Questions and answers with the Greeley Tribune Boys Athlete of the Year, Resurrection Christian’s Jackson Fagerlin ...Saudi Arabia

Any competitive runner would tell you: there aren’t many muscles that aren’t impacted by distance running and all the training that goes along with it.

But nowadays, recent Resurrection Christian High School graduate Jackson Fagerlin has been giving his neck muscles a particularly intense workout thanks to all the championship medals he has accumulated during his decorated high school running career.

He won his first individual track state title in the Class 3A boys 1,600-meter run as a freshman three years ago.

He won two more state titles, in the 800 and 1,600, as a junior a year ago.

Fagerlin was only getting started.

He doubled his individual state title count from three to six during the past seven months when he won his first cross country state title with a time of 16 minutes, 5.24 seconds in the 3A state meet Nov. 2 at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, then he won two more individual titles — in the 800 (1:54.59) and the 1,600 (4:26.43) — during the state track and field championships May 15-17 at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood.

For good measure, he also anchored the Cougars’ first-place boys 3,200 relay team (7:59.36) to collect another championship medal.

Fagerlin would gladly accept an occasionally sore neck as a small price to pay for an incredible finale to his decorated high school running career. And now, he’s preparing to pack his bags for Bozeman, Montana, in a handful of weeks, as he’ll run cross country and track at the collegiate level for Montana State University.

Fagerlin, 19, was named the Greeley Tribune’s High School Boys Athlete of the Year in the wake of his stellar 2024-25 school year on the track and on the course.

Recently, Greeley Tribune sports reporter Bobby Fernandez caught up with Fagerlin to reflect on his incredible senior year:

Question — Coming into your senior year, you had already won three individual titles in track. If you had to describe your goals, things that you really set your heart on wanting to achieve, in your last year of high school, what would they be?

Answer — I definitely wanted to get the 800-meter title again. That was a given. Another big one from the title perspective was winning the 4-by-800 (relay), because we knew we could do it. The potential was there. To see that actually come to fruition was really cool. I was being trained separately. Persistence and consistency training by myself was not easy. I just had to be willing to be disciplined, even when there isn’t motivation, and push through and be consistent.

Q — You started your school year off on the right foot, getting that cross country title. But to get three individual titles, and that 4-by-800 relay title — to add four more championship titles during your senior school year — is that just a storybook ending to your high school career?

A — Oh, yeah. It was definitely the cherry on top. I was hoping for that cross country title. That’s not necessarily my main sport. I would say my main sport is track. But to get that title was awesome. I don’t know if I would say it was a surprise. But it was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. Things are really starting to come into play.’ Then, when track rolled around, to get those titles, it was the same thing. Getting the individual titles was awesome, but being able to share that relay title with others, knowing how hard we’ve all worked and just getting to share that experience, was really awesome.

Q — I’m assuming one of your biggest highlights from the state track meet was the 800. For you to place first, your brother (Lincoln) to be second and then another teammate, Trevor Lim, to finish third, it was just Resurrection Christian dominance. How cool was that? What was going through your mind when you crossed the finish line, knowing your brother and teammate were right behind you?

A — Oh, my gosh. It was pretty much indescribable. You can only picture it and remember what it feels like. But to put it into words is hard. I think that morning was a little windy. So I thought, ‘Maybe a (personal record) isn’t necessarily a given today. Let’s just try and go 1, 2, 3. Let’s discuss strategies.’ … And as soon as I crossed the line, I just turned around and saw (Lincoln and Trevor) were freaking out, and I was freaking out. That was just incredible. Just sharing that with them and seeing how hard they’ve worked and seeing what we talked about actually come to life was incredible.

Q — Then, to win that 4-by-800 title, I’m sure it’s special to win that with all three of your teammates. But just knowing it is such an extremely rare thing for two brothers to be state champions together on the same relay team, is that something that you and Lincoln are likely going to cherish for the rest of your lives?

A — 100%. We watched our older brothers (Christian and Preston) run in high school together, and that was inspiring for both of us. Even though we were both still young, I think that planted a seed in us. I wasn’t able to compete with either of my older brothers. But to have this chance with Lincoln, to give him someone to look up to and maybe be that role model was just incredible. Sometimes it’s reversed, and he’s my role model.

Q — For how long have you been running at a competitive level, Jackson?

A — I would say, maybe seventh grade was when I got my first watch and started to be more serious about my diet and stuff. But even then, I was only running 10-15 miles a week. And it was middle school, so it was just a lot of fun. Then, there was COVID (in 2020), and then, I had a stress fracture. So I didn’t even pick it up again until my freshman year of high school. That summer before my freshman year, I wasn’t even planning on doing cross country in the fall. I was planning on playing golf. But then I watched my brother (Preston) win a team state title (in track in 2021) and was like, ‘Oh, shoot … that looks like a lot of fun.’ Then, I decided to run. I definitely caught the bug when I was in seventh grade. But I really started to take it seriously and be all in during my freshman year.

Q — You mentioned golf. I’m sure you played other sports. You’re obviously an athletic person. What were some of the other sports you tried throughout the years?

A — I played soccer when I was super little. I tried baseball for a year. I did football third through sixth grade. I did tackle football, and I really liked that one. But then I switched to running. I played basketball all the way up until my sophomore year. Then, I just decided to put all my cards in on running.

Q — Is there something specific about the sport of running that made you more passionate about it over other sports throughout the years?

A — I like the individuality of it. It’s just you out there, and it’s all up to you. Everybody is running under the same circumstances. When you’re competing for a team title or a relay, there are obviously other factors. But when you have the baton or when you are on the track or the course, it’s just all up to you. I really enjoy that. I think it’s a very humbling sport, too. You can’t have an ego in it, because you can be humbled real quickly without even realizing it. And I really enjoy the peace of it, just going on a run. I run a lot by myself, and I really enjoy the quietness. I don’t listen to music or anything. But if I do run with other people, then we have really good conversations. I just love all of it — the community, the hard work, being able to share the blood, sweat and tears with people. It’s amazing.

Q — About how many miles per week do you run now?

A — I was running about 40 to 50.

Q — And now you’re off to Bozeman to attend Montana State. What was it about the campus, the program, the town, the entire environment that really drew you in?

A — It is a place that feels enough like home but is still far enough to allow me to become my own person. It’s still close enough where I can make the drive in a day, or my family could visit for the weekend. And the program — those guys just seemed so supportive of each other, and the coach seemed so supportive of them. My biggest thing when choosing a school was the team culture. I admired their culture the most — just how close they all are and how hard working and disciplined they all are. They still have fun, and they’re just all really close. That goes for the whole track team, as well, not just the cross country/distance group. It seemed like everybody knew each other’s name, was supportive and cheering each other on. It was really awesome. I was able to watch one of their indoor meets. So being able to see them in their element and not just putting on a show for me was awesome.

Q — Even with the bright future you have ahead of you, how much are you going to miss putting on that Resurrection Christian uniform?

A — I’m definitely going to miss it. I’ll still have Lincoln running in it. So it will still be there. But it is definitely bittersweet. It sucks to move on from that, but also, I’m ready for the next thing.

Getting to know Jackson Fagerlin

2025 Resurrection Christian graduate

Multi-time state champion in boys cross country and track and field

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