Hayley Burns proves third try the charm in Montana Mile

BILLINGS — The third try was the charm for Hayley Burns.

The Bozeman graduate and Northern Arizona runner finally broke through in the Montana Mile, picking up her first career victory Friday to kick off the 2024 Big Sky State Games.

“It feels really good,” Burns said. “I think my first year was last and was pretty tough. The next year I came back and was like, I want to try and win, but it was pretty tough in the middle of summer training. I did what I could and that’s the same mindset this year. Just see where I’m at. Cross (country season) is what matters, but I wanted to do my best and see what I could do.”

Burns said she hasn’t necessarily been training for races as short as the Montana Mile, as she’s running upwards of 70 miles per week with a strong emphasis on her cross country season.

She had some external motivation alongside her, though, as teammate and Helena alum Odessa Zentz kept pace with Burns nearly step for step.

“I think we’re mainly keeping each other loose, enjoying each other’s company and not getting so nervous for the race,” Burns said. “It’s nice having someone to warm up with instead of being alone. You both know the drill. You are both doing it. It’s support even though we’re both doing our own thing.”

Burns gives some credit for her performance to the training she does down in Flagstaff, Arizona, which sits nearly 7,000 feet above sea level and is a hotbed for high-level runners.

“There’s definitely benefits. It’s not something you feel, it’s something you see in time,” she said. “They say it’s similar to blood doping, but you don’t know unless you see a faster time. It feels the same. It hurts either way.”

Burns now hopes to carry some of this momentum forward into Northern Arizona’s cross country season, which begins in August.