Fairmont runners Connor Artner (left) and Will Saari (right) race together during the 2020 cross country season. The pair will continue running together as they start their freshman years at Hamline University in St. Paul. (Photo by Kyle McAreavy)

FAIRMONT — After years of running together during competitions and on the streets of Fairmont, two Cardinals are moving to St. Paul to keep their partnership going.

Will Saari and Connor Artner have been running partners since Artner joined the Fairmont cross country program in eighth grade, now they are both set to join the Hamline Pipers’ cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field programs.

Because Fairmont does not have an indoor track & field program, the pair will enter their first winter season with their only experience coming from a couple of early-season meets the Cardinals take part in to start the spring season.

Saari said the Mankato indoor meets the Cardinals run in were never his favorites, but he’s excited to try the indoor season with a full buildup to it.

“It will be interesting to train for them going into an indoor season,” Saari said. “I’m wondering what that’s going to be like, so I’m looking more forward to the outdoor seasons, but the indoor one could be a surprise. It might be really fun, I don’t know.”

Saari said between him and Artner, he was first to decide on going to Hamline, where he wants to go into a religion major with a long-term goal of becoming a pastor. He said he couldn’t pinpoint it, but something about Hamline stood out to him.

“I just went on a couple of college visits and I didn’t really like them,” Saari said. “But then I went to Hamlin and there wasn’t a specific thing, I just really like the atmosphere and the people and the coach (head coach Devin Monson). So I decided that I had looked enough and I felt good there.”

After Saari made his decision, Artner was still looking. Artner said while Saari being at Hamline was a big plus, there were other reasons why he chose to join the Pipers.

“I really liked the school campus,” Artner said. “It just felt like a really good fit overall. It’s more of a bonus that Will will be there to be my roommate and teammate. He was definitely an influence.”

As roommates and teammates, the pair of friends will spend a lot of time together. Saari said the decision to room together was easy once they both decided to join the Pipers.

Saari said he was initially nervous about moving to St. Paul, but knowing he’ll have his friend and new teammates has made him sure he made the right decision.

“I was excited before, but I was a little bit nervous,” Saari said. “But now I’m not nervous because I’ll have the team there, who I will meet, and then I’ll have Connor.”

While the pair will stay busy competing all through the school year, Artner said he will be focused on finding his major. He said he is undecided at the moment, but is looking forward to intro classes in anthropology and digital media arts.

Artner said competition-wise, he is most looking forward to needing to push himself harder at the collegiate level than he ever has in high school competition.

“When you’re going to college, everyone’s either at the same level or better than you,” Artner said. “It’s really hard to find someone who you won’t have to chase down in a race, which I think will be fun.”

The pair have run together since track & field in seventh grade, Artner said.

Then became running partners when Artner joined the cross country team in eighth grade.

“(Saari) will say he got me out for cross country in eighth grade,” Artner said with a laugh. “But that was Mr. Bonk.

“I was just kind of joining a thing, but then I got addicted to the sport. It’s just such a fun sport. When you break it down, it’s really you versus yourself in a lot of events. It’s not trying to beat another team necessarily, but trying to beat your previous records.”

As the pair trains for the start of their college careers, they said Pipers’ head coach Devin Monson sent them training plans that have them running between 35 and 50 miles a week to prepare.

Both runners said they are looking forward to competing and their academics. Artner said he is excited for classes to get started and hopes he will be able to join a club or two if there is any free time for three-sport athletes. Saari said as he looks ahead to the coming year, what he’s most looking forward to athletically is change.

“I always want to get better,” Saari said. “I love Mr. (Bob) Bonk, I love him to death, and he’s the only coach I’ve ever had. So it’ll be interesting to see new coaching styles, see how that works for me. If it goes better or worse, and then different teammates a different atmosphere, different events in track, different all kinds of stuff. It’s just going to be a change and I’m looking forward to seeing if it’s a change for the better.”