There's a good chance you've heard of The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.

Alan Sillitoe's short story (adapted for film in 1962), is the story of a young man contemplating his life while running solitary marathons behind a prison wall.

Queensway Terrace North resident Scott Miller can relate to the long-distance part, but not so much the loneliness part.

This highly successful track athlete's best event is the steeplechase; a long distance run to be sure, but one that leaves little time for contemplation. "It's similar to a long distance hurdle.  There's four barriers, each 10 metres apart and then there's one water jump per lap between two of the barriers," he explains; adding that said water jumps require the runner to clear six feet. His most recent success was a second place finish in the boys 1500-metre steeplechase at last month's Royal Canadian Legion Provincial track meet here in Ottawa. Just 1500 metres, you say? This past June, he ran in high school-level provincials, placing third in a two-kilometre steeplechase.

Still not impressed?  Late in July, Scott placed sixth in a three-kilometre race at a national meet in Saskatoon.

That's a three-kilometre run, with an occasional 'break' to leap over hurdles and six feet of water.

Scott's interest in track began early, when he was a third grader at Severn Avenue Public School and he began intensive training in Grade 8 at D. Roy Kennedy.

He'll no doubt still be competing as he begins Grade 12 at Woodroffe High School this fall.

"They had a school meet and I did fairly well in it," Scott says of his beginnings."  I just started liking it and found it very enjoyable and just started training."

Though participation was optional, Scott says, even up to that point, he'd always been athletic and opted to try out for the Severn team.

"I did it and ran it and went to the meets and really enjoyed it."

He discovered the steeplechase little more than a year ago and found he had an affinity for it.  Scott now calls it his best event.

Distance running in general has been his preferred area and he also enjoyed hurdling.

"So, since I'm good at the longer distances and I knew how to hurdle, I figured I could put the two together and run pretty good races."

The west end runner has his sights on a university scholarship, but hasn't decided what schools yet and is expecting word from a few with regard to their interest.

And what of the athlete's ultimate arena, the Olympics?

"I'd like to. I'm still a bit of a way away from that."

To many of us, a long-distance run (never mind one with hurdles and six-foot jumps) would be a punishing experience.  Some athletes talk of the 'runner's high' and Scott is no exception, though his high comes more from external stimuli.

"When you're running and racing - when you're running by the stands - the cheering really pumps you up.  Also, after the races, there's a social aspect.  You can talk to other people and meet people from around the country and different parts of the province."