Elk City senior Jack Morgan is among the area’s top returning distance runners ahead of the fall 2023 cross country season. He also plays drums in his church’s band and keeps stats for the baseball team.

VYPE: When did you get into running?
Jack Morgan: I started running cross country in the 7th grade but I didn’t join track until my junior year of high school.

VYPE: What made you decide to run cross country?
JM: I wasn’t going to do a fall sport my 7th grade year, but my cross country coach talked me into running to get me in shape for basketball and I just fell in love with it.

VYPE: Were you pretty good at it from the beginning?
JM: Yes. I kinda just jumped right in and had success from the start.

VYPE: What were some of the early challenges, if any, that you had?
JM: Definitely the mental obstacles when you’re in a race. At the end of the day you know you’re gonna be in pain. You just have to stay persistent and push through.

VYPE: Which season is your favorite; cross country or track, and why?
JM: Cross country. I have been doing it longer than any of my other sports, and the team atmosphere is unlike any other sport I have participated in.

VYPE: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned through running? Has it taught you
anything about yourself?
JM: I’ve learned that in order to have success in this sport you can never second guess what your mind and body are capable of. You have to have complete confidence in yourself to go and perform at a high level.

VYPE: What are your goals and expectations for this season? What will it take for you to reach them?
JM: I want to be the OSSAA Cross Country class 4A individual state champion. This has been a goal of mine ever since I started running. This summer I’ve been working harder than I ever have keeping that in mind. This season I will focus on keeping my mind and body in sync at all times, and do everything I can to prepare to be great.

VYPE: What’s one thing everybody should know about Jack?
JM: I will always encourage my teammates no matter their age or how long they have been running. I take pride in being a good teammate because the better the people around you are, the better individual you will become.

VYPE: What are your future plans and aspirations? Answer in as much detail as you’d
like.
JM: I plan to run collegiately and study sports journalism/media. Writing and keeping up with sports have always been passions of mine and the possibility of pursuing that as a career excites me. I didn’t get serious about the opportunity to run in college until I All-Stated in cross country my junior season. I realized that I have the skill to go compete at the next level, but more importantly, I am committed and dedicated to the process enough to make it happen.