Hayfield runners hit Nike Outdoor Nationals

PHOTO BY KELLI DAHLEN
Incoming freshman Hadley Doman (left) and incoming sophomore Easton Johnson were selected to compete June 18-22 at Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Ore.

Two young runners from Hayfield made their debut on a national track and field stage last week.
Easton Johnson and Hadley Doman were selected to compete June 18-22 at Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Ore., after submitting applications with qualifying race times.
Nike Outdoor Nationals is an invitational meet hosted each summer at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, which allows middle school and high school track and field athletes to compete with other top athletes from across the country.
This year’s meet was the first time Easton and Hadley competed in it.
Easton, a rising sophomore at Hayfield High School, was the only male athlete from Minnesota to compete in the 100-meter dash. To apply for that race, Easton was required to submit a qualifying Athletic.net race time of under 11.90 seconds to Nike Outdoors and was then approved to compete.
With limited options for private coaching or run clubs in southeast Minnesota, Easton’s training consists of in-season support from coaches Kellie Baker and Vince Reynolds, among others. He does strength and conditioning a few times a week at 507FAST in Kasson, but works heavily with his team and coaches to stay competitive.
Easton ran in the preliminary on June 22 and crossed the line at an outdoor personal-best 11.50 seconds to finish 48th in a field of 100 freshman boys.
In a phone interview from a four-day strength and training track camp at NDSU, Easton reflected on his race and what it meant for his future on the outdoor track.
“I’d be interested in running in college, maybe even higher. I’m going to keep my grades up so it looks good for colleges. I’ve only seen a handful of schools, but the University of Oregon, it’s the best track I’ve run on so far,” he said.
Kelli Dahlen, Easton’s mom, had a press pass to take photos of the events and called the competition “a well-oiled machine.”
“They got to talk to people from all over, got to experience the college and the track, which was incredible. Everything was so well organized, people were there to help out, and everything went so smoothly,” Dahlen said. “Easton was just in awe at everything.”
Incoming HHS freshman Hadley made the trip to Oregon with her family and coaches just a few weeks after finishing middle school, and competed in the mile run with other athletes her age, but she is no stranger to high school athletics. In her last year of middle school, Hadley competed for Hayfield High School at the state tournaments in both varsity cross country and varsity track and field, finishing 10th in the 3200-meter race.
Hadley shares her love for running with her mom Melissa Doman, and their frequent runs together help keep her ready to hit the track.
“She has a coach in Hayfield during the season named Molly Heydt, who I partner with. Off-season, it’s me and Hadley,” Doman said. “Molly worked one-on-one with her at every practice during the track season, and sometimes came to our house on the weekends during the off-season to go for a run. Both kids had family and all their coaches and assistant coaches supporting them out there.”
As a distance runner, Hadley knows a mile is 1,609 meters — nine meters longer than the 1600-meter qualifying race she submitted with her application. She also knew it would be her first time officially competing at that distance, essentially guaranteeing her a personal record at the meet.
Hadley passed the 1600-meter mark at 5:22 — a personal record — and crossed the one-mile finish line at 5:23.92, good for 59th place out of 109 middle school girls. The end of the meet left her with an even deeper passion for running and a plan for her spot in next year’s race.
“It’s just the beginning, and she definitely knows that. She’s already asking me ‘what’s the time standard for next year?’” Doman said. “It meant a lot to her, but I don’t think she knew how much it was going to mean. Her mind was totally blown, and she said ‘OK, I get it now.’”
The two young runners were on their respective tracks for just a few minutes, but their time in Eugene showed them the wider possibilities. There was no recruiting, just a glimpse into their potential future.
“It was an overall great experience,” Dahlen said. “The kids got to meet kids their age from all over the United States and take in the experience. They are not lying when they say Eugene is a track town.”
Easton is registered with USATF to compete during the off season, giving him eligibility to compete in other invitational meets and increase his visibility in the sport. After a freshman season at running back, he will return to the Hayfield varsity football team this fall, vying for a wide receiver spot.
With full seasons of both cross country and freshman track to finish before next year’s invitational, Hadley is not slowing down anytime soon.
She shared her advice on how to keep going: “During a race, I tell myself, ‘Stop thinking about it, and do it.’”