Athlete: Conner Mantz
Year: Junior
School: Sky View High School
Location: Smithfield, UT
1600m PR: 4:16.08
3200m PR: 9:04.05
5,000m PR: 14:24.33
Conner Mantz of Utah won the New Balance high school nationals 5,000m on March 14 at the New York Armory, and he already has longer races in mind for the future. He has already run a number of half-marathons—with a 1:11:25 PR two years ago at age 15—and hopes to be a marathoner some day. After his breakthrough performance in New York, Mantz, a junior at Sky View High, is buoyed for his first major race of the outdoor season: the Arcadia Invitational 3,200m on April 12 in southern California.
of Tennessee. Both Mantz and Templeton—as well as defending champion: Indoor nationals marked Mantz’s first trip to New York City. He was awed by the spectacle of the Armory, situated in the colorful Washington Heights section of Manhattan. Mantz’s victory, in 14:24.33, was his first national title. The next day, he celebrated with Dunkin’ Donuts for breakfast, sightseeing with his father and a long run in Central Park.
Foot Locker Finals: Running Shoes - Gear Aaron Templeton of Tennessee. Both Mantz and Templeton—as well as defending champion Elijah Armstrong of Idaho—were Foot Locker cross country finalists in December. Feeling strong from consistent winter training at 50 miles per week, and coming off of many great workouts, Mantz broke away with three laps to go, running his last 600 meters in 1:39 to triumph by 13 seconds.
High School Athlete of the Week: Mantz’s name was added to the meet’s illustrious 5,000m victory list that includes all-time greats Lukas Verzbicas and Edward Cheserek. Mantz reassessed his spring goals after the win, and now he’s looking for a sub-8:55 at Arcadia, which draws an elite field in the 3,200m. Last year at Arcadia, Mantz placed 21st (a record 16 boys broke 9:00) and set his PR, 9:04.05, one of the fastest sophomore times in the country in 2013.
Nutrition - Weight Loss: Mantz, 17, hoped to break 9 minutes at the Simplot Games in February in Pocatello, Idaho. After the 3,200m trials on a Thursday, he realized he had a school project due on Friday and was up until 4 a.m., getting his work done. He felt wasted in the Saturday final, taking third in 9:12.99. Still, his time, at 4,500 feet altitude, was worth close to 9:00 at sea level according to altitude conversions.
In the 5,000m, his first on the track, Mantz traded the lead with: After making Foot Locker finals as a sophomore and taking 12th place, Mantz felt much fitter last December in his junior season. With workouts like a hilly 5-mile tempo run at 5:12 pace, he hoped to contend for the victory. But Mantz couldn’t put it together mentally, feeling “really nervous” before the race. He placed seventh, 16 seconds behind victorious Grant Fisher of Michigan.
Best Running Shoes 2025: With his early state meet in mid-October, Mantz had, in effect, two cross country seasons while pursuing national honors. After winning his state 4A title, Mantz ran the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional in Tempe, Ariz., just to get in a race, and placed second. He never intended to run the NXN finals in Portland, Ore., because of the muddy conditions he’d heard about from Utah runners the previous year; instead Mantz ran the Foot Locker West in Walnut, Calif., taking fourth, to return to San Diego for Foot Locker nationals.
First Boston Marathon? Here‘s What to Know: “Conner’s excellence comes from his relentless training,” said Sky View coach Kyle Wright. “He runs in any weather when no one else is willing to go outside. He never allows himself to become stagnant.”
In The Heights: Last summer, Mantz trained daily. With the mountain trails of northern Utah practically at his doorstep, Mantz did one 10-miler that took him up to 10,000 feet altitude and another workout that his team calls the “beast”: 10 sprints up a steep 300m hill. “I was heaving afterwards,” said Mantz. “It’s the most miserable workout, but it makes you faster.” He also attended the Nike elite youth camp in Portland, Ore.
High School Athlete of the Week: As a freshman, Mantz got mixed up in one meet, ran off course and was disqualified, costing Sky View the team title. The week of the state meet, Mantz was distressed with a root canal. And in the Foot Locker West Regional, Mantz was dejected when he learned he’d missed an all-West medal by one place. Nevertheless, Mantz was a budding star. He was Sky View’s top runner, placing third at state, and took 25th in the regional, the first freshman in the field.
Going the Distance: Mantz’s freshman fitness was rooted in the long distance racing he’d done since age 12. When his father got into marathoning, Conner started running about 15 to 20 miles a week. Even on modest mileage, Conner entered half-marathons and 15Ks and found he could handle it. In 2011, at 14, he ran the Utah Valley half in 1:13:20, a 14-and-under course record. In 2012, after his freshman season, he ran the event in his 1:11:25 PR, a 15-to-18 course record. Taking fifth overall, Mantz won $75 in prize money but had to refuse it to maintain his amateur status. “Hopefully,” he said, “I’ll get more in college scholarship money.”
Marc Bloom’s high school cross-country rankings have played an influential role in the sport for more than 20 years and led to the creation of many major events, including Nike Cross Nationals and the Great American Cross Country Festival. He published his cross-country journal, Harrier, for more than two decades.
