Freshman Calvin Heithaus is already turning heads with his speed in distance running events. As a member of Mount Vernon High School’s Class of 2029, Heithaus has started his high school running career in an impressive way.

So far, he has posted some incredible times, especially for a freshman. He has run a 15:58 in the 5K, a 9:59 in the 3200m, and a 4:34.61 in the 1600m. His personal record in the 800m is 2:07.12, and this season he has run a 2:09.48. Running times like these as a ninth grader has earned him a lot of attention at meets.

“I’m especially proud of qualifying for New Balance Nationals twice and being on the state podium five times, including runner-up twice,” Heithaus said.

Qualifying for events like New Balance Nationals is a great accomplishment for any high school runner. Not many athletes get the opportunity to compete at that level, and Heithaus has already done it twice. On top of that, he has placed on the state podium multiple times, proving he can compete with some of the best runners around.

Heithaus finished the boys’ freshman mile with a 4:33.67.

His teammates say he works hard at practice and pushes the pace during workouts, which helps everyone improve. Coaches have also noticed how focused and determined he is during both practices and races.

Heithaus says his main goal is simple: keep improving.

“I just want to keep getting faster and represent Mount Vernon the best I can,” he said.

With three more years of high school ahead of him, Calvin still has plenty of time to grow and lower his times even more. If he continues improving the way he has so far, he could become one of the top runners to come out of Mount Vernon in a long time.