No one did that hard thing called “running” better than Mount Rainier’s Michael Miller, the No. 1 finisher for 3A boys and coming off injury.

Seattle Christian’s Michael Cross, excelled too, qualifying for state in the 1A boys race, taking 11th overall. Both runners helped their teams qualify for state as well in West Central District cross country meet action at the American Lake Golf Course Saturday, Nov. 1.

Now what for an encore for Miller?

“Hopefully, win state, if not, be in the top three,” he said.

Miller won this WCD race in 15:22.1, a full 19 seconds ahead of second, coming to the finish line in 15:41.4.

Mount Rainier’s Ryan Prentice -- now at Oklahoma State running on scholarship -- took that honor last run around. Then Prentice won state the week after districts in 2007. Prentice also won districts as a junior the year before last.

Rams coach Brian Jacobson kind of gave the run-around when asked if it’s the coaching, being humble, as any great coach would be, confronted with a question of having the first, second, first place runners, consecutively, in the WCD district meet, which, to note, is comprised of teams from around 35-40 schools the Seamount League along with those from the SPSL 3A league.

Quite a mark!

“The well is running deep,” said Jacobson, now in his 19th season coaching Mount Rainier cross country as well as track in the springtime. He’s taken boys and girls alike to state in that time just about every year, and sometimes full teams like the boys are doing this year, too, to note.

“I would say half boys and half girls,” said Jacobson.

The talent has been at MR the last couple seasons, with Prentice last season and Miller this. Now what does Miller say about his coaching, which is only the first year done here at MR because he won the state cross country championship in Alaska last year.

“I have a way better coach here. He turned me into a much better runner,” said Miller of Jacobson.

Miller did great to help not only himself but, as already noted, he’s helped others too -- like all his teammates get to go to the Tri-Cities area for state fun. Was it ever close, too. The Rams just squeeked in as a team to the 3A state meet that was run Nov. 8 in Pasco (after press time). The Rams, as a team, took sixth with 186 points, beating out Olympia area school Capital by one point.

Now, it’s fair to ask a perspective question to one of Miller’s teammates like Devin Powell, James McLean (third), Trevor Larson, Steven Dolan, Tyler Hall and Benjamin Brodin.

Where would this team be without Miller on it?

“I am glad we have him on our team,” said Dolan. “If we didn’t have him, we almost definitely would not be going (to state).”

Miller does a lot to get this Rams team going in the right direction.

“Just having that talent on the team gets everyone else pumped up,” said Dolan.

Miller, right after winning the 5,000-meter race (3.1 miles) was at the end area where runners walk through a gated aisle coming out to the congratulating mom/dad, grandma, friends and crowd.

He was congratulating all the runners that came out, with a handshake, as was Cross. Miller stayed through his teammates coming through the line.

Miller said he went to a Christian school in Alaska.

“I’m a Christian,” said Miller. “ My faith helps me pray a lot.”

Miller has handled things so well and now he and his teammates have made state in ‘08.

Miller made it this year, Prentice last year. The question is begging to be asked. Who’s better? Ryan or Michael?

“I can’t answer that,” said Jacobson. “Ryan had a lot of potential that was untapped in high school because of his injuries. He never showed his full potential. Michael is a national caliber runner.”

Will both of them be in London in 2012 (Summer Olympics)?

“Maybe,” said Jacobson, smiling. The best way to compare the two will be times at state. Prentice ran a 16:01 state championship time last year, and he’s comparing the two in districts. Prentice ran a 15:32 at districts last year, taking second before winning state. As a junior, Prentice won districts with a 15:20 time. So comparing Miller and Prentice, based on districts, is like comparing oranges and oranges. It’s hard to tell the two apart.

Miller almost never got to this point running.

“I ran for two weeks my freshman year and said, ‘I hate running,’ and I quit,” said Miller. “Then I broke my arm in football and went back to running and won state my sophomore and junior year (in Alaska).”

Now what, since you’ve made it this far?

“My goal is to win state, and do really well at regionals, and nationals, get a full ride scholarship to college, and get to London in 2012.”

Sounds like a lot to do for a young man, but, with all that Miller has been through and handled admirably well in his life, living it sounds not so much to get done after all.

“Pretty much any runner’s goals,” said Miller. “You got to put in the time.”

Time to talk of Cross, again, the Seattle Christian runner who will be going to state and having the anchor (best) finish for his school in helping his teammates get to the big dance, too.

Cross’ teammates going to state with him include James Beckman, Michael Cardenas, John Meis, Jacob Wyatt, John Hansen and Wilson Flint. All seven finished in the top 100, which is nice considering there were 50 runners on teams coming in after them.

Cross, too, was out there shaking the hands of everyone after his 11th place effort at districts. He was 24th as a junior last year at state, too. Cross stayed out there congratulating runners after the district race until every single runner crossed the line.

“I think it was the euphoria of running again,” said Cross. “And I am a Christian running for a Christian school. I got to represent God. Additionally, it feels great to have someone shaking your hand, showing that someone cares.”

No one else from 1A, not the winner, not second place, was out there shaking anyone’s hands until Cross came through the 100 meter curvy aisle and stopped and turned around and started shaking.

“The season’s been rough. I’ve had shin splints and problems with my calves,” said Cross. “I haven’t really run a race since the end of September, and then I developed a stress fracture last week.”

So, with limited running training, Cross has made it through this important qualification race to districts and now he will run at state for his coach, Phil Dyck.

“We only had him in the pool the last three weeks, having workouts in the water, nursing him in,” said Dyck, who’s assistants are Jeff Sires and Donna Johnson.

Dyck is impressed with Cross, whose shaking hands afterward was something no one else was doing for his classification.

“That’s the kind of guy he is,” said Dyck of Cross. “We have quality kids. We have girls in the race that will stop to help someone who has fallen down. It’s a great group of kids. Wouldn’t mind this group of kids being my own kids.”

Dyck has been coaching SCS cross country for 18 seasons now. This is the third time he’s taken a bunch of runners to state as a team. Besides last year, SCS has taken its Warriors runners to state five years in a row dating back to the early 2000s. Also, Dyck’s team was the 2007 academic state champs.

The boys runners for SCS all had to run fast, too, because they did not have the luxury of a No.1 runner nailing down a lot of points for them like Miller did for MR. Cross was first in 17:13 for his team, then Cardenas was 17:29, Edmondson 17:40, Beckman 17:43, and Wyatt 18:44 to total the top five runners for SCS.

Wyatt, the fifth runner who just beat teammate Wilson Flint’s 18:44, explains the spirit of this traditionally strong SCS cross country program.

“It’s his first year running,” said coach Johnson. “His enthusiasm is great. He’ll say, ‘I’m doing this, this, this, this. Am I doing the right thing?’,” said Johnson.

Shaking hands, picking up other runners, is all good for SCS. And Miller for the Rams battling a parental hardship was most successful and Jacobson’s commitment to running. Dyck’s long tenure, to name a couple people doing things. Yes, a lot are doing the right thing around here.