Duncan Fuehne when he ran with the Los Alamos High School Cross Country Team. Photo by Blake Wood

By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com

Los Alamos High School graduate Duncan Fuehne ran a great race Dec. 2 at D2 Nationals. Fuehne finished 3rd overall in 29:43 for the 10K course. He was the 2nd finisher for National Championship Colorado School of Mines (teammate Dillon Powell was Individual Champ). The Oredigger men won their third NCAA Division II Men’s Cross Country National Championship since 2015.

Fuehne signed a letter of intent in 2019 to run cross country and track for the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo. He is the son of David Fuehne and Holley Trellue.

“Colorado School of Mines was a great choice for me,” Fuehne told the Los Alamos Daily Post in a recent interview. “D2 (District 2) has a lot of good runners. It’s a fun place to be, with lots of competition. It also has a strong academic program. Everyone running track here loves the sport. It’s wonderful to be with people who share your dedication.”

Fuehne received his BA in physics in three years and is pursuing a Master of Applied Physics.

“I plan to pursue a doctorate in physics at a bigger program,” he said.

Fuehne was a track star in high school. In his senior year at LAHS, Fuehne finished 3rd overall (2nd Topper) on the State Champion Hilltoppers Boys Cross Country Team.

“I’ve been running since middle school,” he said. “I was always better at longer distances. Los Alamos has a strong running community. In high school, my coaches Kathy and Rob Hipwood trained us hard, but not so hard that we wouldn’t see improvement in college.”

He described his college coach Chris Siemers as one of the best distance coaches in the nation.

Fuehne had some advice for up-and-coming distance runners.

“Stay consistent,” he said. “You don’t always see improvement right away. Be patient and don’t overdo it.”

Fuehne thanked the cross country track program at LAHS.

“It’s been great to have their support,” he said.