Hickman senior Josh Mantooth and his dad have mutual love of cross country
For one of Hickman’s top cross country runners, senior Josh Mantooth, learning to run was as natural as learning to walk.
His father, Scott Mantooth, was an All-American cross country runner at Southwest Missouri State in 1981. With a father who had a fiery passion for running, it didn’t take long for his dad’s interest to rub off on Josh.
“My whole family runs,” Josh Mantooth said. “I ran in different road races with my dad as a young kid and I also ran with my mom.”
As early as age 5, he can remember tagging along on races, which evolved from 1-mile races to 5Ks as he grew older. He even has a picture of himself after his first mile race.
“He’s helped guide me a lot,” Josh Mantooth said. “Running is a real passion of his and he’s always been active in it. It’s rubbed off on me.”
By junior high, Scott Mantooth said, his son began to take running seriously and he encouraged him to pursue his talent. Through the years, his dad ran with him and hardly ever missed any of his son’s meets. Now a senior, Josh Mantooth credits his dad for being a major motivator in his running career.
“He’s always believed in me and my potential,” Josh Mantooth said. “My dad thinks I can do pretty much anything.”
Having learned the importance of a consistent training routine from his dad, Josh brings more than just talent to his team.
“He has a real desire to succeed, and it’s really important for this team,” Hickman coach Steve Kissane said. “Nobody wants to be more successful out here than Josh.”
The father and son have always had running as a way to strengthen their relationship. Whether it has been going out for long runs, or competing against each other in the occasional race, they’ve spent a lot of time running over the years.
“We still run once in a while,” Josh said. “I’m a little faster now, but it’s a good way we connect, and I enjoy it a lot.”
Although his All-American days are behind him and Scott Mantooth, 44, mainly runs to stay in shape, he still finds ways to go along with his son on the runs they both love so much.
“I’m too old now and I can’t keep up with him, but I’ll bike next to him while he runs,” Scott Mantooth said. “We spend time talking about his goals and his future. It creates a bond.”
Although he’s continuing to become a better runner, the pressure to fill his dad’s shoes has never been an issue for Josh Mantooth. Still, he said he would eventually like to beat his father’s best times.
“It would be nice, sort of like the icing on the cake,” Josh said. “We razz each other a lot, so it would be nice to rub it in his face a little.”
The razzing knows no age limit. For example, Scott Mantooth recalled when he posted his best high school cross country and track times on his son’s wall in his room see if he could get his son to match or beat the times.
“I think he was faster than I was as a junior in track,” Scott Mantooth said with a laugh. “You have to have fun, and I razz him and encourage him to do his best. It’s way more fun to do that than being super serious.”
Josh Mantooth says he has high goals for himself and the team. He said he wants his team to get to state, and he wants to make a big jump from placing 77th in state last season. Scott Mantooth says he knows Josh has put a lot of time into his running and that his son is disappointed he hasn’t yet reached his goal of becoming an all-state runner. But, the joy he has gotten from watching his son evolve from a 5-year-old running in the mile races to being a state qualifier has been exciting forScott, no matter what place his son finishes.
“It’s been exciting to see him get better year after year,” Scott Mantooth said. “As a senior, he’s definitely thought about reaching his goals, but he’s having more fun this year. You have to enjoy it.”