Moving Forward

Moving Forward

If there was ever a kid who was born to run, it’s Plainfield freshman Andrew Gray. Andrew’s first exposure to running came in September 2020, when he joined his family on a three-kilometer course at Swinford Park.

At the young age of 9, Andrew wasn’t initially enamored with running, but he spent many years watching his older brother, Isaiah, take part in cross country. When he came in as a sixth grader, Andrew joined the cross country team. Initially ranking just outside the top seven runners, he qualified as an alternate runner for championship races, as only the top seven runners can contribute to the team score. But he never missed a chance to watch the eighth graders at important meets, and he was determined to come into seventh grade with a renewed sense of purpose to become a top runner.

The cross country season in 2023 gave Andrew his first real taste of success. Spending the majority of the season as one of the top runners, he eventually competed in the state championship, where he first broke through the 11-minute barrier with a finishing time of 10:49. After the school season finished, he also ran the USATF Hoosier Grand Prix, NXR Midwest and the USATF Indiana Association Junior Olympic Championship, where he finished ninth and qualified for the USATF Region 7 championship.

With an invigorated passion for running, Andrew began training regularly in both the on- and off-season, averaging nearly 30 miles per week between November and January. In 2024, Andrew really took off competitively, joining the MSP Speed Run Club out of Avon after the track and field season ended. He finished second in the 1500-meter race and won the 3,000-meter race and 4×800 relay at the USATF Indiana Association Junior Olympic Championship.

He continued on to the USATF Region 7 Junior Olympic Championship, where he finished third in the 1,500-meter race with a personal-best 4:44 and once again won the 3,000-meter race with a 10:15. Afterward, Andrew and his dad traveled to Texas A&M in College Station for the USATF National Junior Olympic Championship. There, Andrew finished 32nd in the 1,500-meter race with a 4:47 and 19th in the 3,000-meter race with a personal best of 10:12.46.

Andrew went on to win most of his eighth-grade races, even taking the top spot at the Junior Mid State Conference Championship at Franklin Community. After a series of successes that included finishing eighth at the Middle School State Championship and joining the Brownsburg Distance Run Club, Andrew competed in the USATF National Junior Olympic Championship, where he was hopeful for an All-American placement. Despite his previous successes, he burned out quickly, earning one of the worst scores of his life, running 94 seconds slower than he had run on the same course only two months earlier. This disappointment came because he was unable to see the starting official.

Shortly thereafter, Andrew’s parents noticed a shift in his vision and figured the downslide was normal vision loss that could be easily corrected with glasses. However, a trip to the optometrist soon turned into a series of MRIs, a five-day stay at Riley and a genetics test. The diagnosis: an inherited mutation on his mitochondrial DNA known as Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, or LHON. The condition most often presents with sudden vision loss in young adults, something that Andrew was now facing himself.

“With his diagnosis, his weekly mileage dropped as we tried to adjust. His vision loss at the time was roughly equivalent to 20/600 in his central vision, a condition that worsened to 20/1600 but improved to 20/1200. He has thankfully retained peripheral vision so far. Because of this, he can navigate fairly well as long as there are no sudden changes in front of him. LHON’s appearance also came with a fairly large systemwide metabolic crash, meaning he lost quite a bit of what might be called fitness, which he is still working to reclaim today,” says Adam Gray, Andrew’s father.

Although Andrew still retains an elite aerobic system, his mutation makes it so the first stage of his energy production is affected. Unfortunately, this results in his body producing lactate sooner than normal, causing heavy legs and slowing him down even though his aerobic system remains uncompromised.

When he returned for his eighth-grade track season, Andrew participated in the Indiana Distance Showcase Meet but reported seeing “dots” everywhere and complained of dizziness throughout the race. He spent most of the spring season sick or injured as he wrestled to return to his normal physical capacity.

For the most part, he was able to run with the team and compete in races. However, a collision with a female teammate on the homestretch of a 2,400-meter race raised the question of accommodations, and his family began investigating ways to best support his future in running.

It was decided Andrew would try a new approach in collaboration with coaches, administrators and athletic directors. Wearing his phone on a belt and connected to open-ear, bone-conduction Bluetooth headphones, he could hear instructions from coaches alerting him to upcoming obstacles and the need for lane changes. Although this was a successful method initially, he came under scrutiny at the USATF Nationals and was nearly disqualified for wearing headphones during the race.

“It was so hot that day that there was a water table set up for the 3,000, but Andrew could not see the cups well enough to grab one cleanly. It wasn’t until lap six, after several failed attempts, that a volunteer matched his pace to hand him a cup of water to cool down. After returning to our hotel room after the race, we were laughing so hard at the commentary for that race, as all eyes were on Andrew and whether or not he’d finally get a cup. It was hysterical,” Adam says.

Finally, Andrew moved into high school cross country, something he had long looked forward to. He had a rough start and ran a 12:18 two-mile time after having accomplished a 13:13 four-kilometer time the year before. He also suffered a concussion attempting to cross the exchange zone during the Plainfield Relays. It was obvious he would need a guide runner. Avon alumnus and avid runner Cole Rightley volunteered for the job.

“Their first race together was a learning experience for both of them at the Brownsburg Invite. The course is flat and fast, but many sections are somewhat narrow for the number of runners in that particular race. It’s very different racing with someone attached to your side. Even small moves and passes must be planned and communicated to be effective,” Adam says.

Andrew continues to show improvement with the use of a guide runner, and he is still actively running in winter meets and looking forward to IHSAA track in the spring.

Although the diagnosis came with its setbacks, Andrew has continued to run as much as possible and has been a source of inspiration to his family and teammates. He is always looking for ways to improve and never misses a chance to lift up his fellow teammates and celebrate their successes.

“Andrew is a kind and compassionate kid who loves to run and is driven to keep pushing himself. He has met and befriended runners from all over Indiana and the Midwest and enjoys giving encouragement to those he’s competing with. He has a great sense of humor and is always joking around. Blind jokes at his own expense are his favorite at the moment,” Adam says.

The Grays are hopeful that Andrew will continue his path to improvement in the spring season, and they remain dedicated to supporting him in every way possible as he pursues his dreams.