When it comes to distance running, Quin Brunner is starting to find his stride.

The 15-year old, who will be a junior at Austin High School this fall, recently won the 5-mile Hog Jog with a time of 29 minutes and 10 seconds and he’s hoping he’s on the verge of a breakout season when cross country and track and field roll around this school year.

“Last year I wasn’t close to what I should’ve been capable of,” Brunner said. “I really feel like I figured this out and the Hog Jog was a great confidence builder.”

Brunner has only ran in two races this summer, but he’s been logging in 50 miles per week. He knew going into the Hog Jog that he’d have a chance to win, and he also knew Eric Overby, who has won the race five times, would push him to the finish.

Overby finished just 10 seconds behind Brunner on Saturday.

“I knew I had to compete with him,” Brunner said. “He’s a great runner and it was really cool to beat him. My dad used to run against him.”

Brunner began running competitively as a seventh grader, but he missed most of his freshman cross country season with an injury. That winter he committed himself to the sport.

“I had a couple of weeks that season where I was running with the big dogs (before I got hurt) and then I was really motivated that winter,” Brunner said.

While running was easy for Brunner in workouts, races have been another story for him. He said he would get caught up in thinking about pain in the past and it would distract him, but now he’s ready to get that out of the way.

“I’ve been good physically for awhile, but I’ve kind of been a head case and I’ve been working that out,” Brunner said. “I’m hoping to have a good year.”