“I Got Hit by a Car. Then I Ran 4:03 Mile.” — TJ Hansen’s Wild Rise to the Top of U.S. High School Distance Running

For TJ Hansen , running isn’t just a passion — it’s the job. And business is booming. Up next in our 2025 HOKA Festival of Miles series, we welcome the Michigan standout who’s made a national name for himself on both grass and track. Representing Freeland High School , TJ is a two-time Nike All-American and finished runner-up at the 2024 Nike Cross Nationals , crossing the line in 15:30.60 — just 2.5 seconds off the win. That followed a top-10 finish at NXN in 2023. TJ also claimed the Gatorade Michigan Boys Cross Country Player of the Year title for 2024–25 and double-won at the Michigan Division 2 state meet in both the 1600m and 3200m . His PRs show he’s got range and firepower: he has run 1:54.27 in the 800m; 3:47.05 in the 1500m; 4:03.87 in the mile; 8:51.12 in the two-mile; and 14:24.40 in the 5,000m. Originally committed to Tennessee, TJ made a game-time decision to head west — he’s now bound for the University of Colorado , joining one of the deepest distance squads in the NCAA. In today's conversation, TJ walks me through his successful career thus far, how he's risen to be one of the best, choosing Colorado, his ambtions and journey for Sub 4, how Festival Of Miles plays into that, his training, getting hit by a car, and more. Tap into the TJ Hansen Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz