In cross country, success is often measured by the time displayed at the finish line. For senior Caiden Kennedy, however, his final season has become more about making every mile count rather than dominating the course.
Kennedy entered Poly’s cross country program as a freshman and immediately established himself as one of the team’s strongest runners. Head Coach Farid Hernandez remembers Kennedy leading races and practices while bringing an unusual level of enthusiasm to the program. “I remember he was pretty much the leader of the team as a freshman boy, and that was pretty admirable,” Coach Hernandez highlighted.
However, Kennedy’s next two seasons did not follow the trajectory he expected. After training throughout the summer, Kennedy fractured his hip and missed most of the season just before the beginning of his sophomore year. After his sophomore season, Kennedy even contemplated leaving cross country altogether.
“I seriously thought about just not joining cross country the next year,” Kennedy said. “But then I remembered that I really enjoy the team. So I’m just gonna come out and run for the team.” Still, it would not get any easier as another injury limited his performance during his junior year.
Now healthy for his senior season, Kennedy has adjusted his training to help prevent another setback. His coach has implemented an “80-20” approach, with roughly 80% of Kennedy’s running completed at an easier pace and the remaining 20% consisting of more demanding workouts.
During the Rosemead Invitational on September 12, Kennedy placed third out of the fifteen Poly runners with an overall ranking of 510 out of 1537 competitors in the boys merge category. In the senior boys rankings, he placed first out of the three Poly runners with an overall ranking of 177 out of 334 competitors.
Instead of focusing solely on returning to his freshman year times, Kennedy has set a different standard for his final season. “I realize I’m gonna be running my last race pretty soon, so I might as well give it my 100% effort,” mentioned Kennedy. “I’m not hoping to PR. I’m just hoping to come out of that last race knowing that I left it all on the course.”
To start this season, Kennedy has also realized a larger leadership role as a senior and team captain. With a young roster that includes a sizable freshman group, he has begun setting examples for the newer runners. During easier runs, Kennedy reminds younger runners not to push the pace unnecessarily, while during workouts, he encourages teammates who begin falling behind.
“He’s a great inspirational runner,” Hernandez declared. “He does hype up the rest of the team. He’s showing a lot of good qualities in being a team captain and holding everyone accountable.”
Sophomore Isaac Lee has seen Kennedy’s influence firsthand, stating, “Cross country seems like it’s a really individualized sport. But, I think Caiden definitely really helps support that team-building aspect of it too.” Although baseball remains Kennedy’s primary sport, running will not necessarily end with his final Poly race. He hopes to eventually complete a marathon, attracted by the discipline and individual challenge it demands.
For now, Kennedy has one season left to complete. When he crosses his final finish line for Poly, Kennedy simply wants to know that there was nothing more he could have given to the team and himself.
