Mint Henk (4th, Northeast)

Mint Henk (left) and Andy Weilacher receive their awards at the 2001 Foot Locker Northeast Regional. (MensRacing.com Photo)

Hometown: Braintree, VT
High School: U-32
Year of Graduation: 2002

After finishing 26th at last year's Foot Locker National Finals, Mint Henk is determined to move up the ranks in 2001. Henk has dominated Vermont high school cross country for the past two years, winning the 2000 and 2001 state titles by nearly a minute. This year he added a New England Championships (after finishing second last year), setting a Vermont state record of 15:11 for 5k on the flat Goddard Park course. Henk's fourth place (15:35) regional finish was an improvement over his sixth place (15:46) finish one year ago.

Henk got his only national competition earlier this fall when he competed at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Charlotte, NC. He finished eighth in the Race of Champions, running a PR 15:32 off of no speedwork.

Other Notes:
...Transferred to U-32 as a junior because his former high school did not have a cross country team. At U-32 he's coached by Mark Chaplin, father of NCAA Cross Country Champion and former U-32 star Tara Chaplin... "Mint's" real name is William...

In the News:
Mint Henk's secret finally revealed (11/29/01)
Mint Henk wins New England XC Championship (11/15/01)
Henk tops field at New Englands, runs 15:11 (11/11/01)
Henk wins VT State Meet [results] (10/27/01)
Thetford's course record falls in Henk's wake (10/7/01)
Henk wins Harwood Invitational (9/30/01)
Henk takes eighth at national race (9/23/01)
U-32's Henk sets record pace at Essex (9/16/01)
Rivals Hyde and Henk pass on finale
Henk silences skeptics, runs 8:40.40 3,000m (6/3/01)
Hyde shines at Burlington Invitational (5/12/01)
Henk finishes 26th at National Championships (12/14/00)
Miles to go (11/30/00)
Braintree's Henk qualifies for nationals (11/30/00)
Henk is second at New England XC (11/16/00)
U-32 runs away with state title (10/29/00)
Mint Henk hits his stride (10/28/00)
U-32's Henk dusts Essex cross country race (9/17/00)
Henk wins state 3,000m title (6/15/00)