JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Crossing the finish line, Hayleigh Haid didn’t realize that she had just won in 2024.
“It was really cool,” Haid said. “It was unexpected, to be honest. I was just going out there and then all of a sudden I ended up being like, ‘Huh I think these are some of the pro women ahead of me who have finished and I think there’s no one else in the local division around me so it was cool.”
Last year Haid’s race plan won her the First Coast Cup, which is awarded to the top local male and female finishers at the Gate River Run.
“That morning was just like I have a race plan in mind and I was like I’ll just try and hit pace and hold pace and wherever that gets me, gets me,” Haid said.
Last year was her third time running the Gate River Run, but her first time racing.
This year she’s back hoping to repeat her champion run.
“Mindset is trying to run as fast as faster than I’ve ever ran,” Haid said “Whatever that is I’ll have a goal pace per mile and just kind of keep that and hold. Gate is kind of like a warmup for the Boston Marathon.”
Haid moved to Jacksonville when she was recruited to run track and field and cross country for the JU Dolphins. After graduating with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, now her purpose for running has changed.
“I’m running for me,” Haid said. “I’m not running for a scholarship. Although I love my coaches in college, I’m not having to run for a time or worrying about a place for the team. It’s all for me. I think that makes it more fun, make it feel more like a hobby.”
Originally from New York, before she ever raced on a track, Haid was running up and down the soccer fields.
“My favorite part of soccer was the running,” Haid said. “I played in midfield and my coach would always say like ‘Hayleigh your legs are going faster than you can control the ball so you need to slow down.’”
Her next move was to try running.
That’s how her storied career began. Now Haid is running the Gate River Run as part of 1st Place Sports elite team, hoping to beat her 55:41 winning time.
“Gate River Run is just such a wonderful event,” Haid said. “Every time I’ve ran it I’ve teared up at one point because people read your bib, they cheer for you, there’s the bands. I just think it’s like really heartwarming.”