FARMINGTON — Scott Meier never let turning 40 get in the way of his sprinting.

In fact, when he hit that milestone age he regained a new love for running the same event he ran in high school.

After five years of competing in the Master’s Division state track and field meet, Meier, a 45-year old Hayfield grad who grew up in Brownsdale, set a meet record and state record for the 400-meter dash in the 45-49-year old division at the most recent state Master’s Division meet at the University of Minnesota March 10.

“I’d been working toward it for awhile and it just came together this year,” Meier said. “I was hoping to get the record.”

Meier’s time at the Master’s meet was 55.67 seconds and his best time in high school was 52.8 seconds.

Meier also won the 200-meter dash at the Masters with a time of 25.49 seconds and he was the anchor of a first place 4 x 400-meter relay team.

Meier, who had specialized in the 200, but always runs it shortly after the 400 is ranked seventh in the national USATF Masters Rankings with his 400 time and he is ranked eighth in the 400.

“For the past few years, the 200 has been my best race, but with the 400 going so well this season and racing that more often, I haven’t had a chance to run a good 200,” Meier said. “I’m always tired.”

Most guys who are Meier’s age are settling into distance running or biking to stay in shape, but he prefers exercise by running faster.

“I tried the distance thing and it was never that fun,” Meier said. “I can’t just exercise. I need to train for something.”

Meier also gets plenty of training in during his job as he works as a physical education teacher and a strength and conditioning coach at Farmington High School.

He enjoys working with kids throughout their high school careers.

“It’s fun to see kids come in here as freshman and see them work hard and improve over the years,” Meier said.

Meier, who graduated from Hayfield in 1986, made it to the Regional track and field meet in his junior year, but he was injured for most of his senior season.

Meier’s parents now live in Austin.