Hayden-Hawks

I started off running in High School doing Cross Country and Track and Field. I trained a lot on the trails near my house running up mountains and across deserts. I fell in love with trail running but pursued Cross Country and Track and Field at Southern Utah University on scholarship. I broke school records in college and became a Division 1 All American running 13:51 for 5k and 28:53 for 10k. I love all avenues of running but have always been drawn to the trails. After college I jumped into my first trail races and qualified for the US National Mountain Running Team. I then ran my first ultra at the really hard Speedgoat 50k and was fortunate enough to get the victory. I realized how talented I was on the trails and how much I loved them. I loved being in the mountains and running uphill. I kept running ultras and other trail races and kept winning and breaking course records. I feel very lucky to have the sponsors that I have and feel like I have a lot more in me for years to come. I plan on running my first 100k this year at CCC and my first 100 mile race at Western States next year. I have seen that the longer the race the better I get and that was seen at a breakout race for me last year at TNF 50 where I took 2nd to Zach Miller in an epic duel. I have had a lot of friends and mentors and have loved this journey so far. I love to travel and be outside. I hope to win many more races and break course records around the world and take ultra running to places it has never gone before. I also want to run a fast marathon and qualify for the Olympic trials having as much fun as I can along the way! I also really want to win Western States, UTMB, Transvulcania, and become a World Champion on the trails. Outside of running I hope to be the best husband and father that I can possibly be and stay balance in life, influencing and inspiring others in positive ways. I hope people enjoy watching me run and it inspires them to get out and run! I have had to overcome a few injuries, hard races, and other life problems. All of them have made me a stronger person though and have helped mature me as a runner and human being.

Up Close, and Personal

To me, sport stands for

I feel like sports relate to life perfectly. You have your hard days and you have your good days what truly matters is the process and that you just keep moving forward. You need to be balanced, work hard, work smart, and be yourself to find success, just like life. I find a lot of peace and happiness in sports, these same feelings transfer over to my life and it would be hard to be without sports. It is not everything though, but I am a better person because of sports.

On a typical training day,

I do: I do between 15-25 miles a day. I do some in singles and some in doubles. I also do core and hip exercises daily to keep myself balanced and injury free. 5-6 hours a day are spent doing some type of exercise for running.

I eat: I am currently transitioning over to a vegan diet. It has been great so far packed with fruits and vegetables and fresh food. I have seen increases in my recovery and more energy in my life. I love to eat and love to eat a lot!

I wear: I usually like to run without a shirt with it being so hot, but you can always see me with some short shorts, hat, shades, and my signature moustache! My hydration pack is the NATHAN VaporKrar 4L pack and love sporting a NATHAN handheld on those shorter runs or races!

I listen to: I never really listen to music. I love to go out and listen to nature and my body. This brings me peace and is a staple in my life.

I recover by: I drink a RRUNN Post – Complete System Recovery 20-30 minutes after a run or hard workout. This ensures that I get the necessary nutrients and a complete recover for the next day of training. I also do some light stretching and follow that up with light foam rolling and hydration!!!

I cross-train by: I live really close to the mountains and it snows a lot. During the winter I love to snowshoe and cross country ski. These activities are sometimes harder than running and get me in great shape being at altitude and build power. In the summers it gets really hot and I like water running and some light swimming to cool me down and stretch out.

My idea of an effective training session is

An effective training session can consist of a run full of vert and descent on a beautiful mountain trail, a fast speed workout on the road or track, or a nice easy run on a desert trail full of laughs and good times. All of these are necessary to become the best runner you can be. You need to not only work hard but smart and mix up the training to keep it interesting and fun. I love doing fast workouts to build my leg speed, which gives me an advantage on the trails and overall amazing fitness!

The moment when I discovered my athletic potential was

Growing up I played many sports and was talented and excelled in all of them. My Sophmore year of High School I went out for the Cross Country team with basketball shoes on and not excited at all. I went straight to the front and started pushing the pace and it was all over from there. I soon became the best runner on my team, state champion, and got a scholarship to a really fast University.

The three biggest lessons I have learnt so far in my athletic career

Don’t be afraid to mix up your training and have fun with it Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid of racing, training hard, injuries, or challenges. Learn about nutrition and what you can do to be better. Always strive to be better and learn as much as you can.

Before a big race, I tell myself

You have don the training, you are fit! Just mix in some competitive juices and your unstoppable! I try not to think too much about it the days before the race, all the thinking is done in the weeks and months of training prior to the big race.

The toughest race of my life was

Transvulcania 2017! I bonked really hard at 50k with puking, dizziness, and cramping. It was hard walking the last 15 miles but I always finish races unless I am seriously hurt. I made this promise years ago and had stuck to it. I love running and pushing myself to the limit. This race was very hard but I learned so much from it and am stronger because of it.

The most memorable moment of my sporting career so far

Winning a World Championships with my USA team at Mountain Running World Championships last year. We were all friends and really connected as a team! It was the first time in US team history to win a gold medal at this event and it was such a sweet feeling. It was also amazing to take 4th individually in only my 3rd trail race ever!

My training sanctuary is

I love being up the the Pine Valley, Cedar, and Zion Mountains by my house! I love being out on mountain and desert trails by myself secluded from the world! This is where I find the most peace and is a sanctuary to me. This is one of the reasons I trail run. I could compete on the roads or on the track and am fast enough to compete but the trails are like home to me!

My dream starting line is

Western States 100! There is something very magical about this place and I am excited to compete for the win!

I nourish my soul with

I am happily married and love spending time with my wife. We love backpacking, traveling, and cooking together. My religion also nourishes my soul and brings a deeper meaning to my life! I love to travel and explore the beautiful world around us and am also an avid supporter of National Parks!

Unived helps me by

RRUNN fuels my adventures, races, and training! It provides optimal energy to my body while also keeping my stomach happy. It is also nice to know that I am putting a healthy and vegan supplement into my body! I am extremely happy with the product and is the best I have ever used!

I have chosen to associate with Unived because…

I have tested the product and it has increased my performance. I have been testing the product in training and racing for months now and it has never gave me stomach problems and has provided optimal energy and nutrition. I would not associate myself with a brand that did not work! This product really works and I have also been given life changing nutritional advice from Unived’s amazing founder and staff. This company not only has an amazing product but amazing people that run it. They are focused on the bigger picture and building the sport. They love running and all that it is and how it blesses people’s lives. I am so happy to be apart of this brand and hope to be for a long time!

For 2019 I am setting my sights on…

January 12: Artenara Trail 30k (Gran Canaria, Spain)
February 22: @transgrancanaria 128k (Gran Canaria, Spain. UTWT)
April 20: Ultimate Tsaigu Trail 80k (Kwotsang, China)
June 23: @brokenarrowskyrace 52k (Squaw Valley, California)
August 30: @utmbmontblanc 100 mile (Chamonix, France. UTWT)
October/November: Road Marathon, Olympic Trials Qualifier! (TBD)
December: Desert Solstice (Phoenix, Arizona