Connor Burns isn't looking past districts, but he knows his biggest race will be next weekend.
The Southern Boone County junior will be the favorite to win the Class 3 District 3 meet in Linn on Saturday, Oct. 30.
The top 30 runners and top four teams will punch a ticket to Gans Creek next Saturday for the state championship. The district meet will feature Blair Oaks, Bowling Green, Centralia, Father Tolton Catholic, Fatima, Fulton, Hallsville, MICDS, Montgomery County, Normandy, North Callaway, Orchard Farm, Ownesville, Palmyra, Priory, St. Charles West, St. Clair, STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley, Whitfield, Winfield and Wright City.
"I probably won't push myself, just get through with as minimal effort as possible," Burns said, who eyes a much bigger prize. "State is the really big goal, but not the end goal. I want to run a fast time at state and win my first state title."
He wants to be in first place on the podium next week in Columbia after finishing as the runner-up last year, coming in behind El Dorado Springs' Daelen Ackley by a second.
Burns has faced Ackley twice in high school in this sport - in last year's state meet and at this year's Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas. They have also raced against each other three time in track and field.
Burns beat Ackley at the race at the University of Arkansas and posted a time of 14:56.30, coming in second behind Max Girardet of Central Catholic (Oregon) by less than a second.
The trip to Arkansas as the first for Southern Boone County ever made to an out-of-state meet, according to Coach Ron Smith.
Burns came up short of his goal to set the new state record but still has that as a goal before leaving high school. Burns' time in Arkansas reset his own school though he already held, but before he started the old record for the Ashland school was owned by Cody Branch, set nearly 20 years ago.
The near-win at Chile Pepper came under some different circumstances. Due to COVID restrictions, no spectators were allowed and there was no walkthrough. Smith had to talk to his Eagles about what he learned of the course from other coaches who had ran it before.
"We got a basic course description and we had a vague idea," Smith said.
Added Burns, "My plan going in was to run with the leaders and see what happens. My goal was to win and I almost pulled it off. It was a good race and a great experience for the team."
The meet, with competition from all over the country, wasn't initially on the schedule for the Eagles. It was Burns and another teammate who suggested attending the meet as they knew a handful of Missouri runners who were going to be there.
Those friends Burns mentioned all finished behind him in the results: Liberty North's Sage Wilde (5th), Wentzville Timberland's Tyler Freiner (7th) and Ackley (13th).
Burns knew Ackley was coming off an injury and knows that the race wasn't a true representation of what Ackley can do.
There is a chance those two will be the favorite in the Class 3 race, though Burns doesn't view himself as an underdog after coming in second last year.
"I think it is more two favorites who will battle and who will win," Burns said.
Since the Arkansas meet, Burns hasn't faced the same level of competition but has been looking forward to the start of the postseason.
"With the goal of district and state in mind and his particular goal, we really used the smaller races (after Chile Pepper) as training to get ready," Smith said. "I think Connor's work ethic speaks for itself and stands alone. He really pushed himself and deservedly so and improving his time. This year, I'm happy with the effort he has given and I know he is goal orienanted and I think he will be pretty successful when he gets there."
