Benjamin Adams enters the 2026 cross country season as one of the strongest runners in Colorado. The Mountain Vista senior is ready for a big fall.
The reigning Class 5A cross country state champion has established himself as one of the most consistent runners in the state, and after another impressive year on both the cross country course and the track, Adams enters his final high school cross country season with plenty left to accomplish.
Last fall, Adams put together a stellar junior campaign, highlighted by a dominant performance at the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational, where he raced to victory in a 14:32.30 5K personal best.
He would carry that momentum all the way through November, ultimately capturing the Class 5A Colorado State Cross Country Championship individual state title and putting an exclamation point on an impressive junior season.
And Adams did not slow down once he stepped onto the track.
This past spring, the Mountain Vista standout added another state title to his resume, capturing the 5A 3200-meter crown. Adams enters his senior year boasting personal bests of 4:01.16 for 1600 meters and 8:46.55 for 3200 meters, further establishing himself among Colorado's all-time elite distance talents.
Now, his attention shifts back to the cross country course.
Adams has already started his 2026 campaign on a winning note, taking the victory at the Vista Nation XC 2-Mile Invitational.
While another individual state championship remains firmly on his radar, Adams' goals this fall extend beyond his own success.
Mountain Vista finished sixth at the Class 5A State Championships a season ago, and Adams believes this year's group has the potential to take the next step forward.
"I'm really excited coming into the year," Adams said. "It's the strongest our team has looked in the time I've been at Vista and we're all really excited to try and do good things this season. Winning state last year was super important for me and I really want to try and do it again, especially against the very strong competition in Colorado."
For Adams, repeating will not come easy.
Colorado once again features plenty of talent at the top, and Adams knows there will be no shortage of challengers standing between him and another 5A crown.
The senior has already proven he can perform when the stakes are at their highest.
And this fall, the aspirations are even bigger.
Along with chasing another individual state championship, Adams hopes to help Mountain Vista climb from last year's sixth-place state finish and extend its season onto the national stage.
With four years at Mountain Vista quickly coming to an end, Adams is not taking his final opportunity for granted.
"It's crazy how fast these four years have gone by and I just want to really take in this last season and make it count," Adams said. "Like I said, I'm looking to win state again and then just see what I can do at NXR and NXN. Making NXN with the team is a big goal as well."
For one of Colorado's most accomplished returning runners, there is still plenty left to chase.
Another 5A title. A trip to NXN. And perhaps most importantly, one final opportunity to see just how far he and his Mountain Vista teammates can go.
