When Tanner Updyke first started competing in track and field, his main motivation was to get into shape for his upcoming soccer season. However, Tanner quickly developed a love for running and, now a senior, he’s become one of the top athletes in the Guilford boys’ track program.

“I have run track for six years and cross country for five,” says Tanner. “Seventh grade through 9th grade, I wasn’t the most talented and, honestly, not the most observant or dedicated. I initially joined track in order to get in shape for soccer, but I developed a passion and love for running shortly after.”

Tanner has made drastic improvements on the track from his freshman year to his senior season. As a freshman, Tanner’s top times were a 5:24 in the 1,600 and an 11:45 in the 3,200. Three years later, Tanner improved his personal-best marks to 4:39.5 and 9:58.78 in the 1,600 and the 3,200, respectively.

Tanner embraces how demanding the sport of track can be. Tanner likes to push himself beyond what he sees as his limits whenever he’s competing.

“My favorite aspect of track is how often you can surprise yourself,” says Tanner. “It’s all about pushing your body to the limit, and I never would have achieved times I thought I was capable of achieving without striving to do my best.”

Last fall, Tanner ran a time of 17:21 for his 5K when the Guilford boys’ cross country squad finished first at the SCC Division A Championship. Tanner earned a spot on the All-SCC First Team by placing first in the division and fifth for the overall conference standings with his performance.

This spring, Tanner turned in his best race of the season in the 3,200 at the SCC East Sectional Championship. Tanner finished with a personal-best time of 9:58.78 to place third in the race.

“My favorite personal moment was running a sub-10 [minute] 3,200 for the first time at the SCC East meet,” Tanner says. “I also enjoyed watching [senior captain Reese Puchalski’s] journey this season. He went through so much adversity regarding his injuries, and just seeing him become our anchor leg of the 4x800 was incredible.”

George Cooksey, the head coach of the Guilford boys’ outdoor track team, says that Tanner embodies the values of relentless effort and focus that are required as a runner. Cooksey feels that the senior did an excellent job of leading the Grizzlies as a senior this spring.

“Tanner has become a leader on the team, a teammate everyone can look up to as a shining example of how to go about our training and racing,” Cooksey says. “Even-keeled and attentive to every detail of his training from nutrition and rest to training and racing, Tanner models a professional approach that our younger athletes are beginning to take on as their own.”

Tanner credits Coach Cooksey for helping him make rapid improvements on the track. Cooksey helped Tanner refine his form as a runner, and those changes resulted in faster times.

“My relationship with my head coach is great,” says Tanner. “In my younger years, my form wasn’t the best, and he helped me correct it. He was patient with me, and he definitely helped me maximize my potential.”

Aside from track and field, Tanner enjoys going hiking and spending time outdoors in general. After he graduates, Tanner plans on majoring in biology at the University of Scranton with hopes of becoming a physician’s assistant. He will also compete for the track team in college.

“I love being outside in nature—hiking, that kind of thing,” Tanner says. “Part of my immense love for the outdoors stems from me being a boy scout. I actually achieved the rank of eagle scout in November.”

Tanner and his teammates competed at the Class MM State Championship last week. While he wanted to run better times in his two distance events, Tanner feels pleased about how his final season with the Grizzlies unfolded.

“I ran a 10:19 in the 3,200 and a 4:44 in the 1,600 at states,” says Tanner. “I was disappointed with that, but I am happy with my season personal records of 4:39 and 9:58 for those events.”