Nathan Henderson’s kick catapults him to Syracuse’s top runner

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Nathan Henderson was in second place in the middle of the Pennsylvania two-mile state championship race. His brown, curly hair flopped around as he ran, and his mind wandered off the course. He wasn’t feeling well, and there was a decent distance between him and the lead runner. 

He was known for having a kick at the end, though. He’d practiced it at J.P. McCaskey High School for the past three years. As the finish line drew closer, the then-senior propelled his body ahead of the leading runner and across the finish line. 

“I may actually have a career in this,” Henderson recalled thinking after the race. “I could maybe do it in college.” 

Four years later, Henderson is the top runner for Syracuse men’s cross country. At the 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference championships, he crossed the finish line at 24:39.0, placing first on the Orange and ninth overall. And after receiving All-ACC honors for his performance in 2019, Henderson opened the 2020 season with a second place finish against Army. His trademark final kick helped launch him into the top of Syracuse’s lineup. 

“It’s always good to have a kick at the end, because you never know who’s gonna be around you,” Henderson said.

Henderson became a distance runner by accident. He joined track because his middle school math teacher thought he would be good at running. Henderson then realized he was good at it.

Mike Craighead, J.P. McCaskey’s cross country coach, had seen several elite runners over his 22 year career. But when he saw Henderson’s kick at the end of a race, he knew Henderson was something special. He became the anchor in the 4×400-meter relays, relying on the strong finishes to win races.

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Henderson received offers from several Division I schools, including Syracuse. He and his high school running friend had “fanboy’d” over Justyn Knight, who helped Syracuse win the NCAA national championship in 2015. Henderson went on two college visits, one to Penn State, near his home in Lancaster, PA, and one to Syracuse. 

“Once I interacted with the team and I got to know the group dynamic,” Henderson said, “I knew that this was the place I wanted to be.”

He arrived at Syracuse in 2017. Cross country head coach Brien Bell wants his freshmen to transition into college running and academics with ease, and he encourages a redshirt freshman season. He doesn’t want his runners to break due to the pressures of running and school work, Henderson said.

Nathan Henderson after a race for J.P. McCaskey High School. Photo Courtesy of Grace Henderson

Knight and the other seniors on the team mentored Henderson, and he helped them with race planning as he was adjusting to college life. Knight also took Henderson, who was afraid of chopping his locks in a new town, to his barber in Syracuse.

Henderson never cut his hair throughout high school, and his curly hair grew larger and floppier. He knew he needed a new look in college. Knight’s barber took a little bit off the top and the sides, and Henderson liked the style so much that he’s run with short hair since. 

Soon after cutting his hair, Henderson made his collegiate debut at the John Reif Memorial 5k, winning the race unattached in 15:22.1.

Over the next three seasons, Henderson would lead his team to two ACC championships. 

Nathan Henderson on the podium among competitors in high school. Photo Courtesy of Grace Henderson

When Henderson was young, his mother said he wanted to be a ghost hunter because he didn’t like to wake up early. Now, Henderson wakes up around 6:30 a.m., runs his first run of the day, eats breakfast, does school work and spends time on TikTok. Later in the day, he trains with Syracuse, working on pacing and gaining more speed.

He runs on the motto, “Get to the finish line in any way possible.” His grandparents have cut out newspaper clips and scrapbooked them to commemorate Henderson’s success. Over the years, he’s increased his mileage and his speed thanks to the rolling hills in Syracuse and the infamous uphill run of Sweet Road. 

Knight and the rest of the team knew Henderson “had wheels,” when he arrived at Syracuse, but since then, he has evolved into the top runner for the Orange. 
“I’m going to push through,” Henderson said. “Every single spot counts. I got to pass one more guy, and that’ll get me closer to the end.”