Winning a second consecutive state title was important to Tanner Norman. He not only wanted to leave The Classical Academy with his legacy intact, but also was hoping it would give his younger brothers something to strive for.

Norman won the 3A boys’ state cross country race in 15 minutes, 44.8 seconds. He was 25 seconds clear of the field – nearly 10 seconds clear of any other runner at state regardless of classification – and made it an encore to his 2015 title in the 4A classification.

Norman is The Gazette Boys’ Cross Country Peak Performer of the Year, and wants his brothers – Mason, a freshman at TCA, and Ian, a sixth-grader – to make this a family tradition.

“I wanted to set a good example, especially with my little brother on the team,” Tanner said. “I wanted to leave an impact on Mason, because I want him to be better than I am, and I think he will be.”

At the peak of his training before the 2016 season started, Norman was running 70 miles a week. A “normal” week of training included 60-65 miles per week.

As a freshman three years ago, Norman placed 43rd in the state in 4A. As a sophomore, he jumped to eighth, but wasn’t yet a serious contender for the championship.

That changed with a lot of hard work.

“I’ve grown a lot physically since my freshman year,” he said. “I was looking at some pictures from that year the other day, and I noticed I was a small dude. I focused on my training and on all the little things that help you win, like stretching, eating right and sleeping enough – those things add up.”

TCA coach Alan Versaw said Norman’s work ethic has set the tone for what’s expected for the entire program, and that the younger runners on the team couldn’t have had a better role model.

“He’s exemplary in practice, and I don’t know if the other kids see all of the little things he’s doing, but they see the big picture and that he’s putting in the work and it’s paying off for him,” Versaw said. “It motivates the other kids on the team, and I think there will still be a few years of Tanner’s influence hanging around here, even after he’s gone to college.”

Norman is off to run for Iowa State next year, which means he’ll pass the torch to Mason – who finished 38th in this year’s 3A state meet.

Mason will be a senior when Ian is a freshman, which means there will be a Norman running for TCA for years to come.

“At TCA, it’s always been about the Hanenberg sisters, Kaitlin and Emily,” Tanner said. “They left their mark and legacy, so it would be cool if the Normans could do the same kind of thing and put the family name on some banners in the gym. I have a little sister, Ellie, who is 6 years old, so we still have some time before she’s at TCA.”

“Growing up, I was competitive with Mason, and I wouldn’t want him to beat my times in middle school, so I would try to set those times low enough that he couldn’t catch them. Now, I find myself wanting him to be better than I am. It’s a lot of fun.”

Tanner Norman, TCA, won 3A state cross country with the best time of the day regardless of class and set a course record for 3A. He runs on the course where he won state near Norris Penrose Event Center on Monday, October 31, 2016. photo by Jerilee Bennett,The Gazette

Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette

Tanner Norman, TCA, won 3A state cross country with the best time of the day regardless of class and set a course record for 3A. Norman is this week’s Peak Performer. photo by Jerilee Bennett,The Gazette

Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette