OTTAWA HILLS, Ohio — Joe Mayer-Heckathorn goes the extra mile for the Ottawa Hills cross-country team.
The junior was voted captain by his teammates and runs everywhere: from school to practice, at practice and then from practice to home. Then he lifts.
"My dad used to run in college for a few years so I just got dragged into it from a pretty young age," he said. "I just like running. Cross-country is a get-what-you-put-in sport, I think that's what I like the most."
Mayer-Heckathorn has been running for Ottawa Hills cross-country since seventh grade.
Head coach Jeremy Nixon said he is driven by results and the teammates around him, such as now IU Indianapolis (formerly known as Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, or IUPUI) runner Riley Nixon.
"It's been an adjustment without Riley for him because he's had someone to chase ever since he was in seventh grade," Nixon said.
The program is unique in that there are 65 athletes ranging from seventh to 12th grade.
"Joe was always that kid. He always had those older kids to kind of push him," Nixon said. "The kid likes to compete, he's gonna put in the time."
That competitive nature allowed Mayer-Heckathorn to place eighth at state last year with a time of 15:55. In meets, the races cover three miles.
Nixon said Mayer-Heckathorn's time pleasantly surprised him but also marked a new era in his career.
"After the state meet last year, I walked over to him and I said 'Joe, it's your team now, it's your time'," Nixon said. "He's a man of very few words as it is, but he has really taken on that role. He just leads by example."
"It's definitely an adjustment from the previous years," Mayer-Heckathorn added. "Little more pressure, pressure to do well for the team."
The Green Bears are currently ranked fifth in the state in Division III. And with the state tournament on the horizon, Mayer-Heckathorn plans to continue to do everything he can to go the distance.
"I think the biggest thing is that if you're willing to put in more work than anyone else, you will be better," he said. "You can get really far by outworking the competition."