In recent years, it has been an uphill battle in cross country for the Murray Spartans. But this year, the team has made big progress. 

Murray improved significantly, qualifying four runners—seniors Ali Hansen, Parker Nelson and Diego Andrade, along with sophomore Samara Griffiths—for the Class 4A state meet, Oct. 29 at Sugar House Park. 

Head coach Randall Quarez couldn’t be more excited and more pleased with his runners’ efforts. 

“I’m incredibly proud of our team,” he said. “We’ve made remarkable progress from the beginning of the season to the end. Every runner has improved their times, with many achieving their fastest performances on various courses. As a coach, it’s fulfilling to see this growth. We’re gradually closing the gap between us and our competitors. While other teams are improving too, we’re matching that progress.”

Quarez attributes the improvements to a few factors. First, he said the athletes are more dedicated than they have been in years past. Second, the team has enjoyed more unity. He also said the runners have more confidence. 

“I believe the key difference this year has been the runners’ consistency and their commitment to training daily,” Quarez said. “Our mindset has also shifted; we’re embracing the belief that we belong and that we can compete alongside others. There’s a noticeable change in our team culture this year, fostering an environment where everyone feels supported, valued, and encouraged to grow—not just in running but in life as well. This positive atmosphere is helping each individual flourish.”

On the girls’ side, Hansen has been a key part of the team’s success. 

Hansen is one of the most experienced runners for Murray. She began running cross country five years ago as a seventh grader with a friend. She quickly fell in love with the sport and has continually gotten better. 

Hansen said she enjoys seeing the fruits of her efforts—being able to set and achieve goals with hard work and determination. She also likes being part of a team and watching herself and those around her improve. 

“Running makes me feel strong and capable; you feel so accomplished and good about yourself after you complete a hard run,” she said. “Running doesn’t make you super strong or smarter, or more coordinated. But the experiences you have with your team and the different races you get to run are so much fun, and they teach you so much.”

As a cross country runner, Hansen has tried to improve her sprinting, which is crucial during the home stretch of races. She has good stamina and doesn’t easily get worn out. 

“I think I’m a good endurance runner; I can hold a good pace for a long time,” she said. “I also think I am good at individually pacing myself. I think I could work on my kick at the end of my race. I’m not a very good sprinter.”

Echoing her coach, Hansen is thrilled with how the team has done this season. Heading into state, she felt excited and confident. She has set some lofty postseason goals for herself. 

“This season has been exceptionally good for me,” she said. “I’ve had a couple of personal record times. I think our team has had a pretty good year also. We’ve had some strong runners, and I think our team has bonded a lot better this year. I want to run a sub-20 [minute] by the end of the year.”

Since she started participating in cross country, Hansen has enjoyed running. However, her mindset has changed this season. Instead of running just to run, she has pushed herself more to see how much she can achieve. Her efforts resulted in a big reward: making it to state alongside three of her teammates. 

This season is Hansen’s last on the Murray cross country team. Following graduation next June, she plans on taking her talents to the next level—but in a different sport. 

“I would like to wrestle in college or go to Southern Utah or Utah State,” she said. “If I could run in college, I would.” 

Meanwhile, Nelson has been a leader for the boys team. He is excited to compete at state against the top runners in Class 4A. Nelson set a high bar for himself to lower his race times. 

“I have gotten faster this season, but not as much as I had hoped,” he said. “By the end of the season, I hope to be able to run a 5k in under 17 minutes, which will take a lot of work.”

Nelson has some of the most ideal attributes for cross country. As the season has gone on, he has worked hard to improve. 

“My biggest strength as a runner is my endurance,” he said. “Sometimes I feel as if I could run forever without stopping, even at a quick pace. This strength is also my downfall when it comes to racing. I have a hard time picking up the pace in a race and pushing myself to go faster.”

Nelson started running at age 6, though he took a few years off. He has wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and even outpace the times he ran in his youth. 

“My dad got me interested in running because I always want to be better than him, and he was pretty quick back in the day,” Nelson said. 

To succeed in cross country, Nelson said runners need to be willing to sacrifice their bodies and their time. He said he and his teammates worked hard in the offseason to get ready for the season, which has been one of the best the program has had in years. 

In addition, Nelson said runners need to be mentally tough. 

“Working hard is crucial to cross country because the ability to push yourself in this sport is the only way to improve,” he said. “The mental aspect to running is crazy because it takes an absurd amount of grit to push yourself.”

After high school, Nelson wants to train for marathons and ultramarathons. One of his goals is to run 100-mile races and participate in triathlons. (Photo courtesy Randall Quarez) λ