When Bromfield junior Max Flaton was in sixth grade, he stepped in for his brother, Zeke Flaton, during a cross country meet. After that race, Flaton knew that he would join the cross country team as a seventh-grader. He did just that, and is now Bromfield’s leading distance runner.
Flaton kicked off this year’s season with a first-place finish at a home meet against Clinton and Ayer. Flaton ran another strong race at the Ocean State Invitational last Saturday, placing ninth out of 291 runners in the varsity race.
“It always feels nice to start off with a win. It really helps to see what you can do in a race once you start a new season,” he said in a recent interview.
Though Flaton runs all three seasons, he prefers cross country over track races. Trail running has proved to be more interesting, and he loves the challenge each course presents. Flaton also enjoys the cross country season’s cooler temperatures.
Flaton is running harder than ever this season and has increased his weekly mileage. Training harder has improved his lung capacity and prevented cramps and stitches. Flaton hopes that his efforts will help his team qualify for the state championship for the second consecutive year, and individually, his goal is to place among the top fifteen runners in the state.
Though Flaton is clearly a natural when it comes to running, he admits that his sport is not always easy.
“The hardest thing about running is the mental power that a runner requires,” he said. “You need to be able to push yourself, even when you feel you can’t do it anymore. There are no timeouts, no substitutions, and no halftimes.”
Before races, Flaton warms up, stretches, and watches the other teams for potential competition. Among his superstitions: Flaton refuses to wear anything but Asics running shoes. “They have served me well,” he joked, “and I would consider it sacrilege if I switched brands now.”
Flaton boasts personal records of 4:55 for one mile, 10:19 for two miles, and 2:18 for 800 meters. The 16-year-old has also competed in road races as well, testing his talents over the longer distances. Flaton placed first in his age group this summer at the Harvard Fourth of July 5-mile road race, with a time of 30:51. He also won the 10-mile Apple Harvest Ramble in his division last October with a time of 1:05.37.
Last fall, Flaton finished seventh in the Division 2 race at the Central Mass. championships with a time of 15:37 over the 2.9-mile course, and placed 21st at the state championship meet last year with a time of 15:41 over the 2.9-mile course.
Flaton doesn’t plan on unlacing his racing flats anytime soon. He can’t imagine giving up the sport after high school and has thought about running in college. Doing well in school is his top priority. When not studying or hitting the trails, Max is active in Boy Scouts and enjoys reading.
