From Ordinary To Extraordinary

Du Quoin junior cross country runner Landen Swiney was just an ordinary inexperienced runner his freshman year until a change in his running style immediately turned him into one of the best in Southern Illinois.

"I joined a track club in between cross country and track called Lebanon Project ran by Michael Mendez, who is a former track coach at McKendree University, and they totally changed my career," Swiney said.

The Lebanon Project is based in Lebanon, IL and according to its website, "is a certified USATF and AAU Club team as well as a 501 C 3 Non-Profit Organization which provides many opportunities for athletes in the Metro East to compete and improve in the sport of track and field and running at all ages".

Swiney didn't take up cross country until he started high school and had the usual growing pains his freshman year running down in the pack and finishing 13th at the conference meet behind four of his teammates.

"They immediately noticed I was leaning forward a decent amount, so they changed the entire way I ran," Swiney said. "Running upright helps opening up your airways so you can breathe better and it takes all the pressure off your legs too. That made a big difference."

At the regionals the team advanced to the sectional meet with Swiney finishing in 41st place and his freshman season ended in 54th place at the sectional. His best times ranged from 16:45.3 to 17:26.7.

"However, it slows you down a little bit at first because you aren't used to running that way and I had shin splints at first," Swiney said. "Then after I got more used to it my times started to get way faster."

After having all summer to hone his new skills he became the leader of the Indian team. After finishing no better than 27th place his freshman year it didn't take long for the change to show results.

Swiney finishing fifth in the opening meet at Murphysboro with a time of 16:34 followed by his first high school career win at West Frankfort followed by 14th place at the First to Finish Meet held at the state course in Peoria with a then career best time of 15:53.5.

"I noticed it the first meet of the year," Swiney said. "I expected to run good and improve from 31st the previous year, but I didn't even imagine finishing fifth. After I beat Gavin Love from Nashville at West Frankfort I knew I was progressing nicely. I passed him around the two-mile and kept the lead. At that point I planned on winning conference."

Swiney then hit his stride winning three of the next four meets, including winning the River-to-River Mississippi Division title after finishing 13th the year before.

He finished out his breakout season with a second place at the Benton Invitational behind Runner of the Year Reece Johnson, second at the regional and fourth at the sectional to earn a state berth with a career best time of 14:57.

"I felt pretty good going into regionals and it would have been a good race with Ty Reynolds from Christ our Rock, but I slipped in the first half mile and never really caught back up losing by 15 seconds," Swiney said. 'At sectionals there is always good competition and I was pretty proud of myself how it turned out."

In his first appearance at state Swiney missed out on All-State honors by just five spots and 7.58 seconds at the state championships.

"I had ran that course in the third meet of the year, so I knew it well enough," Swiney said. "However, I got caught up being at state and went out way to fast the first mile, so my second and third miles were slower than I liked."

Swiney was ready to finish up his sophomore year in track when COVID-19 ruined everyone's plans forcing the cancellation of the spring season.

"Once the season was cancelled, I took about a week off and then I went right back to it with a six-week workout plan that Mendez had set up for us," Swiney said. "At first, we all got together, but later we mostly worked out by ourselves. That helped to get me ready for the cross country season."

The 2020 season was finally given the go ahead, but the cornavirus still had an impact when Swiney had sit out the first meet of the season in quarantine because he had been in contact with a positive patient.

"I was pretty upset about it, but there was nothing I could do, so I didn't let it get to me too much," Swiney said. "I just focussed on what I could control and kept practicing by myself so I would be ready."

When he came back the following week, he finished second twice and then third the next three weeks before returning to the top spot with first place finishes at Sparta and Carterville.

Last week he finished second to Johnson again at the Chuck Ingram Invitational held at West Frankfort with a season-best time of 15:45 as he heads into the defense of his SIRR Mississippi Division title Thursday on his home course.

Pinckneyville freshman Issac Teel, who won the Mississippi Division preview race that Swiney sat out, should be Swiney's top competition to the defense of his title.

"I haven't raced against him yet, but having conference at home could be an advantage," Swiney said. "I've got a good race mentality and I'm looking forward to racing against him."