Pryor’s Buddy Brown
Pryor High School runner Buddy Brown has only been in cross country for two years, but he already views the sport as something much bigger than races and times. For the varsity runner, the early mornings, long miles and shared stories have helped shape both his athletic identity and his future goals. “My favorite part about being on the team in Pryor is when we go for a long run and form a bond over all sorts of random stuff we talk about.”
Brown said his drive as a runner comes from the athletes who paved the way for him when he first joined the program. “My inspiration has to be from the seniors I ran with when I first joined XC. They were the best of the best in my eyes, and I’ve worked as hard as I can to achieve what they do when they were still in high school.” He has competed in cross country for two seasons and is heading into his third, bringing with him a mindset that centers on preparation and resilience. “I have been in XC for two years now and I am going into my third year of it. My greatest strength as a runner is the mindset I got that I can do hard things if I put in the work beforehand for it.”
That work often starts before sunrise. Brown’s summer training schedule is built around consistency and mileage, setting the tone for the fall. “My summer workouts happen early in the morning when it’s nice and cool outside, and we do on average 5 miles whether that’s just distance or pacer or threshold.” Away from the cross-country course, he stays active with soccer and serves in an internship at his church. “Some other group I am associated with is soccer and an internship at my church.”
Teammates have played a key role in his development, including former runner Colin Hodges. “A past teammate who left a positive impression on me was Colin Hodges, he was very passionate with the sports he played and was always willing to give me tips on what to do.” Brown also measures success by personal growth as much as placement. “I learned that I am only running to better myself, that if I don’t get better than someone else at least I can still feel accomplished because I improved personally. I’m working on improving how I breath while I’m running so I don’t get out of breath.” Looking ahead, he plans to carry that same purpose-driven approach into his future. “After I graduate, I plan to go to college to get a degree in ministry and settle as a youth pastor for many years.”
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