Fruita teenager at the end of year-long running goal

FRUITA, Colo. (KJCT) - The Fruita teenager who set out to run a mile every single day for a year is within days of the finish line.

13-year-old Trestan Hayes and his father Tommy started their run street together on Aug. 21, 2021.

“I really didn’t think I would complete even a month,” said Trestan. “I remember telling my dad, he wanted to give me a Garmin watch, to track my running, and I was like, you know, I don’t think we should waste that much money on something because I don’t know, if I’ll complete this streak.”

Trestan said for a long time he doubted himself and didn’t believe he could run a mile every day. But three months into his streak he began to build his confidence.

Once he finishes his 365th mile, Trestan will be added to the United States Active Running Streak. His name will be included with countless other runners who too have been actively running every day, many of them for decades straight.

“I think every kid my age really has enough dedication to do what I did,” said Trestan. “I mean, I’m just an average kid, I play video games, I do school and all that stuff. And it’s just, I decided to do one extra thing.”

Trestan said his initial motivation was running with his dad, not knowing which of them would drop out first. The pair ran together every day until Tommy was injured skiing. Unsure if he would be able to motivate himself to keep running, Trestan pushed himself every day.

“It’s been a long journey for Trestan and us watching,” said Tommy Hayes. “I didn’t really know if he’d be able to pull it entirely off. We had some rough days where we were skiing over the winter and the days were long, and he would get done skiing, and he was exhausted. But he would still muster up the energy to get out and get his mile in.”

Somehow Trestan said he found his determination to keep running. It didn’t matter if it was rain, sunshine, or snow, Trestan got the daily miles under his belt. Even in January 2022, when Trestan was ill, he still forced himself to get out and run when many would likely just stay in bed.

“I was worried, you know, I pulled that mom card,” said Anissa Hayes, Trestan’s mom. “And I was like, I don’t know if you should run while you’re sick. And he did anyway.”

With this summer’s triple digit temperatures, Trestan said he had to change his game plan so he could tolerate running every day.

“It’s been reaching the hundreds in this past couple of months, and I’ve had a run 9:30 at night,” said Trestan. “But I always figured out a way to do it.”

Trestan is slated to finish mile 365 on Sunday, Aug. 21. He said he’s going to finish in the place where his streak began.

“I am planning on going to run at Evil Knievel’s old jump,” said Trestan. “He attempted to do a jump over the Snake River Canyon and Twin Falls, Idaho.”

Trestan used to run there when he was little. Since it was where his streak began, Tommy Hayes said it was very appropriate that it should end there.

“I felt this kid has earned it,” said Tommy. “It’s whatever he wants to do, however he wants to finish this and meet this one goal.”

Since Trestan started his streak a year ago, he and his parents all agreed they’ve seen changes in Trestan. Changes for the better.

“It’s just translated into other things,” said Anissa Hayes. “He keeps his room clean, he has a schedule, he contributes to the household. “It’s kind of cool to see how it just has trickled down.”

“I’ve learned that if as long as I put my mind to it, I can really do whatever I want,” said Trestan. “I know that sounds cliché, but it’s true.”

When asked what was next for Trestan, he said he plans to keep his streak going.

“I think I am going to start running two miles every day for a year, and just see what I can do,” said Trestan. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to complete two miles every day for a year, but it will be fun to see.”

And his parents couldn’t be more proud. ”I’m his dad, and he inspires me to want to push myself and should be entirely the opposite way,” said Tommy Hayes. “But it makes me really excited to think about the notion that if he could accomplish this right now, at this age, what he’s going to be capable of in the future?”

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