It seems like every weekend the first thing that comes up on the Instagram feed is another broken record by North Penn’s current most dominant athlete. Track and cross country athlete and Penn State commit, senior Justin Landis has made a name for himself as he continues to climb new ladders and claim new records on the school, state, and national stages. 

For Landis, these results are no strike of luck, they are the result of years of dedication, practice, and a strong belief in who he knows he can be. 

“I think my work ethic and drive to be the greatest I can be is what makes me the most successful. I always take sacrifices in order to make sure I am in the best position possible. Never cutting corners and always giving 100% is what makes me successful,” Landis said.

Landis has an abundance of talent but he says consistency is what keeps him miles ahead of the competition.  Working out and running every morning of every day along with offseasons with his teammates are all things that make him the athlete he is. 

“My coaches, teammates, and family always push me and support me to get better. Ultimately, it is my competitors who push me to get better,” Landis said. “When I see someone run a fast time, or win a big race, that pushes me to do the same and be the best. No matter who I go against, I always want to be the best. Although that may not always happen, at least I know that I gave it my all to achieve that goal.”

Landis gives his credit to not only himself but each and every person who challenges him to be the best whether they want him to be or not. These motivators are what give Landis the ability to fill his personal trophy case with more and more records. 

“Being consistent is the main factor in being able to break these records. I have definitely had the most consistent winter season of my career so far which has helped me get to this point,” Landis said. “Being able to train and race consistently adds a bunch of confidence when I step foot to the starting line. Also, being a senior and having the years of progress built under me as a foundation have been a big factor in running these times. I don’t only have the progress from this season, but also the years of training beforehand.”

Progression and consistency give Landis the edge when it comes to breaking new records. Landis’ success on the track caught the eyes of many collegiate institutions across the country. Landis ended up finding a home at Penn State University. 

“Head coach Gondak was a huge reason for my commitment to Penn State. Throughout the recruiting process Coach Gondak was the most responsive coach to me. Seeing this showed me that he believed in me and really wanted me to be a part of his team. I wanted to go somewhere where I knew the coach believed in me and saw me succeeding in the future; Penn State showed me that. Also, Penn State has amazing facilities that I see benefiting me very strongly in the future. Aside from track, I see myself succeeding in Penn State’s high business program to help me towards the future,” Landis said.

He found the perfect fit in Happy Valley where he can be a promising trackstar but also focus on a career. Penn State though was not the only school that showed a deep interest in Landis; he also talked to many other schools and visited the University of Pittsburgh. 

“Throughout my recruiting process, I was able to connect with many coaches. I ended up only taking official visits to Pitt and Penn State. I went on those visits open minded but came out with the decision to choose Penn State. Stepping onto their campus felt like home and somewhere I can see myself being for the next few years,” Landis said. 

Before Landis is ready to pack his bags and head to college, he still has some unfinished business to handle this winter and spring on the track. 

“At the end of my season, I hope to see myself running fast times and winning more big races. I would love to become an individual state champion and run times to be recognized as one of the best distance runners across the nation. Something to just put out there that I would love to reach for would be 4:05 in the 1600/Mile and 8:50 in the 3200/2 mile,” Landis said. 

Beyond college and high school, five years from now Landis sees himself continuing his passion for running, something he models after his biggest role model. 

“In 5 years I hopefully see myself still competing. Even after college I would love to run as long as my body is able to. My dad who is a huge inspiration to me is still competing today for his masters team at 61 years old. I would love to be able to compete for as long as possible. Having the opportunity to compete will always give me something to work towards! I plan to always stay in shape,” Landis said. 

The medals you see around his neck or the records in the lobby with his name on them are fueled by more than just weekly practices. They come with dedicated early mornings, family, and the competition around him. Whether we see him in the Olympics one day or he is simply pursuing his career in business it is fair to say Landis will go far beyond the finish line in everything he does.