“Matt Hurley is the best runner on our cross-country team and he is our team captain,” says West Ashley High School cross country coach Brian Brennan. Last week the senior ran a 18:20 at the Ponds Invitational. While it was an impressive showing, it was not his personal best. Hurley once ran a 17:35, seventh best in West Ashley High School history. “His goal for this year is to set the school record (16:52),” says Brennan. “Last year, he just missed out on qualifying for the State Championship race, so this year he would like to qualify to run at the State Championship meet.” 
Hurley knows it takes a special kind of person to run cross-country. “I think cross-country is a really good sport for physically-oriented people,” he says. “But the only people who really excel at the sport are the ones that are willing to mentally push themselves past the pain into that next level.  Without the mental fortitude, you can’t succeed.”

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