Bloomington North's Nolan Bailey climbs back to the top in boys cross country

Nolan Bailey was 26th at the state cross country meet last year.

It was supposed to be a springboard to the podium as a senior. Instead, his final season turned into a different kind of race, one in which he hoped he might have a chance to be at his best by the time state rolled around again.

There was plenty of doubt after Bailey battled through one injury, only to turn an ankle in the second half of the season. Bailey never gave up on himself or his goals, however, and repeats as the Herald-Times Boys' Cross Country Runner of the Year. 

"He did a remarkable job, no question about that," North coach Charlie Warthan said. "He never gave up. He kept chipping away at it. Even after injury, he just took the time to get into shape. He just kept chipping way until he became our No. 1 runner."

More:Bloomington North boys find footing at cross country semi-state

More:Tough mudders: Bailey, Myers win sectional cross country races

Bailey wound up setting a career best of 15:37.8 at semistate. Getting there, he put his name at the all-time top of one of Warthan's workouts, knocking out current IU runner Paul Rushton.

"That's not an easy thing to do," Warthan said. 

Bailey was rounding into shape after a track season that produced two injuries that slowed his preseason. Then he turned an ankle at the Conference Indiana meet and missed a good week of training, limited to cross-training.

"I thought that might not let him get to where he needed to be," Warthan said. But Bailey didn't miss a meet. He won sectional, was second at regional and was sixth at semistate.

"That PR made me realize he was on his way," Warthan said.

Bailey couldn't overcome a slower than wanted start, but still led the area runners at state, coming in 44th in 16:22. It was all because of his willingness to put in the work and his drive to get back to the top.

"He leads by example," Warthan said. "And that example is to go out there and work really, really hard.

"Kids can get to doubting themselves when I ask them to do something in workout if I have a lofty goal for them. He doesn't question it. He'll go out and attempt to do it."

And that equated to his mentality at the starting line on Saturdays.

"His attitude about racing is where it's at," Warthan said. "He's not afraid to step out and say what he's looking for. His goals are lofty.

"At semistate, he said exactly what he wanted to do (PR), and how to do it. And he did it. He was in there with some really great runners and was able to compete at that level."

2021 ALL-AREA BOYS' CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

LIAM ARTHUR, Bloomington North, Sr. (15:55.9): 4th at sectional, 11th at regional, 49th at semistate, 145th at state.

NOLAN BAILEY, Bloomington North, Sr. (15:37.8): 1st at sectional, 2nd at regional, 6th at semistate, 44th at state. Repeat All-Area.

KYLE CLARK, Bloomington North, Jr. (16:13.4): 8th at sectional, 16th at regional, 32nd at semistate, 122nd at state. Repeat All-Area.

CHRIS HERERRA, Bloomington North, Sr. (16:15.8): 7th at sectional, 13th at regional, 36th at semistate, 123rd at state.

ELI NORRICK, Bloomington North, Sr. (16:02.2): Injured for sectional, 15th at regional, 46th at semistate, 110th at state.

REID HUBBARD, Bloomington South, Sr. (16:18.8): 6th at sectional, 9th at regional, 41st at semistate, 118th at state.

RYAN RHEAM, Bloomington South, So. (15:54.2): 3rd at sectional, 6th at regional, 26th at semistate, 105th at state. Repeat All-Area.

QUINCY SLAPER, Bloomington North, Sr. (16:04.5): Held out of sectional, regional, 24th at semistate, 95th at state. Repeat All-Area.

ZANDER WEST, Bloomington South, Sr. (16:08.0): 2nd at sectional, 8th at regional, 31st at semistate, 91st at state. Repeat All-Area.

Honorable mention: Jackson Klingler, Edgewood, Fr. (17:18.8); Jack Nelson, Bloomington North, Sr. (16:08.5); Hunter Tabor, Bloomington South, So. (16:47.0); Ethan Teske, Bloomington North, Sr. (16:11.4); Dante Valentino, Bloomington South, Sr. (16:46.0); Caleb Webb, Edgewood, Fr. (17:24.0).

Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.