Jackson Harrison had had enough.

The Northern State men’s distance running standout, frustrated with the team culture and finally feeling like, as a senior, he had a platform from which to speak, called a meeting. 

“Guys, we need to talk,” he said.

But what he had to say wasn’t the smack-down one might expect. He was pointed, to be sure, but the culture Harrison wanted to cultivate was a positive one, and he wanted to lead as much by example as he did with his words.

And now?

“Honestly, I’d put money on it that we’re the most positive team on campus,” Harrison said. “We’re the most motivated and positive. I’d put money on that. We all want to get better.”

And Harrison has, in fact, led by example. The Aberdeen Central grad is coming off a big weekend performance where he broke the Northern State record in the outdoor 5K at the Mt. SAC Relays in California. Next on his list is the outdoor 10K record, currently held by Jeremy Van Veen. Harrison hopes to break that mark at the Drake Relays.

He’s proud of those accomplishments, but they pale a bit in comparison to the larger picture. Harrison helped change the culture of the Northern State distance squad, and that’s a legacy he can live with.

“One of the greatest feelings in the world, to be honest,” he said. “It’s so rewarding.”

A highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, Harrison said he considered running at the University of South Dakota or the University of Nebraska or even the University of Mary at the Division II level in North Dakota. While he wouldn’t have been a top guy at any of those places, he said, they had established programs.

But Harrison liked Aberdeen, so he decided to stay home.

He’ll leave here with his name tenuously entrenched in the Northern State record books. So tenuously, in fact, he doesn’t expect his marks to live past another year.

And he knows exactly who might erase them.

On the way home from California last weekend, Harrison sat next to teammate Josh Martin, another Aberdeen Central grad who was himself coming off a record-breaking weekend in the 1,500 meters.

“I said, ‘Josh, to be honest with you, I wouldn’t be surprised if half my records or more were broken by next year,’” Harrison said. “‘You have talent, work ethic, a positive attitude.’”

For some, the spectre of a younger teammate threatening his place in the record books could be a bit prickly. Harrison said he’s just relieved to be able to pass the baton of culture.

“I’m done after this year, and I know the group of guys we have now are just going to continue that,” he said.

Harrison pointed to that California trip as an example of just how far the program has come. Two years ago, he said, there would have been an attitude of jealousy.

This year, however, he had teammates setting alarms for the middle of the night just to watch him race.

“They desire to go (race in California), not out of jealousy, but because they want to get better,” he said. “It’s so fun to see that change from my freshman year.”

Harrison’s positivity isn’t an act, said Northern State coach Lynne Dingman. That’s just who he is.

“Honestly, even if he has a bad race, I almost get mad at him,” Dingman said. “You should be a little upset, at least.”

But what you see is what you get, and for Harrison, it’s an even keel.

“That’s just him,” Dingman said. “Always positive, always talking to everybody. I’ve never seen a guy talk to his competitors like he does.”

Now with former teammates Martin and Jacob Angerhofer in the mix along with the rest of the team, Harrison feels like he’s leaving the distance program in good hands.

“That group of guys, they’re amazing,” Dingman said. “They’re so into it. They want to get better. They only know how to work hard. That’s refreshing.”

Harrison, who still has a handful of goals left on his Northern State to-do list, said after he breaks the 10K record, he’s got his sights set on a conference title in the 10K. Maybe two, if he can pull off the 5K, as well. And qualifying for nationals would top off what has already been a memorable career.

After that, it’s dental school. He’ll be taking his test in June and applying to schools from there.

“I’ll be helping out with the team next year,” he said. “I’ll still run. I still plan to train as if I was on the team, but maybe do less selfish training, in the sense of helping the other guys progress instead of me.”