Cross-country running takes more than just speed to finish the race but the willpower to not give up until the very end. When the body needs a little extra fuel to keep going, Kinnon Ringler, a member of the men’s cross-country team and a first-year in the Industrial Design program, focuses on his team for motivation.

“Running for the team is a lot different than just running for yourself,” said Ringler. “Cross-country really hurts a lot of the time, but when you have four other people counting on you, it can give you another gear.”

Ringler’s athletic roots trace back to accompanying his father to races as a kid, kickstarting a running career that eventually led to Ringler joining the Bruins this 2023 season. Wanting to pursue both industrial design and running after high school, Sheridan was his top choice for post-secondary studies. “There’s not a lot of schools that have any design and sports programs,” he said. “Sheridan is one of the only schools that offers industrial design and cross-country.”

And Ringler has been nothing short of an outstanding team member, placing in the top 15 at every OCAA Invitational and competing at the CCAA Cross-Country Running National Championships alongside teammates Paulo Lokoro and Mette Siemens. Out of 89 runners, Ringler finished in 50th place with a run time of 27:56.

Coming off an incredible high school career, Ringler not only ran cross-country but track and field. In his senior year alone, he competed at the OFSAA Cross-Country Championships and Outdoor Track Nationals and was the gold medalist in the 800m event at Indoor Track Nationals.

With so much running experience under his shoes, Ringler aims to apply everything he has learned to his program and life after Sheridan. “Cross-country is specific as to why I got interested in industrial design,” Ringler explains. “I want to do footwear design, specifically running, trail running and hiking. Running in cross-country has given me an idea of what is necessary, and what I and other people like about shoes.”

Facing all kinds of weather conditions and various open-air courses in a cross-country race, Ringler reflects on what aspect of running helped him most as a student. “The ability to commit to something for a long time,” he said. “Sometimes a cross-country race can be hard, and sometimes an assignment can be hard, but you just have to do it.”

After an incredible start to his Sheridan athletic career, Ringler looks to the next season with the hopes of making it to Nationals as a team.

“We’re thrilled to have Kinnon join our ever-growing and exciting cross-country program,” said Head Coach Mohammed. “What he brings to the team is unmatched. At Nationals he held his own. Give him time, and he’ll surprise everyone.”