Michael Fout of Indiana wins the 2007 Foot Locker Cross Country Championship
Senior Michael Fout of La Porte High School in Indiana powered his way to the Foot Locker National Championship Saturday by matching a blistering early first mile, holding on through an equally tough second mile, and then showing great strength over the course’s final hill to pull away.
Luke Puskedra of Judge Memorial High School in Utah shot off from the start line and immediately seized the lead letting the field know this would not be a tactical race.
Even though Puskedra maintained that pace and went through the first mile in 4:28, he did not open an appreciable lead on the field. Fout, German Fernandez, Donn Cabral and Colby Lowe led a group that was hot on the heels of Puskedra at the bottom of the first hill.
By the time the group reached the half-way point, Puskedra was still leading; however, Fout, Fernandez, Cabral and Lowe were right on his hills, and Chris Derrick was moving quickly to bridge the gap and join the top tier.
Those five were separated by less than 10 meters as they came through the two mile mark at 9:28.
Following a couple of quick turns in the course, Fout decided it was time to put more pressure on the lead group. He moved up on Puskedra’s shoulder, Puskedra responded and the pack began to stretch out, but Fout quickly made another move, and this time the surge took and he began to break away.
Over the next half-mile the senior from Indiana continued to open his
lead with the chase group trading spots back and forth trying to mount
a counter move; however, by the time they reached the big hill for the
second time, Fout was in control, having opened up a 30 meter lead. 
While Fout powered up the hill, his Midwest teammate, Chris Derrick, made his way from sixth all the way to second place.
When Fout began the final downhill, Derrick had closed to within 50 meters; however, he would never get significantly closer, and Fout maintained form and powered up the final rise in the course to win in an impressive time of 14:50.
Derrick finished second at 14:57, Fernandez, the Western Regional winner, placed third (15:09), Colby Lowe, the Southern Regional winner, placed fourth (15:12), and Puskedra held on for fifth (15:15).
½ mile 2:10
1 mile 4:28
2 mile 9:28