James Mirembe' 26 Wins MAC Cross Country Championship

On November 6, James Mirembe ’26 was racing down the final stretch at the Maryland Private School State Championship, closing in on his competitor with the state title hanging in the balance. With just meters to go, he summoned every last reserve of strength. 

“I knew this was my senior year and I only had one opportunity to perform the way I wanted,” he said. “So, I literally just put everything on the line and pushed as hard as I could.”

He leaned across the line first by only two-tenths of a second.

The dramatic photo finish, captured in the image above, doesn’t fully convey the scale of his achievement. Not only did James win the private school state title, he did so in a personal-best time of 15:33, the fastest in both the small and large school divisions. His performance set a new meet record by eight seconds, surpassing last year’s champion and stamping his name into the event’s history.
This victory was the culmination of a remarkable season and the result of hard work and his dedication to training. 

James’ 2025 season launched with decisive wins at the Clear Spring Interstate Classic and the Rebel Invitational, establishing early momentum. A year after taking second place at the Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championship, he returned and claimed the MAC title. 

“It was definitely a very great feeling,” he said. “I had a very supportive community here at Saint James. A lot of people wanted to see me do well. I wanted to represent the school well, and I wanted to make myself proud and my family proud.”

That blend of personal ambition and gratitude is a hallmark of James’s character. Even as he broke records, he pointed first to the people around him. 

“My coaches were very supportive,” he said. “My teammates helped motivate me to push hard. And my family—there were a lot of voice notes and calls and supportive messages. That helped a lot.”

To understand James’s success, it helps to understand his training. Intensity, consistency, and intentionality were the pillars of his preparation. 

“My training started the moment my fifth form season ended,” he said. “I kept it consistent, which was the most important thing. Every week I had a structured plan and followed it.”

Through winter and into spring, his mileage climbed. He routinely logged 12 miles a day, stacking week upon week of aerobic development. In California, where he spent the summer with family, he immersed himself in the running community. He joined four running programs, learned from experienced athletes, and added new tools to his repertoire: altitude workouts, tempo sessions, hill work, strength training, agility drills, and core development.

“Everything went exactly to plan so the season could go well,” he said. And it did.

Yet James’ path to cross country wasn’t linear. Growing up in South Africa, he was constantly active, engaged in everything from swimming and soccer to tennis, karate, and golf. Running, at first, was simply a way to stay fit for other sports. But around age 11 or 12, during schoolyard running competitions at Tiger Valley College, he realized he had natural potential. Slowly, running moved from being something he did for other sports to being the sport he loved most.

By the time he arrived at Saint James, he had the raw foundation, but not yet cross country experience. What he did have was an uncommon work ethic. 

“I like to be active,” he said. “And once I realized I had potential in running, I trained more specifically. Over time it definitely got better.”

James’s discipline extends well beyond athletics. A strong student with a schedule filled with advanced courses, he sees no separation between the habits that make him a successful runner and those that make him a successful scholar.

“I’m huge on how you do one thing is how you do everything,” he said. “If you have the discipline to train hard—even when you don’t feel like it—and stick to a plan, it’s the exact same mentality I apply in academics. I stay organized and really involved in what I’m doing.”

His commitment to the full Saint James experience doesn’t stop there. James is also a musician, performing guitar in a trio that has performed at contemplative chapel services and ensemble concerts. It is yet another expression of his quiet determination and his belief in growing through diverse pursuits. For a student who excels while balancing athletics, academics, and the arts, the breadth of Saint James opportunities has been a perfect match.

As his sixth form year progresses, James is grateful for the community he found at Saint James and hopeful about what lies ahead. He plans to continue running in college and is interested in pursuing engineering.

But before he sets off on the next chapter, James takes pride in what he helped build here.

“It looks like a bright future for the cross country team,” he said. “Everyone is enthusiastic and supportive. There’s a lot of energy. I really like the program we’ve established.”

His coach, teammates, and community would agree: his legacy is not only in medals, but in mindset.

James’ record-breaking season was more than a series of victories. It was a testament to what becomes possible when a young person chooses to dream big, work relentlessly, and lift others along the way.