Blake Jensen went into the 2023 cross country season with a goal of getting his 5K time below the 16:45 mark.

Jensen, who has gotten below the 17-minute mark in what was a memorable run in his first time doing so and described it as a painful experience, also wants to help get the Plainsmen to state as a team.

“I feel like I’ve just improved my overall speed/endurance since last year and that has really shown in my times,” Jensen said. “My strengths are I think just my mental ability, I feel like Ihave learned a lot since freshman year and I have mentally prepared myself better and better every race.”

Leaning on his coach, Justin Declerck, has helped get Jensen to where he is.

“He is always there for me and all of my teammates no matter what problem we have,” Jensen said.

Jensen, a junior this year, hopes to go to college on a running scholarship and further his academic and athletic careers.

“This junior year I have run the best times I have all of my running career and I plan on making it to state with my team for the first time in my life,” he said. “It will be a memory that I will hold for a long time.”