35.” Since that day, Kearl never stopped running, competing in high school at East High in Salt Lake City, and then at BYUH. Running collegiately is no small order and requires intense training and commitment, said Kearl. “Here at BYUH, we train everyday except Sunday. We wake up around 5:30 and start practice right at 6 a.m.” Kearl contributes his work ethic to his two-year LDS mission in Peru where he learned the importance of sacrifice, a lesson that has helped him succeed as a student athlete. “We do anything from speed work to endurance training. All together we run around seven to 10 miles a day,” said Kearl. However difficult it may be, it’s worth it for Kearl who has dreamed of running at the college level since that record-setting mile back in the seventh grade. While impressive performances and natural talent are a big reason for the team’s success this year, Kearl believes team unity is important. “We do so many things together. We surf, go on hikes, have karaoke nights, and even go to the temple together. I really love the team family and our amazing coaches.” After graduation, Kearl hopes to continue running and pursue other life-long goals. “I hope to attend graduate school, travel to places I have always wanted to see, start a business, and compete in triathlons,” said Kearl. Wherever life decides to take Kearl, he said he will always have his experiences at BYUH to remind him to lace up his shoes and keep running after his dreams.
Writer: Greg Erickson~Multimedia Journalist
