Stanley-Boyd freshman John Smit has once again earned Stanley-Boyd Athlete of the Week honors — and this time, his performance came with a twist. Smit turned heads at the Nightfall Race in Marshfield on Friday night when he ran almost the entire 5K course with only one shoe.
“My shoe fell off during the first 200 meters or so of the race, and there were a lot of runners boxing me in, so it wasn't like I could just stop and pick up my shoe,” Smit explained. “The cause of it was most likely someone accidentally stepping on the back of my shoe. Although I didn't run with my shoe, I ran a new PR by over 30 seconds, and I was the second freshman overall. I did get passed by 3-4 runners in the final 100 meters, though, which prevented me from getting a medal. This shows that I still have some work to do on staying consistent over the final miles and running all the way through the finish line. Overall, I think I ran a good race and that the team also had a good showing.”
Even without a shoe, Smit clocked a blistering 17:39, besting his season record by 31 seconds. “John Smit ran the Nightfall race in Marshfield Friday night with one shoe,” said Coach Nick Mahr. “In the packed start of the race John’s shoe was stepped on and came off. He was still able to finish the 5k course in 17:39, besting his season record by 31 seconds. This placed John 22nd out of 194 boys in division 3 at this race. Earlier in the week, John, with two shoes, finished the Cadott Invite in 7th place out of 131 runners. The next fastest freshman was 28 seconds behind Smit.”
Smit’s grit and determination have quickly made him one of Stanley-Boyd’s standout young runners. Running a personal best under such unusual circumstances underscores both his toughness and potential. As he continues to refine his endurance and consistency, Smit is proving he’s a competitor to watch for the rest of the season — and beyond.
