Miler Haller has a fitting name for a runner.
It’s pronounced “my-ler,” and Haller has logged many miles as a standout on the Edmonds-Woodway cross country team. As he begins his senior season with the Warriors, Haller hopes to do something his father, who gave him his name, accomplished almost 30 years ago: win a state championship.
“It was always kind of in my family,” Miler Haller said. “My mom’s also a runner. They’ve always kind of pushed me and my sisters to do community 5Ks and running camps. I (started cross country) in middle school and was really good at it and stuck with it.”
Pat Haller, who ran for Lynnwood High School, won Class 2A state championships in 1985 and 1986 — after placing fourth in 1984. The elder Haller is now an assistant coach at Jackson, one of Edmonds-Woodway’s key rivals.
“I did encourage him to do it, but I tried to let him find his own path,” Pat Haller said. “I let (E-W coach Al) Bonney coach and (I) tell Miler to listen to what he has to say. I try to be more of a parent than a coach. But there’s a lot of cross country talk in the house.”
As for Miler’s first name, it came out of a conversation Pat Haller had at the office.
“I worked at KJR (radio) for a bunch of years and when the Sonics were very good, we had a big debate amongst the people I worked with over who was the greatest athlete at the time,” Pat Haller said. “The Sonics were playing the Bulls in the finals in 1996 and you had Michael Jordan and all of them. But in my opinion, the greatest athlete is a miler. You’ve got to have the endurance, you’ve got to be fast, you’ve got to train hard and it’s a lot of work.
“I can’t believe I talked his mom into it. It’s a bit coincidental that he turned into a runner.”
Miler Haller isn’t just the No. 1 runner for Edmonds-Woodway, he’s in his second season as a captain for the Warriors.
“Really talented athletes like that make coaches look good,” Bonney said. “He’s a very good leader. He sets a really good example. He’s pretty vocal.”
The younger Haller said that spending time with his fellow runners is one of his favorite things about the sport.
“One of the really cool things of running cross country is it’s really a team sport,” he said. “When you want your team to do well at a certain meet, your five top runners have to qualify. It’s not just the one person — it’s really a team sport and I really enjoy that. I love going out there with my friends and teammates.”
Miler isn’t the first Haller to be coached by Bonney. Bonney was on the staff at Lynnwood in the mid-1980s during Pat Haller’s championship run.
“I coached his dad way back in the day and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Bonney said. “His mom (Tina Beauchemin) was also a very outstanding half-miler at Lynnwood. The combination has proven to be really valuable.”
Bonney said Miler’s strongest attribute is his determination. According to the Edmonds-Woodway coach, he “hates to lose” and pushes himself to the brink every race.
“There’s a whole lot of toughness that runs through his veins,” Bonney said. “He’s a really, really tough kid. He can push himself beyond all possible recognition. He really is a hard worker.”
Miler Haller enjoyed playing soccer, but gave that up his sophomore year to focus on cross country. As a junior last fall, he opened some eyes with a second-place finish at the prestigious Hole in the Wall Invitational at Lakewood High School. He ultimately made it to the Class 4A state meet, where he finished 10th in a time of 15 minutes, 30.86 seconds.
This season, Miler Haller — who’s yet to make his college choice — wants to get back to the state meet in Pasco. And he hopes to bring his team with him.
“Last year we didn’t make it to state as a team, but we’re really focused on making it this year,” he said. “We have a lot of potential. I really want my team to make it to state. I experienced it last year and I really want my team to get that experience too.”
If Haller returns to the state meet, he’ll face a whole new crop of runners. Edmonds-Woodway dropped from the 4A classification to 3A this year. The 3A meet, according to Bonney, is more difficult to navigate.
“The 3A state meet is an absolute march through hell,” the coach said. “The 4A meet is relatively easy by comparison. You’ve got to run faster than fast to be able to win it. He should easily be in the top 10. I think he has the capability of winning it, but you never know until you get there.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
