Already an All-American at NXN and New Balance Nationals Indoor, Thomsen adding appearance at Woodbridge Classic to her cross country schedule this fall in preparation for memorable postseason run, including potential for third consecutive California Division 3 state championship

By Cate Peters for DyeStat

Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa Montgomery High in California has been in the national spotlight since her freshman year, and that attention is only expected to increase this fall during her junior season.

With personal bests of 4:43.63 in the 1,600 meters, 9:55.31 in the 3,200, and boasting the fastest 5-kilometer cross country time in the state last year of 16:49.2 with her victory at Nike Portland XC, it is easy to see why Thomsen is regarded as one of the best prep distance runners in the country.

Reflecting on her outstanding sophomore season and looking ahead to a crucial junior year, Thomsen knows that she can conquer any challenge thrown her way and is optimistic about the next chapter of her career, especially competing Sept. 16 in the Bob Day Girls Sweepstakes race at the 42nd Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, presented by ASICS America, at Great Park in Irvine, Calif.

“I definitely run best when there’s people around me,” Thomsen said.  “I've never gone, and it just seems like such a fun environment to race in.” 

Thomsen’s love for running began in fourth grade, when she signed up for cross country with her friend.

“I wanted to find something I really liked,” she said. 

Thomsen recognized her talent early on for the sport, and her confidence started to build as she made friends and experienced positive reinforcement from her family.

“My dad was a runner (and) my brother did track,” Thomsen said. “I saw (my brother) go to the state meet and was like, ‘I want to be that good. I want to be just as good as him or better.’” 

Thomsen did just that, leading Montgomery to the Division 3 state cross country final last season, where the Vikings placed seventh at Woodward Park in Fresno.

“Our team is really small… last year I don’t even think we had 10 girls… (and) we haven’t made it as a team in 15 years,” said Thomsen, who also repeated as Division 3 state individual champion. “(It) was really special.” 

Another highlight of her cross country season was competing at Nike Cross Nationals, where she placed 16th overall by clocking 17:35.2 on the 5-kilometer layout at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Ore.

“Getting to race at that level was really cool,” Thomsen said.

Following a remarkable cross country season with her team, Thomsen continued to challenge herself during the winter track season, running her first career indoor race at New Balance Nationals Indoor in March in Boston. She placed second in the 2-mile in 10:07.06 behind CHAMPS Sports cross country national runner-up, two-time Pan-American Under-20 gold medalist and rising senior Ellie Shea of Emerging Elites in Belmont, Mass. 

Competing at an elite level at the TRACK at New Balance prepared Thomsen well for the outdoor season, specifically the 3,200-meter race April 8 at the 55th Arcadia Invitational.

“I used some of the things I learned from (the New Balance National race),” Thomsen said. “I knew I was going to be racing similar girls.”

Instead of Shea, the top challenger for Thomsen at Arcadia was Nike Cross Nationals and U.S. Under-20 cross country champion Irene Riggs from Morgantown High in West Virginia. 

“I had been in the same race…my freshman year,” said Thomsen, who placed fourth in 2022 in the 3,200 at Arcadia behind Kate Peters from Lake Oswego High in Oregon, Eva Klingbeil of Niwot High in Colorado and Dalia Frias from Mira Costa High in California.

“I knew if I was feeling good the last two laps, I needed to go, because that’s what I did at New Balance Nationals and it worked.

Although Riggs led the whole race and prevailed in 9:52.66, in the last 300 meters, Thomsen was not far behind. She trusted her strategy and it resulted in a second-place finish with a massive personal-best 9:55.31. 

Not only was Thomsen able to lead her team to state in cross country her sophomore year, but she did the same in track.

At the North Coast Section Meet of Champions, she won both the 1,600 and 3,200 titles, which qualified her individually for the state meet in both events. She also anchored Montgomery’s 4x800 relay to a state-qualifying finish by placing second in 9:30.73.

“It was an exciting moment,” Thomsen said. “It was really fun having my girls at state.” 

Thomsen placed fourth in the 1,600 final at the California State Championships with a PR of 4:43.63. She unfortunately had to drop out of the 3,200 final due to an injury and was unable to defend the state title from her freshman year.

“I was upset at state,” she said. “The things I’ve learned since then… (are) probably going to help me… like how to cross-train (and) how to deal with an injury.”

Thomsen used the injury as a learning experience, and now she is back to running, and already setting big goals for her junior season. 

Thomsen has been working with her high school coach, Robert Pedersen, throughout the summer to prepare for her junior season.

“As a mentor, throughout high school, he’s always been there for me behind the scenes,” Thomsen said. “Sophomore year, he was…the one who was figuring out my training.”

Thomsen feels like she can go even further in her running career with Pedersen as her main coach. 

Pedersen mentioned that there are three things he focuses on when coaching his athletes: “Being humble, good communication, and education.”

Pedersen makes sure that his “athletes (are) in the spotlight over the coaching staff.” 

“We try to educate our athletes in the approach to running, the science behind training, and the workout purpose of each activity so that they can be more informed when… discussing training,” Pedersen added.

With Pedersen’s summer training, Thomsen said she “really got into the groove of things again.” 

Thomsen knows she might have a chance to go head-to-head this season with Ventura High junior Sadie Engelhardt, the returning champion at Woodbridge, and respects “how strong (Engelhardt) is mentally and physically.”

In addition to Engelhardt and Thomsen, the Bob Day Girls Sweepstakes field is expected to include fellow California standouts Payton Godsey of Oaks Christian, Rylee Blade of Corona Santiago, Ashlyn Boothby of Scotts Valley, Chiara Dailey of La Jolla and Gioana Lopizzo of La Costa Canyon, in addition to Jane Hedengren from Timpview High in Utah, Bethany Michalak of Air Academy in Colorado, Stella Kermes from Cuthbertson High in North Carolina, Elizabeth Leachman of Boerne Champion, Alexandra Walsh of Southlake Caroll High, as well as senior twins Nicole Humphries and Samantha Humphries of Flower Mound High in Texas, in one of the deepest regular-season fields in U.S. prep history.

“I’m ready… and I feel more experienced,” Thomsen said. “I want to keep improving. On the state cross country course (at Woodward Park), I want to run sub-17 minutes.”

Thomsen is also excited to spend more time this fall with her cross country teammates, seeking another trip together Nov. 25 to the Division 3 state final.

“We only have seven girls, but we will be the strongest seven girls we can possibly be,” Thomsen said.