Mooneyham discovered his passion during PE class

By Kirsten Ballard
Published in Sports on October 22, 2014 1:52 PM

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kballard@newsargus.com

Joseph Mooneyham was told to slow down.

The Charles B. Aycock junior cross country runner was logging 60 miles per week this summer. His coach Butch Bennett had to rein him in so he was fresh for practice.

Bennett said Joseph is the best he's coached in years.

Joseph often looks to his coach for advice and credits Bennett for his success.

"He's taught me a lot in running," he says.

But Joseph got his start even earlier.

Though never a lazy child, his love for running exploded in middle school. During the physical education run tests, he realized he wasn't the fastest sprinter.

"But then we did long distance running, I'd finish way ahead of everybody and I'd think to myself 'man, I'm good at this.'"

He kept going with it, running longer and longer distances.

"By high school, I was running everywhere," he says.

His coach says his "running IQ" is far above average for his age.

"From the physiology standpoint of how humans are built to run to just that feeling of running, I've always liked it," Joseph says.

Mooneyham's average 5K time falls in the 18:30s, but he has plans to be in the mid-17s by the end of the season. He runs seven days a week, morning and afternoon. In the afternoons, he does speed work or strength training. His least favorite workout is pushups.

After the cross country season, Joseph runs winter and spring track -- focusing on the mile (1,600 meters) and two-mile (3,200 meters) races.

"During the summer, I just do me, more or less," he says.

Joseph prefers the 10K road race. He is not too interested in running marathons, but does think he'll eventually tackle the longer runs.

"I do keep myself on a schedule," he says, though his run times and distances varies. "I usually let my body decide how I should run."

Last year, Mooneyham was running to school multiple times per week. He estimates the trek is around 10 miles. He'd either run with his backpack or his dad would drop it off at school.

"I think about a lot while running. Believe it or not, I don't think about my run too much. I enjoy it so much, I just think about how my day is going and what's going on," he says.

As he continues to train harder and longer, Mooneyham says it is his discipline that keeps him going.

"Sheer mental discipline. It's a lot to do with my coach's advice and experience, discipline and enjoyment. I love to run," he said.