By Tony Burns
Sports Editor
It’s been said before that runners aren’t made, they’re born. In particular, the ability to run great distances sometimes appears to be in the genes.
El Dorado’s cross country teams open the season in September with the largest group of runners, perhaps, in the program’s young history. For at least three of the competitors, running cross country appears to be a family affair.
Hayden and Hudson McDiarmid and Austin Richard are all following in the footsteps of older siblings, who previously blazed trails along the streets and backroads of Union County.
The McDiarmids are the younger brothers of sister Courtney and brother Collin McDiarmid, who both successfully competed at El Dorado. Richard is the younger brother of sister Chloee Richard, a former Lady Wildcat who now runs at Southern Arkansas University.
El Dorado coach John Koonce said siblings following other siblings into the sport is nothing but positive.
“I can’t think of any disadvantage,” he said. “The advantage is that the kid could know the amount of work that it requires to be a good runner. It takes a lot of time, determination, and hard work for a runner to reach their potential.”
Both of the McDiarmids say their older siblings helped ignite their interest in the sport.
“I think to an extent I was encouraged by my older siblings being so successful in every sport they competed in which definitely gave me pride in my name and helped drive me to try to do my best in every sport,” said Hudson McDiarmid. “We all run because we like to eat but we also are all competitive and running is something we all can do so it’s fun comparing times and trying to figure out who is best and it also keeps us in good physical condition.”
“I have always ran, and have always enjoyed running,” Hayden McDiarmid said. “Sure, Courtney was a major reason I got into running competitively. But, my motives have changed and now I just do it for the enjoyment of the sport. And the coach and athletes are pretty cool.”
Austin Richard told a similar story when asked about his sister’s impact on his running career.
“Yes, a little bit. She always played a part in encouraging me to run.”
He said they ran together and she would slow down for him when he was younger. Once he could keep up with her a little better, he started running with her more.
“I didn’t even know about this sport until Chloe. She inspired me to become a runner.”
He also says that he is now motivated to be better than her.
“I just want to beat her, I want to be better than her.”