Jackson Braddock learned a valuable lesson during the NJSIAA Cross-Country Meet of Champions on Nov. 23, and a week later he applied what he had learned to qualify for the Nike Cross National Championships in Portland, Ore.

“My mindset going into this race was I knew it would go out very fast, so I didn’t want to get stuck out there with the top guys and get burnt out by the middle of the race,” Braddock said an interview with MileSplit NY after he placed fifth overall during the Nike Cross Nationals Regional…