Somonauk’s Landin Stillwell is the 2024 Times Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year

Like all of the other 257 Class 1A runners waiting for the starting pistol at this fall’s state cross country meet at Peoria’s Detweiller Park, Somonauk junior Landin Stillwell — in his first season running cross country — was dealing with butterflies.

“I went into the state meet knowing I was probably not going to win or even finish in the top spots, but I was really nervous,” Stillwell said. “But my game plan was to stick with the top guys and see how long I could stay with them. About a mile in my coaches are yelling to me my placement and they are telling me I’m in the mid-30s. I just told myself ‘You need to go now.’ From there I was able to get past a few guys and then the last 800 meters I just gave it all I had left. I was able to pass four guys in the final stretch which was pretty satisfying.”

Stillwell finished the 3-mile course in medal-winning 21st place in a personal record time of 15 minutes, 15.7 seconds — 30 seconds better than his previous mark — to become the first Bobcat runner to capture all-state honors.

He has also earned the honor of the 2024 Times Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.

“I have no regrets, I’m happy with how I ran, happy I stuck to my game plan, and know what I have to do before next season to place even higher,” Stillwell said. “My goal is top three, and I know I’m capable of doing it and I feel the experience I gained this year is going to help me get where I want to be.”

Stillwell began the regular season by winning the opening race at Genoa-Kingston, then recorded wins at six other meets, including the title in 17:02.1 at the Seneca Regional.

He then qualified for state with a solid eighth-place finish in 16:05.8 at the Rock Island Alleman Sectional.

“I learned so much with this being my first season running cross country,” Stillwell said. “I learned I have to push myself and trust myself to go out faster off the gun. In a few of the races where it was a stacked field I didn’t start strong and kind of got trapped in the secondary top group and had to work way too hard to find a way out.”

Somonauk coach Samantha Freitag said she had a feeling even before the season started that good things were in store for her new addition to the roster.

“Landin was a great addition to the cross-country team this year and become a great leader,” Freitag said. “Even as a first-time cross-country runner, I knew he would see success, but nothing is guaranteed in life, so the fact that he progressed all the way through to the state meet is absolutely amazing. Landin took a major risk leaving behind his previous sport, soccer, to focus on running, but I truly believe it was worth it, and I hope he feels as proud of himself as I am.”

Stillwell played for the Somonauk soccer team his first two years, but after his sophomore track season decided he wanted to follow what has become his passion.

“I went out for track my freshman year and the 3200-meter run was my event,” he said. “It was really just a side sport to hopefully keep me in shape for soccer and basketball. I started to get pretty good at it about midway through the season and qualified for state, but then sophomore year while went to state again I didn’t progress during the season the way I had hoped.

“The fall was soccer for me freshman and sophomore year, but after last year I just felt like my passion was for running and seeing how far I could push myself.

“It was a tough decision to give up soccer because I really like it, but I couldn’t do both and cross country has been something that has given me challenges I’m looking for.”