Republic’s Ryan Way has spent the last four years chasing the best within himself, and chasing a school record he still hasn’t caught. Saturday, he puts on the black and orange and chases them one final time.
Way leads a contingent of three Republic athletes participating at the Class 4 state track and field meet in Jefferson City Friday and Saturday. Sophomore Brooke Stanfield will compete in the 400-meter dash and the high jump. Freshman Haven Lander competes in the pole vault.
No matter what happens in the 1600-meter run Saturday, Way has already established himself as one of the best distance runners in Republic High School history. This marks his fourth year as a state qualifier in track — to go along with four state appearances in cross country. He was an all-state performer twice in cross country, and also earned state honors in the 3200-meter run in Class 3 as a sophomore.
Despite Way’s successful career, one mark has eluded him: the school record of 4:16 for the mile run, set by Kenneth Bowling in 2003.
“The record is 4:16, and I’ve run a 4:20, and I’ve been chasing it basically since I entered high school, after I broke Kenneth Bowling’s 8th grade record for the mile,” Way says. “It’s taken me four years to get to this point. I’m about four seconds away. It’s completely do-able.”
To do it, Way will need a career performance. And he has a plan to get there.
“I’m just thinking it’s my last time. I need to come into this race like I came into the last cross country race, give it all I got, and if I can’t walk at the end, I can’t walk. I’ll have three months to recover. I should be good if I do that.”
Way says his attitude coming into the weekend is much different, after seven previous state appearances.
“I’m a lot less nervous. Even up until last year, I was really nervous for the really big meets,” he says. “This year, I’ve been there, I’ve done what I needed to do, so I’m not quite as nervous this time around.”
Way has gradually improved his best time in the 1600-meter run. He was at 4:22 entering the year. He ran 4:21 at the Central Ozark Conference meet, setting an event record. Then he ran 4:20 in districts, for another personal best.
His main goal for Saturday is to top the school record at 4:16, because of what that will likely mean for his overall finish.
“Running the 4:16 is the thing that matters the most to me. If I can run the 4:16, I will get all-state,” he says. “Last year, 4:19 was the 8th place man. If I can do what I would like to do, then all-state will come.
“I’m kind of nostalgic about it,” Way says of his last race as a Tiger. “It’s bittersweet because I’m done with high school, so I’m moving on to college, but at the same time, I had such a great run in high school that I’m going to miss it.”
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