Running hurts. Long-distance running will always hurt, whether you’re the fastest or slowest on a team. Yet on the muddy cross-country hills, the final straightaway on the track, or simply at practices and workouts, Alex Fisher ’26 pushes through with indomitable mental fortitude and a smile.
Through running, Alex redefines not only what it means to “run fast” but also what it means to be in love with the sport, always maintaining a positive attitude despite the demanding nature of running. The athlete from Berlin, CT, explained that his love for running started as a young child and followed the footsteps of his marathoner father and older brother.
As of this year, despite being younger than the other senior powerhouses, Alex has earned world-class accolades, including running 4:09 in the mile in his sophomore year. This feat ended up ranking him second nationally within his age group. He also secured 20th place at the Nike Cross-Country National Meet, giving him the title of All-American. Most recently, he was awarded the Gatorade Runner of the Year for the state of Connecticut, further implanting his legacy within Loomis.
Despite his accomplishments, Alex remains humble, creating a mindset that has been crucial to his success.
“When I first got Gatorade player of the year, the first thought that went through my mind was that I didn’t deserve it,” Alex expressed. “Ever since being a freshman, I looked up every morning when going into the rotunda in Olcott at the GPOY banners hung up, and I thought to myself that maybe one day I could be good enough.”
Of course, he has walked away two years later with the same banner under his name. However, despite being the best at Loomis, he attributed much of his success to his teammates.
“My main motivator is the cross-country and track team. There truly is something special about doing a hard workout with some of your best friends and being able to laugh together to make the pain seem a little easier to handle,” he explained.
Even more impressive, though, is that as he continues to work towards running D1 in college and his aspirations to enter the professional scene, Alex still manages to find balance between his high-performing academics and immense volume of running.
“I view my running as a form of ventilation to take away the stresses of the day, either from tests, general academics, life, etc. Through this mentality, it makes running at high volume and intensity much more sustainable. [I can] genuinely say that [running] is probably my highlight of the day.”
Many people see long-distance running as a simple sport—after all, the only goal during a race seems to be to “run faster.” Yet behind the scenes, Alex is always looking to better his training routine, his decisions, and himself.
“Running is all about discipline,” Alex commented. “If you continuously don’t recover, do the work, and eat or sleep right, there won’t be a lucky foul or ‘luck’ in general to carry you through to a win or personal best. This same concept also applies to my academics.”
By embracing the sometimes humbling experience of running, Alex is able to have a relationship with running that is not only fulfilling but, in his words, “addicting.”
As he continues along his running journey, he relates the process to every part of his life. “Under all the achievements and awards, none of it matters if you’re able to fall in love with the grind. Once you are able to truly become obsessed and find genuine joy over whatever you do, it’s almost impossible to fail.”
