In a group of young people, it isn’t usually too hard to find Tim Longley. He’ll be the one running, and he will likely be either leading the pack or close to it.
Longley, a Kentville native and a Grade 11 student at NKEC, says he has “always liked running, since I was young. I’ve done cross-country races since Grade 3, and I’ve been running seriously since Grade 8.”
The 17-year-old has already had his share of running successes, and although he knows his limits, he is fairly versatile within them.
“I’ve run everything from 400 metres to five kilometres or longer,” he says.
Hitting the track
In school competitions, he concentrates on the 400 and 800 metre distances, where he has been a frequent winner and is the holder of a couple of records.
At the recent Acadia Relays meet, he joined with three other NKEC teammates to run the 4x100 relay.
“I’m not normally a sprinter,” but he finds the 4x100 “a fun event,” and plans to do it at school meets this year as well.
Longley will also run the 400 and 800 m at the school district meet, and hopefully regionals and provincials as well. And while he switches to 800 and 1,500 in the summer, he doesn’t do either the 1,500 or 3,000 in school meets.”
In terms of road racing, Longley has done five and eight kilometres, but he’s never done a 10K. Nor has he ever attempted even a half marathon.
“I haven’t done a marathon yet. Maybe when I’m a lot older, years and years from now,” he said.
Longley runs outside school as well.
“I really enjoy it,” he said. “I like the races themselves, and the training is fun, unlike a lot of other sports.”
Longley does school cross-country in the fall – he was second in intermediate boys at the 2013 cross-country provincials in New Minas – and also plays hockey for NKEC. With the running schedule he maintains, however, he “doesn’t really have time” to participate in too many other school sports.
Eye on the next race
For someone as rooted in and as serious about competitive running as Longley, it’s no surprise he has dreams and goals for after he finishes high school.
“After I graduate, I’d like to run for a university somewhere,” he says. “I don’t know yet where. There hasn’t been a whole lot of contact where I’m still in Grade 11. I’m expecting there might be some more interest starting this fall.”
While he is intrigued by the idea of universities in the U.S., he’s keeping his options open.
“I’m open to both Canada and the U.S. There are quite a few good running schools here in Canada,” he said.
“Of course, the ultimate dream would be the Olympics – I say, always shoot for as high as you can go – but there are tons of smaller options, too.”
Those options include the Canada Games and Pan-Am Games. He has already competed twice at the Canadian Legion youth championships and hopes to make it a third time this coming summer.
“The Legions were on P.E.I. two years ago, and in Langley, B.C., last year. They’re in Langley again this year. I’m eligible to go. It’ll be a matter of qualifying, times and placings,” he said.
One thing is for sure; Longley will “work very hard” to achieve all of his goals, both short-term and long-term.
“I’ve never been afraid of hard work,” he says, “and I know I’m not going to get the results I want without it.”
In a group of young people, it isn’t usually too hard to find Tim Longley. He’ll be the one running, and he will likely be either leading the pack or close to it.
Longley, a Kentville native and a Grade 11 student at NKEC, says he has “always liked running, since I was young. I’ve done cross-country races since Grade 3, and I’ve been running seriously since Grade 8.”
The 17-year-old has already had his share of running successes, and although he knows his limits, he is fairly versatile within them.
“I’ve run everything from 400 metres to five kilometres or longer,” he says.
Hitting the track
In school competitions, he concentrates on the 400 and 800 metre distances, where he has been a frequent winner and is the holder of a couple of records.
At the recent Acadia Relays meet, he joined with three other NKEC teammates to run the 4x100 relay.
“I’m not normally a sprinter,” but he finds the 4x100 “a fun event,” and plans to do it at school meets this year as well.
Longley will also run the 400 and 800 m at the school district meet, and hopefully regionals and provincials as well. And while he switches to 800 and 1,500 in the summer, he doesn’t do either the 1,500 or 3,000 in school meets.”
In terms of road racing, Longley has done five and eight kilometres, but he’s never done a 10K. Nor has he ever attempted even a half marathon.
“I haven’t done a marathon yet. Maybe when I’m a lot older, years and years from now,” he said.
Longley runs outside school as well.
“I really enjoy it,” he said. “I like the races themselves, and the training is fun, unlike a lot of other sports.”
Longley does school cross-country in the fall – he was second in intermediate boys at the 2013 cross-country provincials in New Minas – and also plays hockey for NKEC. With the running schedule he maintains, however, he “doesn’t really have time” to participate in too many other school sports.
Eye on the next race
For someone as rooted in and as serious about competitive running as Longley, it’s no surprise he has dreams and goals for after he finishes high school.
“After I graduate, I’d like to run for a university somewhere,” he says. “I don’t know yet where. There hasn’t been a whole lot of contact where I’m still in Grade 11. I’m expecting there might be some more interest starting this fall.”
While he is intrigued by the idea of universities in the U.S., he’s keeping his options open.
“I’m open to both Canada and the U.S. There are quite a few good running schools here in Canada,” he said.
“Of course, the ultimate dream would be the Olympics – I say, always shoot for as high as you can go – but there are tons of smaller options, too.”
Those options include the Canada Games and Pan-Am Games. He has already competed twice at the Canadian Legion youth championships and hopes to make it a third time this coming summer.
“The Legions were on P.E.I. two years ago, and in Langley, B.C., last year. They’re in Langley again this year. I’m eligible to go. It’ll be a matter of qualifying, times and placings,” he said.
One thing is for sure; Longley will “work very hard” to achieve all of his goals, both short-term and long-term.
“I’ve never been afraid of hard work,” he says, “and I know I’m not going to get the results I want without it.”
