Many high school students spend their summers relaxing, but some, like Will Laman, use the time to improve in their sport.

For Laman, that means working as a landscaper during the day and running in his free time.

Laman is an incoming junior who competes in cross-country and track for Astoria High School. He had top marks in 5K as a freshman and sophomore and has dropped more than a minute from his time, coming in consistently around 16 minutes and 30 seconds in trials this summer.

Laman has goals of dropping 30 seconds more during the cross-country season and competing for state in November. He will get his first taste of this year’s competition at the annual Wilsonville Night Meet on Friday.

Laman began his freshman year on the Astoria cross-country team with his older brother, Tommy, acting as his mentor.

“I had my brother and all of his friends, and I really looked up to them. I think that really helped me in becoming where I am today, just starting out with people that were better than me,” he said.

In previous years, Laman said he didn’t put as much effort into training. But when he realized what times he could achieve in his 5K, he became focused on improving.

“I think the goal this year is to win an individual state championship. And I don’t think I was that close to that in the previous years,” he said.

He came in 75th at the last state competition, far over his personal 5K record (17:51). He hopes to remedy that this season.

Laman got in contact with runners from neighboring schools and has been training with them through the summer. “I’ve been working really hard this summer in order to achieve that goal and continuing to work hard during the in-season,” he said.

Both of Laman’s parents are endurance athletes. His mother, Grace, a dietitian who serves on the Astoria School District Board, just swam across the Columbia River for a Columbia Memorial Hospital fundraiser. His dad, Chris, the vice president of strategy at Columbia Memorial, runs ultramarathons.

Laman and his brother grew up running with their dad. He said Sunday morning runs and breakfast were a staple of their childhood.

“I think that’s another thing that really made me enjoy running, the time I got to spend with him and my brother, because I didn’t get that a lot,” he said.

His cross-country coach, Jeremy Boutin, said he is excited to see where Laman goes this season.

“The Cowapa League has some great competition, and I think that’s really going to drive Will to finding that success at the end of October heading into November,” Boutin said in an email.

For Laman, remembering that it is hard — but rewarding — work is what gets him through a long run. He said Boutin really helps the newer athletes remember that.

“He’s a great coach. I think he helps the newer guys out a lot, and he kind of lets me do what I need to do to get to where I want to be,” he said. “He doesn’t let me push myself too hard and to where I get injured, like I did last track season in the winter.”

With a meniscus tear taking him out of track season, Laman is eager to get back into competition. He thinks that with the right motivation the team could be looking toward some state titles in the coming years, but he’s prepared for any outcome.

“It’s a race, so anything can happen,” he said.