Unlike many, Logan Flament, 21, misses running when he has a day off from training. As a junior on the cross-country team at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, he runs between 85 and 95 miles a week. Yes, a week. He practices six days a week, sometimes twice a day.

As a runner, Flament, the son of Jeff Flament and Sarah Hixson, is following in his mother’s stride. Hixson competed in cross-country and track and field and was a two-time All-American during her collegiate career at North Dakota State. She also competed in the 2012 US Olympic marathon trials and has raced in the Boston Marathon eight times.

Flament is a Poland native and graduated from Poland Seminary High School in 2023. He entered the Naval Academy following high school graduation. He chose to join the Navy because of his desire to “see the world.”

Flament is an electrical engineering major and has earned Patriot League All-Academic honors this year with a 3.99 GPA. According to the Navy Sports website, Flament “posted a top 10 finish at the Patriot League Championship with an 8K time of 24:38.4 to finish ninth overall and earn Second Team, All Patriot League Distinction.” The site also notes Flament currently ranks “13th in overall order of merit among the class of 2027.” Flament stated that competition in the Patriot League “is pretty intense — the cross-country title is similar to the Army-Navy football game.”

Flament’s athletic participation began at 5 years old when he started playing soccer, which he played until seventh grade. He then started running after his parents said no to his request to play football. He noted he chose cross-country running because it has a “close correlation to soccer.”

He said he ran track in high school for one season. While in high school, Flament received accolades in cross-country competitions during his junior and senior years. He helped his high school win district championship his freshman year.

Getting to the All-American team required dedication and determination. He said he has overcome a lot of adversity to get to the level he is at today.

“I only competed in one track season in high school — that was freshman year. Sophomore year was COVID, so no competition then,” he added.

He was able to run cross-country all four years of high school since it was outside. During his junior year, he suffered a stress fracture and was out for the season. He said “senior year was decent,” but he was conscious of his injuries.

Flament said his disappointment forced him to look at other sports. He tried rowing, but explained, “it wasn’t for me.” A friend suggested he work out during the summer with the track team.

Getting onto the Navy cross-country team was not easy.

“Navy did not recruit me,” he said. “I was a walk-on.”

With his return to running, he practiced in the summer. He said the cross-country team at the Naval Academy is “a really big team.” By working with the coaches and the trainers, he said the physical therapy staff taught him “to do more to take care” of his body.

Flament explained that all cross-country runners are on track and field teams, though not all track and field runners are cross-country runners. Track is on an oval track, while cross-country is running on “trails, through woods, on grass, even golf courses sometimes!”

Indoor track and field practices and events take place from December through February. Outdoor practices for cross-country competitions take place from March through May. He said every weekend he would race and was able to see his progress.

“I concentrated on each race to do better,” Flament said. “I watched other runners and each time, I would try to do better than the person ahead of me.”

Submitted photo
Logan Flament poses with his mom, Sarah Hixson, a two-time All-American collegiate runner and eight-time Boston Marathoner.

“With track, it is very easy to plan my race and how to run it,” he said. He also noted “it is easy to see everyone and easy to see improvement.” Cross-country running requires runners to focus on their placement.

Flament’s scholastic career includes four years at the Naval Academy where he will develop as a Naval officer, after which he will serve in the Navy for five years.

Next year, his senior year, he said, “I will decide what area of the Navy in which I would like to serve.” His options include the submarine fleet, flight school or surface warfare. Right now, Flament thinks he is more interested in the surface warfare path.

He said, “I want to be able to work on the ships, to be on the ocean.”