Every story has a hero, every show has a star and for the Fanshawe men's cross country team, that star is John Mason.

With multiple national medals, for both individual and team standing, as well as multiple provincial medals, Mason is a very distinguished runner. The Paris native is excited as to what his future holds for him.

“My running is sort of taking off. I haven't been injured in a while and I would love to make a national team, either for the cross country or track championship. That would be awesome,” said Mason. “But in terms of my life outside of running, I am taking construction management, hopefully one day I will own my own residential construction company.”

Mason's running past goes back all the way to elementary school.

“I started running in public school, and I began to take it a little more serious in high school and then by college I started focusing on it and making it my life.”

And it literally has become his life. Mason is in his fifth year at Fanshawe, and all five years he has run. With at least five team national medals, a bronze individual national medal, three medals from the Ontario All Star championships and countless other provincial medals, Mason has seen his fair share of races.

“All the team medals have been very exciting and memorable. We always get a great group of guys and have been really close in points for team points. Individually I was second at provincials this year which was great to be back up on the podium,” said Mason.

Part of the struggle to get to the podium includes training, balancing being an athlete and a student, and also pushing through the hard parts.

“Worst part in a race for me would probably be somewhere around the middle, stuff starts to hurt, and you've got to push through it. At the end you see the finish and you know it's going to end but at around half it is hard to keep going because everything is hurting, you are on the pain train and you can't get off.”

Another part of running is the team dynamic. Mason compares being on the team like being in a big dysfunctional family.

“There are all the crazy cousins and weird brothers and sisters, but everyone gets together well. We have a ball hockey team, we hang out together, and we are good friends. Running is what brings us together and it keeps us together.”