A common expression used to describe an athlete playing their best is “being in the zone.” The term “zone” is described as playing near perfect, as though the athlete couldn’t miss.
Athletes have talked about being lost in the moment, supremely confident and never thinking they could fail or lose.
That term certainly holds true for much of Streator senior cross country runner Kody Danko’s season this past fall.
Danko won five consecutive meets, including the La Salle County, Illinois Central Eight Conference and Class 2A regional titles, before finishing fourth at sectionals and a respectable 86th-place mark at the state finals at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
For all his accomplishments, Danko has been named The Times Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year
“I had COVID late last spring and wasn’t able to run at sectionals, and it was really hard for me to get back to where I was during the summer,” Danko said. “I trained really hard, but I still wasn’t where I needed to be. To be honest, I really thought about not doing cross country and putting my focus into the track season.
“The first few meets I ran I felt like I was getting back to where I wanted to be, but it was before the [La Salle] meet that I decided to see how far I could push myself. It also worked out that race because Austin Aldridge from Seneca had a strong race, which really helped push me. I felt like my goal of getting all-state was back in the mix.
“From there, though, I feel like I pushed myself a little too hard in the three races and I was gassed out by the time I got to the state meet. Unlike track where you know where you are at pretty much all times, as far as how your body feels and the times you are getting, even though I thought I did, I just didn’t have that at the end of the season.
“I’m not super disappointed about state and how I did. Like I said, I was thinking of not even doing it, so to be able to finish up my high school cross country career at the state finals is pretty special in my mind.”
Danko began the season finishing fourth at the Morris Early Bird Invite before winning a meet in Pontiac, placing runner-up at Seneca’s Twilight in the Woods and a 18th-place finish at the ultra-competitive First to the Finish Invitational at Detweiller Park.
“It took me a while to get a good pre-race routine, but it starts a with breakfast of toast with two eggs on top, some grapes and hot tea. I’m not superstitious really, but I do have a pair of socks that I wear for every race. I also make sure to get in an ice bath the night prior to race day.”
The next five races saw Danko cross the line first, then a solid sectional finish in a personal best 3-mile time of 15 minutes, 12 seconds, before navigating a treacherous course in the pouring rain and cold conditions at state.
“My junior year in sectionals the course was a little muddy, but I have never run a course where it was the whole thing like state was,” Danko said. “There was literally no traction at all.”
Streator boys cross country coach Brad Brittin said the streak Danko put together at the end of the season was an amazing feat, especially after a tough end to his spring track season. He said he was happy to see Danko enjoy the sport again and that part of it came from his senior figuring out the steps to take to get ready.
“He improved on his finish as a junior at state (112th) and for the five weeks he was on the top of his game, from county to regionals to sectionals,” Brittin said. “It’s hard to stay at the level he was at for two weeks straight let alone six. Sure, his placement at state wasn’t where he or I hoped it would be, but what I’ll remember the most is those five weeks leading up to state and just how dominate he was in that stretch. It was amazing to watch.
“My only goals for Kody this fall was to overcome what had happened in the spring, have success, have fun and just have the feeling of being a strong runner again. He not only had to bounce back physically but also mentally, and he was able to do both. He proved a lot to himself.
“Kody has always showed his talent and ability as a runner, but what made this season different was he figured out the training part of it. I think things just clicked for him. When you put together how hard he worked and the talent he already had special things happen ... they did this year for Kody.”