Windham’s Langstaff completes stellar college running career

By Matt Pascarella

Just like she made an impression while running for Windham High School’s cross country and track and field teams, University of New Hampshire graduate Hannah Langstaff did the same in college while majoring in nursing. She currently works as a registered nurse in the Barbara Bush Inpatient Unit at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Windham High and University of New Hampshire graduate
Hannah Langstaff competes in a race during the 2021-2022
indoor track season. Langstaff graduated UNH with a nursing
degree earlier this year and works in the Barbara Bush Pediatric
Unit at Maine Medical Center in Portland.
COURTESY PHOTO   

“College was definitely an adjustment from high school,” said Langstaff. “Everything is bigger, the campus, the classes, and the competition. I started my freshman year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and that was very challenging, it made it difficult to meet new people and experience what college is all about. Freshman year I did not compete due to COVID-19 restrictions and a couple injuries I was struggling with. The summer going into sophomore year I decided I was going to work really hard on getting my mileage in and doing all the little things, this all paid off and I was able to race really well during cross country and indoor; I even was able to be a part of a school record relay team which was by far my favorite memory from my time at UNH. The summer going into junior year I did the same thing and again was able to gain some personal records throughout cross country and indoor. Unfortunately, in outdoor I got a stress reaction, (and) senior year I struggled to get back to where I had been. However, it allowed me to experience other exciting aspects on my senior year of college and focus on my academics.”

As a nurse, Langstaff is responsible for caring for patients, making sure they are comfortable, administering medications, assessing, providing interventions when necessary and communicating with the team. Langstaff would love to stay at the Barbara Bush Unit long-term and continue to add competencies to her license. She’s already learned so much from the month and half she’s been orienting and is excited to continue to learn and grow within the field.

During her sophomore year competing for UNH’s outdoor track and field team, Langstaff placed first in the 3,000-meter at the UNH season opener. During her senior year in indoor track and field, she finished third in the 4 x 800 during the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Track and Field Championships. She also excelled in the classroom, making it on the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll and into the National College Athlete Honor Society.

As a sophomore, her relay team set a new school record in the 4 x 800 with a time of 8:50.67 minutes. This meant a lot to her because it included three people that she really looked up to who were dedicated to the sport.

“I believe that is how we were able to succeed and get the school record,” said Langstaff. “It is my favorite memory at UNH because it is something that I had never dreamed I would be able to be a part of, but I exceeded my own expectations for myself.”

When Langstaff looks back on her time competing for Windham High School cross country and indoor-outdoor track and field teams, she said it taught her that hard work and that consistency pays off. She says she also learned the importance of having fun and enjoying what you are doing. She is often asked how she balanced nursing school and running and her answer is that she simply loves running and enjoys having fun with teammates.

“I got to run cross country, indoor, and outdoor track with Hannah from 2020 to 2023,” said UNH graduate Cailey Archer, a member of the UNH relay team. “As an athlete in high school, I struggled greatly with anxiety-related to performance in sport. The switch flipped for me when I got to college and began running relays. The change came because of the immediate support that I felt from teammates like Hannah and her uplifting positivity. She was such a critical member of the team not only for her blazing fast times and unmatched work ethic, but in her compassion and attitude that fostered the belief that together we could do anything. Hannah served as a leader on the team in regard to hard work, academic excellence (in a taxing major of nursing requiring clinical rotations) and being the best type of friend on the track and off. I know that she will make a fantastic nurse because helping people is one of the things she does best.” <