Getting to Know Hans Martin Payne Age 14
“Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.”-the last part of any race is just painful, there is no way around it.
We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance:
perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4
Hans stumbled upon running at age 12 when he decided to try out track and field at his new school. At the first practice he was instructed to run a mile and he remembers being surprised by his time of 5:50.
A few days into practice he came to the realization that it may be worth his while to hang up those stinky soccer cleats and trade them in for a pair of running shoes.
Two years later Hans is so glad that he pursued running as his sport. Hans is an 8th grader at PCA and is currently ranked #2 in the state of South Carolina.
His fastest 5K time is 17:52 and I have reason to believe that this young man is still unwrapping and processing his gift. Hans is as polite as they come and I so enjoyed talking with him.
Interview Questions and Answers
What are some of your training habits:
No sodas and work hard
Running shoe:
Brooks Ghost 12
Favorite type of course:
Flat, grassy course
Favorite running weather:
60 degrees
Running resources used:
Books on running at the library
Racing Superstition:
When I have a good training session, I will wear the same pair of socks for my race
What accomplishment are you most proud of:
I was the overall winner for a local 5k race this past summer
What has been your biggest disappointment thus far in running:
Last season I set a goal to run the mile in 5 minutes and I missed my goal by 1 second
Pre-race routine:
I don’t like warming up too early. 40 Minutes before the start of the race, I will jog a mile followed by stretching.
10 Minutes before my race I change from being talkative to quiet-mostly due to nerves.
Post-race routine:
For 15 minutes after my finish I am too tired to move but once I recover a bit I will cool down with a one mile jog.
Advice for younger (and older) athletes:
Stick with it even on the days when you don’t feel like training. On those days I like to motivate myself by thinking about my competitors.
Role Models:
1. My dad. He works hard every day. He was the one of the top soccer recruits coming out of high school
and played for Clemson
2. Hamilton Blair, a senior on my team who runs a sub 16:00 5K.
Lessons learned from running:
Persevere to the end-finish it out.
**Hans thanks his coaches Dale Hoover and Dondi Hewitt for all of their help.