Jordan Lesansee, Albuquerque Academy
Photo courtesy of Rod Stanopiewicz
During his seventh-grade year at
Albuquerque Academy,
Jordan Lesansee tried football for the first time, but a freak mishap during preseason practice helped steer his future toward distance running.
Now a junior, he recalled, "My helmet was too loose and kept sliding down onto my eyes. We were learning how to block and the coach hit me with a pad. (My helmet) got right on my eyes. I got lit up, I guess. Later that night I had pretty bad headaches and couldn't focus at all."
The next day, doctors concluded that he had a concussion, and his parents told him that was the end of football.
"I wasn't too hung up on it," he admitted. "I was kind of relieved because I wasn't having too much success."
However, the players had run a mile one day during football practice and Jordan said he "smoked them all," which encouraged him to get more serious about running. After all, his father and uncle and four older brothers all had been runners and the previous year he had participated in cross country and track.
Still, he conceded, "I didn't want to pursue running. I had more focus on basketball (where he was a deadly 3-point shooter)."
Veteran coach Adam Kedge had noted Lesansee's casual attitude toward running as a youngster, pointing out that "he ran cross country hesitatingly, because it was part of his family tradition. He didn't experience a lot of success. He started taking it more seriously (in ninth grade) and has gotten better and better over the last two years."
Though he had run a school-record 10-flat 3,200-meter race in eighth grade, Lesansee points to the middle of his freshman year as the true turning point. He was one of seven boys chosen to represent Wings of America at the USATF National Cross Country Championships in Boulder, Colo.
That was to be his last year of basketball - which he had played since second grade - though he still plays pick-up with his buddies during free time at school.
His friend, Eric Kedge, insists that Lesansee could start for the varsity team today. He noted, "There isn't anything that he can't do. It's been cool to watch him grow as an athlete and friend."
Lesansee admits, "I sometimes miss basketball, but after winning all these races and getting close to my teammates I don't think I'd give it (running) up for basketball."
As a freshman he made his first state-wide mark in track, placing third in the 3,200 (9 minutes, 43 seconds) and fourth in the 1,600 (4:28.29).
In tenth grade, he set what he called "a huge PR" with a career-best clocking of 15:27 during the Nike Cross Nationals Regional in Casa Grande, Ariz. Track season was even better, because he captured his first state championship by winning the 3,200 in 9:28 and placing second in the 1,600 (4:24).
The 3,200 triumph was especially significant, because he edged defending state cross country champion Niles Thomas of Miyamura (Gallup).
"It was awesome," Lesansee exclaimed. "I realized I could hang with him. It's a humbling experience. He got on my tail in the last mile and I only beat him by two seconds."
Seeing his young runner armed with growing confidence, coach Kedge related, "I kind of let him go on feelings and make adjustments on his own (over the past summer)."
Lesansee did just that, raising his weekly workouts to around 60 miles per week, besides lifting weights to strengthen his slender 5-foot-10, 137-pound frame.
Running mostly by himself, he noted, "I always thought about winning another state championship. Getting on that podium was the greatest feeling in the world. Last year was huge for confidence. I also have strong faith in my Christianity. It keeps me grounded and has made me a stronger person and runner. I give all the glory to God."
Lesansee proved just how much better he is this year by winning the season-opening Lobo Invitational, which last year also belonged to Thomas. He won in 16:09.54. Devin Parades of Rio Rancho was second in 16:31.86, while Thomas was third in 16:36.05.
The Chargers' star admitted, "I was really nervous, because I was going to face Niles again and Devin (and didn't know how much they had improved). I got out pretty fast and got good position. There were four of us at the first mile. The last mile I didn't realize I was going so fast. Once I realized I had a few strides on the other guys I kind of ran for my life."
Later in the fall, Lesansee lost by an eyelash to Monarch (Louisville,Colo.) runner Isaac Green - Colorado's premier runner and the defending champion - during the Liberty Bell Invitational, which drew close to 90 teams to Littleton, Colo. Both runners were timed in 15:16. Though he's 6-5, Green has very good speed and he caught Lesansee right at the finish.
Lesansee already has his eyes on Stanford and he has A grades to make that happen some day. He's just a junior so he has plenty of time.
Looking ahead, coach Kedge says, "We hope for him to remain healthy. If he remains healthy, he will be in contention in every race."
The most immediate test is Friday's Academy Invitational, where Lesansee again will face Thomas, who reportedly had cramps during their last meeting, and Paredes.
The Academy junior says philosophically, "Whenever you race a runner with all the things he has accomplished (Thomas also is the defending champion in this meet), you have to respect him. I'm looking forward and confident going into the race."
