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Kaisen Made Great Strides in Short Time Running at Guilford

Brennan Kaisen has only been running cross country and track for a little more than a year, but he’s quickly picked up the pace and forged a path as a standout athlete and leader at Guilford High School.

Brennan, a senior, became interested in running after having a friendly competition with his older brother that led to him ramping up his running regimen from about 5 to 45 miles a week. Ben Siciliano, who was a runner at Guilford at the time, noticed Brennan racing around the neighborhood and encouraged him to try track.

Brennan’s journey began with indoor track as a junior and then he increased his stamina throughout the subsequent summer to get ready for cross country in the fall. As a member of the outdoor track team this spring, Brennan proved a solid postseason performer who qualified for Class MM State Championship in the 1,600 and 3,200, finishing seventh in the latter event by running a time of 10:16.60.

“I’ve improved a lot since my junior year, and I am fortunate to have good peers around me,” says Brennan. “We have runners on the girls’ team like Meredith Bloss and Jacqueline Guerra winning solo titles, because they drove it home to me that winning titles isn’t impossible. If you work hard enough, you can get there yourself.”

In April of 2017, Brennan finished in first place for the male 19-and-under competition at the Newport Marathon, recording a time of 3 hours, 21 minutes, and 27 seconds. When it comes to pacing himself on either the path or the course, Brennan says that it’s about knowing when to kick it into another gear and pass some other runners to create a little wiggle room.

“Usually, in a majority of high-school races, especially mid-distance events, it flips where the pace is quick in the first and fourth quarters, but slows in the middle,” Brennan says. “You have to realize that if you go out there at a certain pace and you aren’t passing anyone by the third mile, then you are slowing down. You have to be moving around people independently.”

Brennan believes that there is a time to befriend his competitors, but often times, it isn’t until he’s crossed the finish line.

“I learned how competition drives people to be the best,” he says. “You can’t be passive. It’s nice to work with other people, but in competition, you need to work against people. I’ve been focused on a better mindset before the races.”

Brennan feels fortunate that he gets to work alongside one of his favorite teachers, George Cooksey, who’s head coach of the Guilford boys’ outdoor track team. Cooksey, who has taught Brennan in Advanced Placement English classes, praises Brennan for his professional approach to running, along with the upbeat attitude he displays while tackling challenges on the track or in the books.

“Brennan has progressed from running at comfortable paces to become an outstanding competitor who relishes testing his limits,” says Cooksey. “Brennan leads first by example. He approaches his workouts with focus and is calm, no matter how difficult they are, and he brings that calmness to all those in his workout groups. Brennan has proven himself an invaluably level-headed voice whenever the team or individuals on the team have had difficulties or challenges. His successes academically and athletically have come through the positive attitudes and habits that have allowed him to meet significant challenges.”

Brennan has taken on a leadership position by guiding Guilford’s distance runners though the physical preparation for their events. Brennan likes to identify things that his teammates need to work on and then help them work through those things in order to maximize their potential.

“We don’t have distance captains, but I took on that role with dictating the paces of our workouts,” says Brennan, who thanks Coach Cooksey, Guerra, Bloss, the seniors from last season’s outdoor track team, and current junior teammate Elijah Dillon. “It’s important when you find yourself in that position, for you to find other people’s mental hang-ups and to work with people around you to foster teamwork in working towards the same goals.”