Where are they now?
Krista Brown
Hanover XC 2012
The first word that comes to mind when thinking of Krista Brown is perseverance. She overcame injuries, and at times self doubt, to finally, when her senior year came around, became one of the top HHS performers in its almost 40 years of existence.
She became a great team leader and earned every award come banquet time. She was the first person ever to win most improved as well as most valuable in the same year. Her time of 19:40 at Derryfield Park, places her 17th on the best performance list by a Hanover runner. In addition, her time of 19:25 at Mine Falls, places her in 14th position. Krista went on to compete at Colorado College and Colby College.
All of Krista’s siblings (Cate, Jack, and Jesse) not only ran Hanover XC, but each made the varsity as well.
For society to better itself, it will need intelligent, resilient, knowledgeable, brave and empathic people such as Krista, who knows what it means to endure and succeed.
You were a dancer before becoming a distance runner, why the switch? What were the challenges to making the switch? Did you participate in any other sports in junior high or high school?
As someone who grew up spending the majority of my days outdoors, the more dancing took up my time, the more difficult it became. After quitting soccer in 7th grade, I spent almost every day dancing. We had rehearsal and class Monday through Friday, and to compete on weekends, the hours were generally 3:30-6:30pm each day.
After freshman year of high school, I realized I was becoming somewhat isolated. The dance studio was in Lebanon, and there were only two other girls from Hanover High. Once the freshman school year ended, I knew I needed to make a change, and running was the most obvious choice. The idea of running with my brother was fun, and it was really the only fall sport
I figured I could start from scratch. That is the same reason I pursued cross country skiing, ski jumping, and crew. I didn’t have the hand-eye skills for soccer or lacrosse, so the choices seemed clear.
The switch was not easy. Physically and mentally, running was a completely different ballgame. I was in no way the best dancer at Dancers Corner, and unfortunately, the norm there was to highlight those with natural talent. I was not pushed to excel, and I guess I was not mature or dedicated enough to understand the benefits of pushing myself. Running was the complete opposite. I was pushed both physically and mentally from the start. That change both exciting and difficult.
Was it difficult to have followed your older sister Cate, who was a star, playing a vital role in the amazing championship teams of 2006 and 2007? However, your 19:40 is 15 seconds faster than she ran.
Having my sister be such an amazing running was mostly just inspiring. I loved her group of friends and loved the team dinners that we hosted. Seeing the team spirit and support her teammates gave to each other was probably something that compelled me to switch from dancing to running. I also loved cheering her and her teammates on when I was in middle school. I can remember going to Manchester and running around the course, getting chills as I saw Georgia speed ahead.
Your perseverance was extraordinary, and by that I mean, you were on the team for three seasons, but you only ran in the D2 State Championship, Meet of Champions, and New Englands your senior year because of injuries the preceding seasons. And on top of that, you were the #1 Hanover runner and made the All-D2 team. Truly amazing!!!! Let’s face it, most runners would have stopped. What made you persevere?
I can honestly say the initial reason I took running seriously was because I didn’t want to quit and you weren’t a coach that made performing half-way a real option. At least for me. My first season was extremely short. I think I only raced twice. After a year of appreciating team sports and a summer where I trained a bit more, I felt much more a part of the team and I could contribute in races. Once that initial hurdle was breached, it was all a mental game, challenging myself and dedicating myself to something that gave me pure joy.
What was your most memorable and least memorable race?
I remember almost every race from senior year, so it is hard to say what was most memorable. But, one that was surprising was our race in Rhode Island. I believe it was called the Brown Invitational. I had gone into the meet with no real expectations in terms of ranking as a team. I wanted to do well but had never seen the competition. I remember being SO surprised that we actually won.
I am not sure if I have a least memorable race. Even the small ones have significant moments, like trying to out-sprint Aidan (without succeeding) at Coe-Brown, or being completely overheated in the first meet my junior year.
Other than sports, what other activities did you partake in during high school? What were your favorite classes?
I was a part of student council, becoming the Treasurer my senior year, and I was the student representative on the hiring committee for the new principal my senior year. I also was part of Model UN and convinced the school to let us travel to Chicago for a big conference in 2010. Prior to that trip, we had conferences on the east coast, including Brown University and Dartmouth.
My favorite classes included Russian Literature with Mrs. Alsup, Shakespeare with Mr. Bourne, and Media and Democracy with Mrs. Caldwell. I also loved Environmental Science with Mrs. Kornfeld.
How did you prepare for the upcoming cross country season? What made you such a successful high school distance runner?
Running become a huge part of my life. I began to see it as a way of exploring, and still do. That said, I don’t know if I would be the runner I am or was if it weren’t for the outdoors and endless trails in the Upper Valley. Once I understood the mental hurdle of the sport, I felt like I could go forever. Running was the one thing that would cheer me up and clear my head, no matter what time of day or what the weather was like. Thankfully, because of my teammates, it was also a social activity.
I believe I was successful because, after the first season, it never felt like something I had to do. It was just something I wanted to do. I grew to genuinely love the sport and love the focus and structure it gave to my days.
Do you have secrets to your success as a distance runner and high achieving student? How did you find the time to study? Did you get enough sleep?
I don’t know if I can even imagine a high school experience without sports or extra-curricular activities as a part of my schedule. Having that much time on my hands might have made me less productive both in an out of school. I will never know, but even now I seem to fill my free time with volunteering or lectures because they make me feel more engaged, and add meaning to my days. I also believe the lack of free time makes me more productive, as I have to manage my time wisely.
As for my sleeping habits, there may have been a few nights where team spirit preparation took away from hours of sleep, but overall, I definitely got enough sleep throughout high school and college. Sleep became more important to me as I became a more serious athlete. Without at least seven or eight hours, I could feel that my body had not fully recovered from workouts.
What challenges did you encounter running in college?
Running at Colorado College was a disappointment. We only met three times a week for organized workouts/team runs. Teammates took the sport far less seriously compared to the varsity team at Hanover High School, and I didn’t trust that our coach was very thoughtful about our training plan. His main message was more mileage, asking us to get up to 100 miles a week if we really wanted to excel.
Colby College was better, but there were still serious challenges. I was injured during my sophomore year, which resulted in spending three months aqua-jogging. I was lucky to come back from the injury, but I had become extremely aware of what my body needed in terms of training. Come senior year, I had to make decisions for myself, and modify our coaches instructed workouts. This created a division between me and my coach. I remained open and communicative about what I needed to have a successful season, but my coach felt I was not putting the team first. After States, I made the very hard decision to end my season. This was one of the biggest challenges after dedicating so much to the sport and to my teammates, who had become my closest friends.
What kind of work are you involved in now? Do you still run?
I am between jobs, but am hoping to get into socioeconomic policy work. Some of the innovative pilot programs testing Guaranteed Income and increases in Earned Income Tax Credits are very exciting, and I would love to be a part of that research as we find out what policies can help address the wealth concentration in this country. That said, I am spending time studying for the LSAT, and am hoping to head back to school in a couple of years for a dual degree in policy and law.
I do still run, but not every day like I used to. New York City is not the most inspiring place to explore on foot, but I still get out multiple times a week. As long as I am able, I know running will remain a big part of my life.
Hanover XC 2012
The first word that comes to mind when thinking of Krista Brown is perseverance. She overcame injuries, and at times self doubt, to finally, when her senior year came around, became one of the top HHS performers in its almost 40 years of existence.
She became a great team leader and earned every award come banquet time. She was the first person ever to win most improved as well as most valuable in the same year. Her time of 19:40 at Derryfield Park, places her 17th on the best performance list by a Hanover runner. In addition, her time of 19:25 at Mine Falls, places her in 14th position. Krista went on to compete at Colorado College and Colby College.
All of Krista’s siblings (Cate, Jack, and Jesse) not only ran Hanover XC, but each made the varsity as well.
For society to better itself, it will need intelligent, resilient, knowledgeable, brave and empathic people such as Krista, who knows what it means to endure and succeed.
You were a dancer before becoming a distance runner, why the switch? What were the challenges to making the switch? Did you participate in any other sports in junior high or high school?
As someone who grew up spending the majority of my days outdoors, the more dancing took up my time, the more difficult it became. After quitting soccer in 7th grade, I spent almost every day dancing. We had rehearsal and class Monday through Friday, and to compete on weekends, the hours were generally 3:30-6:30pm each day.
After freshman year of high school, I realized I was becoming somewhat isolated. The dance studio was in Lebanon, and there were only two other girls from Hanover High. Once the freshman school year ended, I knew I needed to make a change, and running was the most obvious choice. The idea of running with my brother was fun, and it was really the only fall sport
I figured I could start from scratch. That is the same reason I pursued cross country skiing, ski jumping, and crew. I didn’t have the hand-eye skills for soccer or lacrosse, so the choices seemed clear.
The switch was not easy. Physically and mentally, running was a completely different ballgame. I was in no way the best dancer at Dancers Corner, and unfortunately, the norm there was to highlight those with natural talent. I was not pushed to excel, and I guess I was not mature or dedicated enough to understand the benefits of pushing myself. Running was the complete opposite. I was pushed both physically and mentally from the start. That change both exciting and difficult.
Was it difficult to have followed your older sister Cate, who was a star, playing a vital role in the amazing championship teams of 2006 and 2007? However, your 19:40 is 15 seconds faster than she ran.
Having my sister be such an amazing running was mostly just inspiring. I loved her group of friends and loved the team dinners that we hosted. Seeing the team spirit and support her teammates gave to each other was probably something that compelled me to switch from dancing to running. I also loved cheering her and her teammates on when I was in middle school. I can remember going to Manchester and running around the course, getting chills as I saw Georgia speed ahead.
Your perseverance was extraordinary, and by that I mean, you were on the team for three seasons, but you only ran in the D2 State Championship, Meet of Champions, and New Englands your senior year because of injuries the preceding seasons. And on top of that, you were the #1 Hanover runner and made the All-D2 team. Truly amazing!!!! Let’s face it, most runners would have stopped. What made you persevere?
I can honestly say the initial reason I took running seriously was because I didn’t want to quit and you weren’t a coach that made performing half-way a real option. At least for me. My first season was extremely short. I think I only raced twice. After a year of appreciating team sports and a summer where I trained a bit more, I felt much more a part of the team and I could contribute in races. Once that initial hurdle was breached, it was all a mental game, challenging myself and dedicating myself to something that gave me pure joy.
What was your most memorable and least memorable race?
I remember almost every race from senior year, so it is hard to say what was most memorable. But, one that was surprising was our race in Rhode Island. I believe it was called the Brown Invitational. I had gone into the meet with no real expectations in terms of ranking as a team. I wanted to do well but had never seen the competition. I remember being SO surprised that we actually won.
I am not sure if I have a least memorable race. Even the small ones have significant moments, like trying to out-sprint Aidan (without succeeding) at Coe-Brown, or being completely overheated in the first meet my junior year.
Other than sports, what other activities did you partake in during high school? What were your favorite classes?
I was a part of student council, becoming the Treasurer my senior year, and I was the student representative on the hiring committee for the new principal my senior year. I also was part of Model UN and convinced the school to let us travel to Chicago for a big conference in 2010. Prior to that trip, we had conferences on the east coast, including Brown University and Dartmouth.
My favorite classes included Russian Literature with Mrs. Alsup, Shakespeare with Mr. Bourne, and Media and Democracy with Mrs. Caldwell. I also loved Environmental Science with Mrs. Kornfeld.
How did you prepare for the upcoming cross country season? What made you such a successful high school distance runner?
Running become a huge part of my life. I began to see it as a way of exploring, and still do. That said, I don’t know if I would be the runner I am or was if it weren’t for the outdoors and endless trails in the Upper Valley. Once I understood the mental hurdle of the sport, I felt like I could go forever. Running was the one thing that would cheer me up and clear my head, no matter what time of day or what the weather was like. Thankfully, because of my teammates, it was also a social activity.
I believe I was successful because, after the first season, it never felt like something I had to do. It was just something I wanted to do. I grew to genuinely love the sport and love the focus and structure it gave to my days.
Do you have secrets to your success as a distance runner and high achieving student? How did you find the time to study? Did you get enough sleep?
I don’t know if I can even imagine a high school experience without sports or extra-curricular activities as a part of my schedule. Having that much time on my hands might have made me less productive both in an out of school. I will never know, but even now I seem to fill my free time with volunteering or lectures because they make me feel more engaged, and add meaning to my days. I also believe the lack of free time makes me more productive, as I have to manage my time wisely.
As for my sleeping habits, there may have been a few nights where team spirit preparation took away from hours of sleep, but overall, I definitely got enough sleep throughout high school and college. Sleep became more important to me as I became a more serious athlete. Without at least seven or eight hours, I could feel that my body had not fully recovered from workouts.
What challenges did you encounter running in college?
Running at Colorado College was a disappointment. We only met three times a week for organized workouts/team runs. Teammates took the sport far less seriously compared to the varsity team at Hanover High School, and I didn’t trust that our coach was very thoughtful about our training plan. His main message was more mileage, asking us to get up to 100 miles a week if we really wanted to excel.
Colby College was better, but there were still serious challenges. I was injured during my sophomore year, which resulted in spending three months aqua-jogging. I was lucky to come back from the injury, but I had become extremely aware of what my body needed in terms of training. Come senior year, I had to make decisions for myself, and modify our coaches instructed workouts. This created a division between me and my coach. I remained open and communicative about what I needed to have a successful season, but my coach felt I was not putting the team first. After States, I made the very hard decision to end my season. This was one of the biggest challenges after dedicating so much to the sport and to my teammates, who had become my closest friends.
What kind of work are you involved in now? Do you still run?
I am between jobs, but am hoping to get into socioeconomic policy work. Some of the innovative pilot programs testing Guaranteed Income and increases in Earned Income Tax Credits are very exciting, and I would love to be a part of that research as we find out what policies can help address the wealth concentration in this country. That said, I am spending time studying for the LSAT, and am hoping to head back to school in a couple of years for a dual degree in policy and law.
I do still run, but not every day like I used to. New York City is not the most inspiring place to explore on foot, but I still get out multiple times a week. As long as I am able, I know running will remain a big part of my life.
John Torrey
Hanover XC 2006
Before joining Hanover XC, John admitted that he was not much of an athlete. However, he certainly underestimated his athletic talents, especially if one defines an athlete as proficient in sports and other forms of physical activity. Over the four years of running cross country, John made the varsity as a 9th grader and in the following years was Hanover’s #1 runner, eventually being awarded every conceivable award at the annual awards banquets, twice being named captain, and earning All Conference and All Class I (DII) distinction. His times of 16:35 at Derryfield Park(8th all-time) and 16:13 at Mine Falls (3rd all-time) resulted in John’s name being added to the Brown Trophy (named after the great Russell Brown). These athletic accomplishments certainly show that John was not just any athlete, but a great one.
But, there was a lot more to John. He was a caring, mature, personable, compassionate, thoughtful, and intelligent person, who gave his all in every race, not only for himself, but for the team and the sport of cross country. The world is a better place because of people like John Torrey.
So, where are you now and what are you doing these days? Are you still running?
I got my Master’s in Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Massachusetts in June 2018. In August 2019 I will begin a yearlong training program in Harford, Connecticut which will certify me as a hospital chaplain. I am very much looking forward to plunging into this opportunity. I spent the summer of 2017 doing chaplaincy training at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and I loved it. I think chaplaincy will be a meaningful and exciting career. It will be rewarding to serve as a spiritual and empathetic presence for people when they or a loved one is hospitalized. Currently, I am living in Newton, MA and working at a local Walgreens to pay the bills. I run whenever my fairly busy schedule permits. It is great to get exercise here and there, but I definitely miss running every day like I did in high school!
What were the factors that had you going out for cross country as a ninth grader?
I enjoyed running on my own throughout middle school and had heard good things about HHS cross-country. My parents encouraged me to go out for a sport, and soon into my time in the XC program, I realized that it was going to be a social, challenging, and fun opportunity. I had never been successful at sports before high school and did not consider myself to be much of an athlete. Nonetheless, I joined the program as a Freshman and it was one of the best choices I made in high school.
What were your most memorable and least memorable races?
I am especially proud to have had the best race of my career at my Senior year states in Derryfield Park, Manchester. I clocked in at 16:35 – by far my best Manchester time. I finished third in the race, much better than I expected I would do. My worst race by far was at the Thetford Woods Trail Run my Junior year. I started by running a sub-five-minute mile (going out with the front of the pack) and paid dearly for this as the race went on. By the end, I was basically delirious and barely running. I swore that from then on I would race smart – go out slowly and pick people off as the kilometers ticked by.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. Describe some of your teammates during those years. Do you keep in touch with any of them?
I think the team got kinder and more supportive as my high school career progressed. My senior year, especially, was a truly great group of people. I stay in touch with many of my fellow runners – Elliot Kilham, Jake Reibel, Ray Addante, and Masanori Honda, to name a few. As a Freshman, I overlapped with Russel Brown, Brian Farnham, Max Hopkins and Harrison Little. Russel was a great team leader and, obviously, a fantastic runner. Farnham and Mr. Eakin’s combined senses of humor infused every practice with comedy. I enjoyed a friendly competition in races with Harrison and Max. I looked up to these older mentors and when I was an upper classman, I strove to emulate what I most liked about them.
What motivated you to become one of the best xc runners in the history of Hanover XC, thus being awarded with your own trophy (Sonnerup/ Torrey)?
There were many fantastic HHS runners both before and after my time on the team. I cared about my performance in races and strove to do as well as I could. I like to think I left it all on the courses. I look back with pride on my cross country record – I found something that I liked and was good at and I gave it my all. I am honored to have been remembered with the trophy. I was not as fast as Sonnerup or Brown, but I hope I served as an inspiring leader alongside placing some strong times.
You made the varsity (#4 ) your ninth grade year and helped the team win the Class I State Championship (2002). What do you remember from that season?
I believe we actually came in second at States in 2002. Nevertheless, it was an honor to have run that race with such an amazing team – Russel, Farnham, and Max Hopkins, to name a few. My Freshman year, I was surprised at how fast I turned out to be. At the beginning of the season, I certainly did not think I would be running on the varsity team in the state meet! I remember being both terrified and thrilled as I stood on that Derryfield starting line. I improved a great deal as my Freshman racing career progressed. My first race (Great Glenn), I clocked in at the low 19-minute range. By the meet of champions, I was running a full two minutes faster. I especially remember that season because my Mom made me a scrapbook of newspaper articles and other memorabilia from the fall. It’s fun to read now – a trip down memory lane! The upper classmen were mostly kind and encouraging to me as a Freshman. I felt like I had an important place on the team and was valued.
You always had a pleasant and friendly demeanor, but when the day came for a challenging workout or race , you were one of the grittiest runners I ever coached. What brought about that change? What did you do to prepare yourself for those challenges?
I took my racing very seriously. I valued the important role I played in the team’s success so I trained hard in the summers and did my best in team practices. I wanted these efforts to pay off in competition – I think this is why you describe me as “gritty” (which I very much appreciate, thanks). Racing and team workouts were painful and challenging, no doubt about it. This made positive results feel all the more sweet and deserved. I would take time in the days before a race to mentally prepare myself and visualize what I would have to do. After much preparation, I was ready to engage in the mental/physical ordeal of racing. I definitely gained in psychological toughness as my high school career progressed. I came to see running as, in many ways, a mind-over-matter sport – I wanted to win races both in my mind and with my feet.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run? Did you prefer intervals, hill repeats, long runs, etc.?
I always enjoyed long runs. These were opportunities to bond socially with the team and explore Hanover’s beautiful terrain. Pine Park was (and still is) my favorite place to run in town. The most painful, yet most rewarding, workouts were Pine Park mile-long intervals. Thanks to those ferocious hills, they were more challenging than most races! I also loved the marker game – a great way to combine fierce competition, physical exhaustion and plain old fun!
What other activities/hobbies did you partake in during high school?
I was (and still am) musical – I played the trombone in the HHS band and sang in the choir. My freshman year, I was in a school production of Les Miserables. I was on the cross-country ski team all four years and ran distance track as a Sophomore, Junior, and Senior. I was lucky enough to go on two music department trips to Europe – Germany with the Wind Ensemble and France with the select choir. Those, along with cross country, were major highlights of my high school experience!
Hanover XC 2006
Before joining Hanover XC, John admitted that he was not much of an athlete. However, he certainly underestimated his athletic talents, especially if one defines an athlete as proficient in sports and other forms of physical activity. Over the four years of running cross country, John made the varsity as a 9th grader and in the following years was Hanover’s #1 runner, eventually being awarded every conceivable award at the annual awards banquets, twice being named captain, and earning All Conference and All Class I (DII) distinction. His times of 16:35 at Derryfield Park(8th all-time) and 16:13 at Mine Falls (3rd all-time) resulted in John’s name being added to the Brown Trophy (named after the great Russell Brown). These athletic accomplishments certainly show that John was not just any athlete, but a great one.
But, there was a lot more to John. He was a caring, mature, personable, compassionate, thoughtful, and intelligent person, who gave his all in every race, not only for himself, but for the team and the sport of cross country. The world is a better place because of people like John Torrey.
So, where are you now and what are you doing these days? Are you still running?
I got my Master’s in Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Massachusetts in June 2018. In August 2019 I will begin a yearlong training program in Harford, Connecticut which will certify me as a hospital chaplain. I am very much looking forward to plunging into this opportunity. I spent the summer of 2017 doing chaplaincy training at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and I loved it. I think chaplaincy will be a meaningful and exciting career. It will be rewarding to serve as a spiritual and empathetic presence for people when they or a loved one is hospitalized. Currently, I am living in Newton, MA and working at a local Walgreens to pay the bills. I run whenever my fairly busy schedule permits. It is great to get exercise here and there, but I definitely miss running every day like I did in high school!
What were the factors that had you going out for cross country as a ninth grader?
I enjoyed running on my own throughout middle school and had heard good things about HHS cross-country. My parents encouraged me to go out for a sport, and soon into my time in the XC program, I realized that it was going to be a social, challenging, and fun opportunity. I had never been successful at sports before high school and did not consider myself to be much of an athlete. Nonetheless, I joined the program as a Freshman and it was one of the best choices I made in high school.
What were your most memorable and least memorable races?
I am especially proud to have had the best race of my career at my Senior year states in Derryfield Park, Manchester. I clocked in at 16:35 – by far my best Manchester time. I finished third in the race, much better than I expected I would do. My worst race by far was at the Thetford Woods Trail Run my Junior year. I started by running a sub-five-minute mile (going out with the front of the pack) and paid dearly for this as the race went on. By the end, I was basically delirious and barely running. I swore that from then on I would race smart – go out slowly and pick people off as the kilometers ticked by.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. Describe some of your teammates during those years. Do you keep in touch with any of them?
I think the team got kinder and more supportive as my high school career progressed. My senior year, especially, was a truly great group of people. I stay in touch with many of my fellow runners – Elliot Kilham, Jake Reibel, Ray Addante, and Masanori Honda, to name a few. As a Freshman, I overlapped with Russel Brown, Brian Farnham, Max Hopkins and Harrison Little. Russel was a great team leader and, obviously, a fantastic runner. Farnham and Mr. Eakin’s combined senses of humor infused every practice with comedy. I enjoyed a friendly competition in races with Harrison and Max. I looked up to these older mentors and when I was an upper classman, I strove to emulate what I most liked about them.
What motivated you to become one of the best xc runners in the history of Hanover XC, thus being awarded with your own trophy (Sonnerup/ Torrey)?
There were many fantastic HHS runners both before and after my time on the team. I cared about my performance in races and strove to do as well as I could. I like to think I left it all on the courses. I look back with pride on my cross country record – I found something that I liked and was good at and I gave it my all. I am honored to have been remembered with the trophy. I was not as fast as Sonnerup or Brown, but I hope I served as an inspiring leader alongside placing some strong times.
You made the varsity (#4 ) your ninth grade year and helped the team win the Class I State Championship (2002). What do you remember from that season?
I believe we actually came in second at States in 2002. Nevertheless, it was an honor to have run that race with such an amazing team – Russel, Farnham, and Max Hopkins, to name a few. My Freshman year, I was surprised at how fast I turned out to be. At the beginning of the season, I certainly did not think I would be running on the varsity team in the state meet! I remember being both terrified and thrilled as I stood on that Derryfield starting line. I improved a great deal as my Freshman racing career progressed. My first race (Great Glenn), I clocked in at the low 19-minute range. By the meet of champions, I was running a full two minutes faster. I especially remember that season because my Mom made me a scrapbook of newspaper articles and other memorabilia from the fall. It’s fun to read now – a trip down memory lane! The upper classmen were mostly kind and encouraging to me as a Freshman. I felt like I had an important place on the team and was valued.
You always had a pleasant and friendly demeanor, but when the day came for a challenging workout or race , you were one of the grittiest runners I ever coached. What brought about that change? What did you do to prepare yourself for those challenges?
I took my racing very seriously. I valued the important role I played in the team’s success so I trained hard in the summers and did my best in team practices. I wanted these efforts to pay off in competition – I think this is why you describe me as “gritty” (which I very much appreciate, thanks). Racing and team workouts were painful and challenging, no doubt about it. This made positive results feel all the more sweet and deserved. I would take time in the days before a race to mentally prepare myself and visualize what I would have to do. After much preparation, I was ready to engage in the mental/physical ordeal of racing. I definitely gained in psychological toughness as my high school career progressed. I came to see running as, in many ways, a mind-over-matter sport – I wanted to win races both in my mind and with my feet.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run? Did you prefer intervals, hill repeats, long runs, etc.?
I always enjoyed long runs. These were opportunities to bond socially with the team and explore Hanover’s beautiful terrain. Pine Park was (and still is) my favorite place to run in town. The most painful, yet most rewarding, workouts were Pine Park mile-long intervals. Thanks to those ferocious hills, they were more challenging than most races! I also loved the marker game – a great way to combine fierce competition, physical exhaustion and plain old fun!
What other activities/hobbies did you partake in during high school?
I was (and still am) musical – I played the trombone in the HHS band and sang in the choir. My freshman year, I was in a school production of Les Miserables. I was on the cross-country ski team all four years and ran distance track as a Sophomore, Junior, and Senior. I was lucky enough to go on two music department trips to Europe – Germany with the Wind Ensemble and France with the select choir. Those, along with cross country, were major highlights of my high school experience!
Keith Drake
Hanover XC 2002
Competitive but personable, tough but kind, analytical but empathetic these were just some of the qualities that made Keith Drake the leader (2x captain) and one of greatest runners: All Conference (3x), ( 3x Class I ) and All State (1x) in the history of Hanover Cross Country. Keith played a pivotal role in Hanover’s winning the Class I State Championship in 1998, 1999 and 2001. The 2001 team placed 2nd at the Meet of Champions.
During his four years of running cross country, Keith garnered every conceivable award: Rookie of the Year, MVP, and the prestigious Sonnerup Award.
He recently moved back to Norwich with his wife and two children. When he can, Keith continues to train and but still runs at a high level; this past spring, he placed 3rd at the Covered Bridges Half Marathon, as well as winning the Chad Half Marathon several years ago.
So, where are you now and what are you doing these days?
I had been living in Boston, but my wife and I recently decided to move back to the Upper Valley when we realized we were going to have a second child. We love the area and have always wanted to raise kids here. I work (very) part-time at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and (very) full-time at a health economics firm in Boston, where I now telecommute most days.
What were the factors that had you going out for cross country as a ninth grader?
My older brother and several of his friends tried it, primarily to get in shape for basketball, and had a great experience. I heard a lot about the famous “Mr. Eakin” for years before I had the pleasure of meeting the man (by almost hitting him with a golf ball on a 9-hole course—my cross country career almost ended before it began).
You made the varsity as a 9th grader and helped the team to a Class I State Championship. What do you remember from that experience?
The boys’ team hadn’t won a state championship for a few years and the upper classmen were totally focused on it. I really admired their hard work and I wanted to be just like them. Much to my surprise, I won the first JV race, and everyone was excited that I might help out the varsity team. Going from the small races to Derryfield was totally overwhelming—I was hooked! I faded a little at the end of the season, but still scored for the team and was just as thrilled as the older guys when we brought home the bacon at states.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. Describe some of your teammates during those years. Do you keep in touch with any of them?
Oh boy, I could write a book about this so I’ll stick to the boys team my senior year. I had great friends on varsity, including Russell Brown, Jesse Wolfson, Mike Flanagan, Eric Williams, and Jeff Britton. But some of the JV guys like Matt Christiano and John Drinane were the heart and soul of the team and were also great friends. They were among the slowest guys on the team, but man did they have fun! They wore headbands and tie dye shirts. They brought a boom box (which was powered by 12 large batteries and played tape cassettes) to races and danced around to “Safety Dance” and other 80’s classics. Mr. Eakin named them “JV Captains,” and no one was quite sure if he was joking. They cheered like crazy for us during the varsity races and we tried in vain to return the favor. Man I loved those guys.
Russell Brown and I kept training together during the summertime in college and we were soon joined by a number of younger Hanover runners, including Harrison Little, Max McKinnon, Will Mosenthal, and Jeff Colt, who all became great friends. (A few very fast non-Hanover runners also joined us, such as the great Andrew Wheating.) I still keep in touch with many of these guys to some degree. (But not as much as I’d like to. If you’re reading this, come visit me next time you’re home!)
The 2001 team made Class I team history by placing the top five boys under 18 minutes. The boys went on to place 2nd at the Meet of Champions, thus qualify for New Englands. Any reflections upon that time?
I just remember having so much fun with it. I loved going to the practices, team dinners, and meets. Conval also had a very good team that year and we weren’t even sure we would even win the Class I meet. We were totally pumped when everyone ran great and we knew we had it. Doing so well at Meet of Champs was also exciting, but we were always so focused on the Class I meet, I remember that as the highlight.
After the season, we had these ridiculous black sweatshirts made that listed our accolades in huge letters on the shoulders. We wore the sweatshirts around everywhere. I’m not sure if the other high school kids thought so, but we felt very cool. (People always laugh at me when I tell them XC was cool at my high school, but I’m still convinced it was true.)
What motivated you to become one of the best xc runners in the history of Hanover XC, as well as earning All-America honors for, D3, Connecticut College?
Oh man, this is a sore-subject for me. Earning D3 All-America honors was my greatest ambition in college. I got pretty fast, breaking 25 minutes in the 8k and running 4:11 in the mile, and I came close to All-America honors a few times, but I never quite got there, missing it by a few spots on several occasions. I’m still really glad I went for it. (It’s totally crazy, but I still have a season of track eligibility because of an injury, and sometimes I dream of giving it one last shot!)
I’m not sure what motivated me though… that is a difficult existential question. I think the truth is I’m just a very competitive person. I wanted to win and I enjoyed the process of working hard every day and seeing the benefit. This quote from Once a Runner summarizes it pretty well:
“...Or we can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway....They'll speak our names in hushed tones, 'those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet! We can, by God, let our demons loose and just wail on!”
What challenges, if any, did you face being a very good basketball player and running xc?
I remember being conflicted about whether I should focus on a single sport. I played basketball the day after xc season ended and ran 10 miles the day after the basketball season ended (sorely regretting both bad decisions) because I felt so behind. Sometimes I wish I had specialized. I saw how Russell Brown and Aaron Watanabe got bananas fast in high school by running year round, and I improved a ton when I did it in college. Basketball was also very fun though, being part of the school’s first state championship was definitely a highlight of high school for me, and it’s tough to imagine missing out on that.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run? Did you prefer intervals, hill repeats, long runs, etc.?
Easy peasy, the Marker Game. I also liked the Muhammed Ali workout… float here, sting here, etc. etc. Mostly I just enjoyed hearing Mr. Eakin’s convoluted explanations for workouts with obscure references to Mahwah and the like. The man is a genius.
I still love running on the trails in the Upper Valley, many of which we did in high school. I’m convinced it’s the greatest place in the world to train as a long-distance runner. (Ben True, possibly the world’s greatest clean runner trains here!) Contact me and I’ll send you a detailed list of my favorite runs.
A personal favorite run I did frequently in the summer was the “Great White Stag,” which Harrison Little aptly named after we spent a fine foggy morning chasing the elusive white t-shirted Russell Brown through miles of steep hilled, wooded switchbacks. The run ended with a mandatory jump in the Norwich Pool. (RIP).
Even today, you continue to race at a very high level. What is the secret to your success?
Thanks! I’ve been pretty inconsistent about training since college, but I have enjoyed racing a few half-marathons. My best race was ~1:11 victory at the Covered Bridges Half Marathon in Pomfret VT 7-8 years ago. I just try to keep it fun. Training groups are great, but even having one good friend to run with sometimes makes it a lot more enjoyable for me.
Lately I’ve been struggling with how to continue to run as a parent. This past winter and spring, I purchased a (very nerdy) running backpack and ran at least 4-5 miles to work and back every day. Boom, that’s 45+ miles per week. It was great, I cut out my painful commute on Boston’s green line and was able to still spend a lot of time with my son. (Unfortunately on several occasions I got to work and realized I was missing an important article of clothing, like pants.) Doing lots of little runs was an odd way to train but it was doable. Fortunately it translated to a solid ~1:15 3rd place finish at the Covered Bridges race this past June. Best of all, my one-year old son was very excited… “Runners! Daddy! Running!”
Hanover XC 2002
Competitive but personable, tough but kind, analytical but empathetic these were just some of the qualities that made Keith Drake the leader (2x captain) and one of greatest runners: All Conference (3x), ( 3x Class I ) and All State (1x) in the history of Hanover Cross Country. Keith played a pivotal role in Hanover’s winning the Class I State Championship in 1998, 1999 and 2001. The 2001 team placed 2nd at the Meet of Champions.
During his four years of running cross country, Keith garnered every conceivable award: Rookie of the Year, MVP, and the prestigious Sonnerup Award.
He recently moved back to Norwich with his wife and two children. When he can, Keith continues to train and but still runs at a high level; this past spring, he placed 3rd at the Covered Bridges Half Marathon, as well as winning the Chad Half Marathon several years ago.
So, where are you now and what are you doing these days?
I had been living in Boston, but my wife and I recently decided to move back to the Upper Valley when we realized we were going to have a second child. We love the area and have always wanted to raise kids here. I work (very) part-time at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and (very) full-time at a health economics firm in Boston, where I now telecommute most days.
What were the factors that had you going out for cross country as a ninth grader?
My older brother and several of his friends tried it, primarily to get in shape for basketball, and had a great experience. I heard a lot about the famous “Mr. Eakin” for years before I had the pleasure of meeting the man (by almost hitting him with a golf ball on a 9-hole course—my cross country career almost ended before it began).
You made the varsity as a 9th grader and helped the team to a Class I State Championship. What do you remember from that experience?
The boys’ team hadn’t won a state championship for a few years and the upper classmen were totally focused on it. I really admired their hard work and I wanted to be just like them. Much to my surprise, I won the first JV race, and everyone was excited that I might help out the varsity team. Going from the small races to Derryfield was totally overwhelming—I was hooked! I faded a little at the end of the season, but still scored for the team and was just as thrilled as the older guys when we brought home the bacon at states.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. Describe some of your teammates during those years. Do you keep in touch with any of them?
Oh boy, I could write a book about this so I’ll stick to the boys team my senior year. I had great friends on varsity, including Russell Brown, Jesse Wolfson, Mike Flanagan, Eric Williams, and Jeff Britton. But some of the JV guys like Matt Christiano and John Drinane were the heart and soul of the team and were also great friends. They were among the slowest guys on the team, but man did they have fun! They wore headbands and tie dye shirts. They brought a boom box (which was powered by 12 large batteries and played tape cassettes) to races and danced around to “Safety Dance” and other 80’s classics. Mr. Eakin named them “JV Captains,” and no one was quite sure if he was joking. They cheered like crazy for us during the varsity races and we tried in vain to return the favor. Man I loved those guys.
Russell Brown and I kept training together during the summertime in college and we were soon joined by a number of younger Hanover runners, including Harrison Little, Max McKinnon, Will Mosenthal, and Jeff Colt, who all became great friends. (A few very fast non-Hanover runners also joined us, such as the great Andrew Wheating.) I still keep in touch with many of these guys to some degree. (But not as much as I’d like to. If you’re reading this, come visit me next time you’re home!)
The 2001 team made Class I team history by placing the top five boys under 18 minutes. The boys went on to place 2nd at the Meet of Champions, thus qualify for New Englands. Any reflections upon that time?
I just remember having so much fun with it. I loved going to the practices, team dinners, and meets. Conval also had a very good team that year and we weren’t even sure we would even win the Class I meet. We were totally pumped when everyone ran great and we knew we had it. Doing so well at Meet of Champs was also exciting, but we were always so focused on the Class I meet, I remember that as the highlight.
After the season, we had these ridiculous black sweatshirts made that listed our accolades in huge letters on the shoulders. We wore the sweatshirts around everywhere. I’m not sure if the other high school kids thought so, but we felt very cool. (People always laugh at me when I tell them XC was cool at my high school, but I’m still convinced it was true.)
What motivated you to become one of the best xc runners in the history of Hanover XC, as well as earning All-America honors for, D3, Connecticut College?
Oh man, this is a sore-subject for me. Earning D3 All-America honors was my greatest ambition in college. I got pretty fast, breaking 25 minutes in the 8k and running 4:11 in the mile, and I came close to All-America honors a few times, but I never quite got there, missing it by a few spots on several occasions. I’m still really glad I went for it. (It’s totally crazy, but I still have a season of track eligibility because of an injury, and sometimes I dream of giving it one last shot!)
I’m not sure what motivated me though… that is a difficult existential question. I think the truth is I’m just a very competitive person. I wanted to win and I enjoyed the process of working hard every day and seeing the benefit. This quote from Once a Runner summarizes it pretty well:
“...Or we can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway....They'll speak our names in hushed tones, 'those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet! We can, by God, let our demons loose and just wail on!”
What challenges, if any, did you face being a very good basketball player and running xc?
I remember being conflicted about whether I should focus on a single sport. I played basketball the day after xc season ended and ran 10 miles the day after the basketball season ended (sorely regretting both bad decisions) because I felt so behind. Sometimes I wish I had specialized. I saw how Russell Brown and Aaron Watanabe got bananas fast in high school by running year round, and I improved a ton when I did it in college. Basketball was also very fun though, being part of the school’s first state championship was definitely a highlight of high school for me, and it’s tough to imagine missing out on that.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run? Did you prefer intervals, hill repeats, long runs, etc.?
Easy peasy, the Marker Game. I also liked the Muhammed Ali workout… float here, sting here, etc. etc. Mostly I just enjoyed hearing Mr. Eakin’s convoluted explanations for workouts with obscure references to Mahwah and the like. The man is a genius.
I still love running on the trails in the Upper Valley, many of which we did in high school. I’m convinced it’s the greatest place in the world to train as a long-distance runner. (Ben True, possibly the world’s greatest clean runner trains here!) Contact me and I’ll send you a detailed list of my favorite runs.
A personal favorite run I did frequently in the summer was the “Great White Stag,” which Harrison Little aptly named after we spent a fine foggy morning chasing the elusive white t-shirted Russell Brown through miles of steep hilled, wooded switchbacks. The run ended with a mandatory jump in the Norwich Pool. (RIP).
Even today, you continue to race at a very high level. What is the secret to your success?
Thanks! I’ve been pretty inconsistent about training since college, but I have enjoyed racing a few half-marathons. My best race was ~1:11 victory at the Covered Bridges Half Marathon in Pomfret VT 7-8 years ago. I just try to keep it fun. Training groups are great, but even having one good friend to run with sometimes makes it a lot more enjoyable for me.
Lately I’ve been struggling with how to continue to run as a parent. This past winter and spring, I purchased a (very nerdy) running backpack and ran at least 4-5 miles to work and back every day. Boom, that’s 45+ miles per week. It was great, I cut out my painful commute on Boston’s green line and was able to still spend a lot of time with my son. (Unfortunately on several occasions I got to work and realized I was missing an important article of clothing, like pants.) Doing lots of little runs was an odd way to train but it was doable. Fortunately it translated to a solid ~1:15 3rd place finish at the Covered Bridges race this past June. Best of all, my one-year old son was very excited… “Runners! Daddy! Running!”
Catherine Bryson
Hanover XC 2003
You were born in England and moved to Hanover when you were (10 ?? years old.) Was it a difficult transition? When did you first start running? Did you run in England before coming to Hanover? Who got you interested in running?
We moved to Hanover the summer before I was to start 5th Grade. I remember it being such an adventure to move to a different country. We had lived in a very tiny village in England where our local school had only 47 children, so everything about Hanover seemed exciting. My older brother David joined the cross country and track teams at High School and encouraged me to join the summer youth programme. I had never run before and I was pretty useless at team sports so it was all a bit of an unknown for me!
Describe your first cross country race running for Hanover? You were quite a natural runner, but physically the smallest person on the team, did your size work to your advantage, or did you even think about it?
I was absolutely terrified for my first cross country race. Luckily it was a home race which definitely helped. I was convinced I would get lost so I asked my Mum to come the week before and walk the course with me so I knew what I was doing, even though the thought of leading had never crossed my mind! I was definitely self conscious of my height! I used to feel very out of place stood on the line next to all the much taller girls. Once I had a few races under my belt my confidence definitely grew and I don’t think I gave my minuscule size another thought!
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an an outstanding runner?
The Hanover XC team was pretty small when I was competing, especially the girls team. But I just remember how friendly everyone was and especially how supportive we were of everyone on the team. It was truly a team sport and I loved it for that. I was motivated by Mr Eakin, my teammates and also my family. I knew that I was capable of being successful, but it was the constant support that I always had that made me work hard and remain focused on achieving what I wanted.
What do you remember from the 2000 Class I State Championship Hanover won, competing with only five girls that day?
We were such a tiny team! But we were such a happy one and had such a great time training and laughing together. As much as we had hoped to win that day it felt almost impossible with all the much bigger teams around us, which at times was quite intimidating. But everyone raced so hard that day and really gave everything they could and it paid off. I remember sitting at the awards ceremony and the piercing screams that came out of our mouths when the result for second place was read out. We were all just so happy for each other. It was a great team to be a part of.
As you started winning races and championships, the general public, coaches and runners from other teams, and of course reporters started taking an interest in you. What were your reactions to all the publicity? How did you deal with it all?
I was such a shy teenager so I found the interviews after races very scary and awkward. In fact I used to hide from the reporters on my warm down and hope someone else would give a quote for me! It was always exciting to see my name in the papers on a Sunday morning, but for me I just loved to run and to race so the publicity side of things went over my head!
You set the state record for the 1600 meter (4:50.9)?? in track your senior year. Though you were the New Enlgand XC Champion and one of the top xc runners in the country your senior year, did you prefer competing on the track rather than running cross country?
I loved running so much that I was happy both on the trails and track. I was definitely a more confident XC runner, I think the longer races and more undulating courses suited me more. The track races used to make me more nervous and because you can become easily fixated on times there was a bit more pressure. Setting the record for the 1600m in my senior year was definitely a huge highlight for me. I had worked really hard to over come and injury at the beginning of that season and it was a great feeling to win that race and gain the record.
After your thrilling New England victory over a runner from Connecticut ( whom you had never beaten), we decided the season was over: no Footlocker Championships, looking back, do you think it was the appropriate decision?
It was definitely the right decision and I never once regretted it. My parents and Mr Eakin were always so good at looking out for my best interests and never over pushing me. The cross country season was always a long season starting with pre-training in the summer and not really finishing until November. I never thought I would win the New England Championship that year. It was in fact my junior year when I was more favoured to win and I didn’t ever feel like I had raced my best that day. I then put quite a lot of pressure on myself to really have a good race at the New England Championships and was hoping for top 3! So, when I did win in Connecticut I was so incredibly happy. I wanted to end my senior year on a high with that win and I think if I had kept going to Footlocker it would have just been one race too much.
Describe running at Derryfield Park? High points? Low points?
I had very mixed feelings about racing at Derryfield Park! I used to dread the upcoming race on the bus ride there and on the warm up. I used to feel so sick with nerves stood on the bottom of that hill at the start line. Then as soon as the gun went and I was at the top of the hill it all seemed more manageable. It never felt easy though! It always seemed like a challenging course, but the feeling of winning down the home stretch there was amazing. I would love to go back there one day as it holds so many wonderful memories!
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
I still miss all the great places to run in Hanover! The cross country workouts were always my favourite. I loved that the entire team did the session even if it was varied slightly for different abilities. Pine Park was a huge favourite of mine. There was a big hill in there though which we used to do reps on that was a killer! Even now when I think about it I can feel the lactic in my legs! One of my all time favourite days in cross country though was when we played the ‘Marker Game’ which involved Mr Eakin shouting a colour and we all had to run to various points on the golf course to a different team mate that drew that colour marker on different parts of our body. It seems such a silly game now but I remember laughing so hard during those sessions and working really hard at the same time. Cross country was always such a nice balance of working really hard but enjoying each others company. I went home from every XC practice smiling.
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
Yes, I did loads of training in the summer, although I kept quite quiet about this. I felt like that gave me an advantage going into the season. I worked really hard in the summer to get in a good base of training with longer runs and hill reps, but I also did a lot of core and strength work in our basement. I didn’t always want to train as much in the summer vacation, but I knew that if I wanted to succeed then I needed to put in the time when a lot of my competitors would be resting. I used to stick the articles and pictures from the newspapers from any races I wasn’t happy with (ones I didn’t win!) and focused on those as I was working out in our basement. They were a constant reminder that I had to give 110% all the time if I wanted to win.
After you graduated, you and your family moved back to England, and you competed for the prestigious Belgrave Harriers. Describe that experience? How different and/or similar was it to competing in high school?
I found the transition back to England hard. Running was so different in England it took me a long time to adjust. I was used to having coach and team mate interaction everyday, but in England its much more of an individual sport. It was suddenly quite lonely doing so much training alone and traveling to and from races without a team. I found a club in London that I liked but I never had that support system that I had in Hanover. It was also a frustrating time as I picked up so many injuries after our move. It wasn’t until my mid twenties that I began to adjust to the differences.
Describe what life is like now for you, and do you still stay active?
Life is very different for me now! I sadly no longer run anymore. I decided to hang up my running shoes in 2012 when I realized I was never going to win the battle against my constant injuries. I now stay fit by running around after my two little girls, Rosie and Lottie. My husband is now the runner in our family and we all enjoy watching him race. I used to find it hard that it wasn’t me racing, but I’m so happy that most weekends we are at a race cheering and supporting. It is a shame I no longer train, but I love that running is still a huge part of my life. I also hope my children will get involved in running one day. Running brought me so much happiness in my childhood and teenage years that I hope they get to experience the same.
Hanover XC 2003
You were born in England and moved to Hanover when you were (10 ?? years old.) Was it a difficult transition? When did you first start running? Did you run in England before coming to Hanover? Who got you interested in running?
We moved to Hanover the summer before I was to start 5th Grade. I remember it being such an adventure to move to a different country. We had lived in a very tiny village in England where our local school had only 47 children, so everything about Hanover seemed exciting. My older brother David joined the cross country and track teams at High School and encouraged me to join the summer youth programme. I had never run before and I was pretty useless at team sports so it was all a bit of an unknown for me!
Describe your first cross country race running for Hanover? You were quite a natural runner, but physically the smallest person on the team, did your size work to your advantage, or did you even think about it?
I was absolutely terrified for my first cross country race. Luckily it was a home race which definitely helped. I was convinced I would get lost so I asked my Mum to come the week before and walk the course with me so I knew what I was doing, even though the thought of leading had never crossed my mind! I was definitely self conscious of my height! I used to feel very out of place stood on the line next to all the much taller girls. Once I had a few races under my belt my confidence definitely grew and I don’t think I gave my minuscule size another thought!
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an an outstanding runner?
The Hanover XC team was pretty small when I was competing, especially the girls team. But I just remember how friendly everyone was and especially how supportive we were of everyone on the team. It was truly a team sport and I loved it for that. I was motivated by Mr Eakin, my teammates and also my family. I knew that I was capable of being successful, but it was the constant support that I always had that made me work hard and remain focused on achieving what I wanted.
What do you remember from the 2000 Class I State Championship Hanover won, competing with only five girls that day?
We were such a tiny team! But we were such a happy one and had such a great time training and laughing together. As much as we had hoped to win that day it felt almost impossible with all the much bigger teams around us, which at times was quite intimidating. But everyone raced so hard that day and really gave everything they could and it paid off. I remember sitting at the awards ceremony and the piercing screams that came out of our mouths when the result for second place was read out. We were all just so happy for each other. It was a great team to be a part of.
As you started winning races and championships, the general public, coaches and runners from other teams, and of course reporters started taking an interest in you. What were your reactions to all the publicity? How did you deal with it all?
I was such a shy teenager so I found the interviews after races very scary and awkward. In fact I used to hide from the reporters on my warm down and hope someone else would give a quote for me! It was always exciting to see my name in the papers on a Sunday morning, but for me I just loved to run and to race so the publicity side of things went over my head!
You set the state record for the 1600 meter (4:50.9)?? in track your senior year. Though you were the New Enlgand XC Champion and one of the top xc runners in the country your senior year, did you prefer competing on the track rather than running cross country?
I loved running so much that I was happy both on the trails and track. I was definitely a more confident XC runner, I think the longer races and more undulating courses suited me more. The track races used to make me more nervous and because you can become easily fixated on times there was a bit more pressure. Setting the record for the 1600m in my senior year was definitely a huge highlight for me. I had worked really hard to over come and injury at the beginning of that season and it was a great feeling to win that race and gain the record.
After your thrilling New England victory over a runner from Connecticut ( whom you had never beaten), we decided the season was over: no Footlocker Championships, looking back, do you think it was the appropriate decision?
It was definitely the right decision and I never once regretted it. My parents and Mr Eakin were always so good at looking out for my best interests and never over pushing me. The cross country season was always a long season starting with pre-training in the summer and not really finishing until November. I never thought I would win the New England Championship that year. It was in fact my junior year when I was more favoured to win and I didn’t ever feel like I had raced my best that day. I then put quite a lot of pressure on myself to really have a good race at the New England Championships and was hoping for top 3! So, when I did win in Connecticut I was so incredibly happy. I wanted to end my senior year on a high with that win and I think if I had kept going to Footlocker it would have just been one race too much.
Describe running at Derryfield Park? High points? Low points?
I had very mixed feelings about racing at Derryfield Park! I used to dread the upcoming race on the bus ride there and on the warm up. I used to feel so sick with nerves stood on the bottom of that hill at the start line. Then as soon as the gun went and I was at the top of the hill it all seemed more manageable. It never felt easy though! It always seemed like a challenging course, but the feeling of winning down the home stretch there was amazing. I would love to go back there one day as it holds so many wonderful memories!
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
I still miss all the great places to run in Hanover! The cross country workouts were always my favourite. I loved that the entire team did the session even if it was varied slightly for different abilities. Pine Park was a huge favourite of mine. There was a big hill in there though which we used to do reps on that was a killer! Even now when I think about it I can feel the lactic in my legs! One of my all time favourite days in cross country though was when we played the ‘Marker Game’ which involved Mr Eakin shouting a colour and we all had to run to various points on the golf course to a different team mate that drew that colour marker on different parts of our body. It seems such a silly game now but I remember laughing so hard during those sessions and working really hard at the same time. Cross country was always such a nice balance of working really hard but enjoying each others company. I went home from every XC practice smiling.
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
Yes, I did loads of training in the summer, although I kept quite quiet about this. I felt like that gave me an advantage going into the season. I worked really hard in the summer to get in a good base of training with longer runs and hill reps, but I also did a lot of core and strength work in our basement. I didn’t always want to train as much in the summer vacation, but I knew that if I wanted to succeed then I needed to put in the time when a lot of my competitors would be resting. I used to stick the articles and pictures from the newspapers from any races I wasn’t happy with (ones I didn’t win!) and focused on those as I was working out in our basement. They were a constant reminder that I had to give 110% all the time if I wanted to win.
After you graduated, you and your family moved back to England, and you competed for the prestigious Belgrave Harriers. Describe that experience? How different and/or similar was it to competing in high school?
I found the transition back to England hard. Running was so different in England it took me a long time to adjust. I was used to having coach and team mate interaction everyday, but in England its much more of an individual sport. It was suddenly quite lonely doing so much training alone and traveling to and from races without a team. I found a club in London that I liked but I never had that support system that I had in Hanover. It was also a frustrating time as I picked up so many injuries after our move. It wasn’t until my mid twenties that I began to adjust to the differences.
Describe what life is like now for you, and do you still stay active?
Life is very different for me now! I sadly no longer run anymore. I decided to hang up my running shoes in 2012 when I realized I was never going to win the battle against my constant injuries. I now stay fit by running around after my two little girls, Rosie and Lottie. My husband is now the runner in our family and we all enjoy watching him race. I used to find it hard that it wasn’t me racing, but I’m so happy that most weekends we are at a race cheering and supporting. It is a shame I no longer train, but I love that running is still a huge part of my life. I also hope my children will get involved in running one day. Running brought me so much happiness in my childhood and teenage years that I hope they get to experience the same.
Bridget Linehan
HHS XC 1990
It was fortunate for the Hanover girls’ xc team that the Linehan family of Strafford, Vermont decided to move back home from Anchorage, Alaska. For with the move back to the Upper Valley, sophomore Bridget Linehan joined the team, thus giving it the added toughness, consistency, discipline, and winning attitude, the 1988 girls team became the Connecticut Valley Conference champions, the NH Class I champions, and garnered runner-up New England trophy. During her three years of competing, she earned many accolades including: All-Conference, All-Class I, and All-State. She was a supportive teammate, encouraging younger runners to reach their potential, displaying superb sportsmanship, and leading by example with a great work ethic. Bridget’s friendliness, kindness, and commitment, helped make the Hanover XC program a close knit caring community, who also knew how to be champions.
You lived and went to elementary and middle school in Strafford. How difficult was it to transition to Hanover High School?
It was difficult for me. My family had just spent three years in Anchorage, Alaska (a big city compared to the Upper Valley), so there was an adjustment to living in the Upper Valley again, and being in a small school where so many people had known each other throughout childhood. It felt hard to break into that. Cross country and my other sports were an important part of beginning to belong at HHS.
You joined the cross country team as a sophomore; did you play soccer as a 9th grader? Why did you decide to come out for cross country your sophomore year? Was competing in cross country more challenging than any other sport you had participated in up to that time?
I started running cross country competitively in Anchorage in 7th grade. The teams there were big, we had great coaches, particularly in high school. Cross country was challenging in a way that I was familiar with, having grown up with a dad that encouraged me to race from a very young age. More importantly, the team was my family and my social group.
Who were some of your teammates during your time running? How close were you to those teammates? Do you think forming a bond with your teammates helps the overall success of the team or is it overhyped?
I was lucky to be surrounded by really great runners who were also really good people.
Heather “Poods” Williamson was our captain when I first started, she was great and really looked out for me. Kendra Nordin was also a memorable positive force on the team. Zephyr Teachout, Alais Griffin, and Amy Acker and I ran together, I was lucky to hang in there with them on a good day. As I became a senior and a captain, Julie Farrell was one of my closest friends and running partners. We ran stride for stride in many races. That was incredibly fun and supportive.
The family atmosphere of the team was incredibly important to me. People were nice, they were smart, I felt like they were good people who generally weren’t interested in messing around.
The co-ed nature of XC was also a huge plus. There were a lot of great guys on the team whom I admired as runners. Chris Baker was a good captain. Nate Davis (?) and Chris Bise were wacky. And some of my best guy friends were on the team: Brook, Kelley and Brian. Everyone brought out different things in our coach, Jim. That’s one of the best things about Jim…he could handle any kind of kid and it all blended together in a respectful, hard-working team.
Describe your first xc race? Where was it and how did you do?
I’m not sure how the first race went or how I did, but I do remember the bus rides being a blast. I remember race courses all over VT and NH. I remember initiations (yes Zeph I remember that well). Iremember our bus driver Bob. Good people assistant coached with Jim, including Davie Kitchell and Amos Kornfeld. And Tom Jennings was also always a part of things.
What was your favorite high school workout? Where was your favorite place to run?
When I was a senior Jim had a trivia scavenger hunt in the golf course. It covered the whole place—Pine Park was my favorite--. I specifically remember the whole group together in a gulley on the golf course just below the medical school and Lyme Road. Honestly, I don’t think I ever saw practice as hard or anything other than fun. I just had to show up and do what everyone else was doing. Jim and my teammates made it easy and so much fun.
You played a vital role in the girls’ winning the Class I State Championship in 1988 and going on to place 2nd in the New Englands. What do you recall from that season?
I remember how cold it was at the State Championship in Manchester that Saturday. That year we had gotten new gray sweatsuits for the team. We all had them on, they were still a little stiff. We sang “Take it to the limit” by the Eagles a few minutes before the start. I remember how happy we were to have won. I also remember that after winning States we were really tired. Jim held a meeting in the cafeteria to ask the group to decide if we wanted to go on to New England’s. He said it was going to be more work, we might be tired, there wouldn’t be a break between the end of x-c and the start of our winter sports. We didn’t bat an eye, everyone was in. And we had a great time at New England’s in Rhode Island. New England’s was genuinely intimidating. The number of girls racing was staggering. That group of girls was very tight, we had a lot of respect for each other.
On the flip side, there were also some disappointments, especially at the Class I State Championships,
what were your reactions after those races?
I remember the cold days in Manchester toward the end of the season, and I remember maybe being disappointed by how modest my results were at the big races. But our team did so well in general that there was always someone to feel happy for. Of course, there was that one year when we were expected to win and didn’t (I think 1988) for some wacky reasons. Jim can tell a good story about that.
If you had to do over, would you do anything different as far as preparing for the season as well as during the season?
Jim gave us a printed pre-season running plan, which I took pretty seriously. It helped me prepare for the first week of preseasons. I used that preseason guide routinely for the next 20 years, it is old and beat up now, but I still have it 28 years later. And looking back I remember that both Jim and my dad pointing out that my running slowed during my senior year. There were dances, a lot of fun things to do as a senior and they both pointed out that it affected my running. I’m not sure I would do things very differently, but the very busy nature of senior year did provide some big distractions. I think gaining weight around that time, which is pretty normal, also changed my running a bit.
What other activities did you partake in during high school?
I skied x-c on Robin Ellison’s team, and I ran track. I was an editor of the yearbook.
There were a lot of the same people on the running and skiing teams, so some of us spent an awful lot of time together.
You went to UVM, but stopped competing. Why? I remember you telling me you briefly played rugby and broke someone’s leg. Is my recollection correct?
I started running x-c at UVM, Gina Sperry was the coach then. We ran up Mount Mansfield. We had double sessions, often with 6 am practices running in the pool. I was pretty shy, but I remember trying to be chatty on the team, especially during the pools swims (which I thought were ridiculous). No one was laughing or chatting. It was all serious. It wasn’t for me. There was no joy in it. After about three weeks I got the nerve to tell my coach I was quitting. On my way back to my dorm I passed the rugby field and thought that looked pretty fun, so I joined rugby. It was a blast, it was something really different for me. I loved tackling, and they were delighted to have a runner fill in a wing position. It was great to do something new. And yes, you remembered correctly, I took a little more pleasure than I should have by taking out a Dartmouth girl (on her home field) and wrecking her knee.
What career path did you take after college? Do you still run?
I became a nurse, and then a nurse practitioner. Now I work at DHMC in Pediatric Surgery, which I love.
I do still run. I have pretty much all along---except during pregnancies and a few years after each baby was born (it just felt too harsh on my body). I’m now 46 years old and have started to experience what a lot of lifelong runners experience: plantar fasciitis and other aches. But I started physical therapy and refuse to let running become my past. I love talking with runners, I feel like we understand each other.
HHS XC 1990
It was fortunate for the Hanover girls’ xc team that the Linehan family of Strafford, Vermont decided to move back home from Anchorage, Alaska. For with the move back to the Upper Valley, sophomore Bridget Linehan joined the team, thus giving it the added toughness, consistency, discipline, and winning attitude, the 1988 girls team became the Connecticut Valley Conference champions, the NH Class I champions, and garnered runner-up New England trophy. During her three years of competing, she earned many accolades including: All-Conference, All-Class I, and All-State. She was a supportive teammate, encouraging younger runners to reach their potential, displaying superb sportsmanship, and leading by example with a great work ethic. Bridget’s friendliness, kindness, and commitment, helped make the Hanover XC program a close knit caring community, who also knew how to be champions.
You lived and went to elementary and middle school in Strafford. How difficult was it to transition to Hanover High School?
It was difficult for me. My family had just spent three years in Anchorage, Alaska (a big city compared to the Upper Valley), so there was an adjustment to living in the Upper Valley again, and being in a small school where so many people had known each other throughout childhood. It felt hard to break into that. Cross country and my other sports were an important part of beginning to belong at HHS.
You joined the cross country team as a sophomore; did you play soccer as a 9th grader? Why did you decide to come out for cross country your sophomore year? Was competing in cross country more challenging than any other sport you had participated in up to that time?
I started running cross country competitively in Anchorage in 7th grade. The teams there were big, we had great coaches, particularly in high school. Cross country was challenging in a way that I was familiar with, having grown up with a dad that encouraged me to race from a very young age. More importantly, the team was my family and my social group.
Who were some of your teammates during your time running? How close were you to those teammates? Do you think forming a bond with your teammates helps the overall success of the team or is it overhyped?
I was lucky to be surrounded by really great runners who were also really good people.
Heather “Poods” Williamson was our captain when I first started, she was great and really looked out for me. Kendra Nordin was also a memorable positive force on the team. Zephyr Teachout, Alais Griffin, and Amy Acker and I ran together, I was lucky to hang in there with them on a good day. As I became a senior and a captain, Julie Farrell was one of my closest friends and running partners. We ran stride for stride in many races. That was incredibly fun and supportive.
The family atmosphere of the team was incredibly important to me. People were nice, they were smart, I felt like they were good people who generally weren’t interested in messing around.
The co-ed nature of XC was also a huge plus. There were a lot of great guys on the team whom I admired as runners. Chris Baker was a good captain. Nate Davis (?) and Chris Bise were wacky. And some of my best guy friends were on the team: Brook, Kelley and Brian. Everyone brought out different things in our coach, Jim. That’s one of the best things about Jim…he could handle any kind of kid and it all blended together in a respectful, hard-working team.
Describe your first xc race? Where was it and how did you do?
I’m not sure how the first race went or how I did, but I do remember the bus rides being a blast. I remember race courses all over VT and NH. I remember initiations (yes Zeph I remember that well). Iremember our bus driver Bob. Good people assistant coached with Jim, including Davie Kitchell and Amos Kornfeld. And Tom Jennings was also always a part of things.
What was your favorite high school workout? Where was your favorite place to run?
When I was a senior Jim had a trivia scavenger hunt in the golf course. It covered the whole place—Pine Park was my favorite--. I specifically remember the whole group together in a gulley on the golf course just below the medical school and Lyme Road. Honestly, I don’t think I ever saw practice as hard or anything other than fun. I just had to show up and do what everyone else was doing. Jim and my teammates made it easy and so much fun.
You played a vital role in the girls’ winning the Class I State Championship in 1988 and going on to place 2nd in the New Englands. What do you recall from that season?
I remember how cold it was at the State Championship in Manchester that Saturday. That year we had gotten new gray sweatsuits for the team. We all had them on, they were still a little stiff. We sang “Take it to the limit” by the Eagles a few minutes before the start. I remember how happy we were to have won. I also remember that after winning States we were really tired. Jim held a meeting in the cafeteria to ask the group to decide if we wanted to go on to New England’s. He said it was going to be more work, we might be tired, there wouldn’t be a break between the end of x-c and the start of our winter sports. We didn’t bat an eye, everyone was in. And we had a great time at New England’s in Rhode Island. New England’s was genuinely intimidating. The number of girls racing was staggering. That group of girls was very tight, we had a lot of respect for each other.
On the flip side, there were also some disappointments, especially at the Class I State Championships,
what were your reactions after those races?
I remember the cold days in Manchester toward the end of the season, and I remember maybe being disappointed by how modest my results were at the big races. But our team did so well in general that there was always someone to feel happy for. Of course, there was that one year when we were expected to win and didn’t (I think 1988) for some wacky reasons. Jim can tell a good story about that.
If you had to do over, would you do anything different as far as preparing for the season as well as during the season?
Jim gave us a printed pre-season running plan, which I took pretty seriously. It helped me prepare for the first week of preseasons. I used that preseason guide routinely for the next 20 years, it is old and beat up now, but I still have it 28 years later. And looking back I remember that both Jim and my dad pointing out that my running slowed during my senior year. There were dances, a lot of fun things to do as a senior and they both pointed out that it affected my running. I’m not sure I would do things very differently, but the very busy nature of senior year did provide some big distractions. I think gaining weight around that time, which is pretty normal, also changed my running a bit.
What other activities did you partake in during high school?
I skied x-c on Robin Ellison’s team, and I ran track. I was an editor of the yearbook.
There were a lot of the same people on the running and skiing teams, so some of us spent an awful lot of time together.
You went to UVM, but stopped competing. Why? I remember you telling me you briefly played rugby and broke someone’s leg. Is my recollection correct?
I started running x-c at UVM, Gina Sperry was the coach then. We ran up Mount Mansfield. We had double sessions, often with 6 am practices running in the pool. I was pretty shy, but I remember trying to be chatty on the team, especially during the pools swims (which I thought were ridiculous). No one was laughing or chatting. It was all serious. It wasn’t for me. There was no joy in it. After about three weeks I got the nerve to tell my coach I was quitting. On my way back to my dorm I passed the rugby field and thought that looked pretty fun, so I joined rugby. It was a blast, it was something really different for me. I loved tackling, and they were delighted to have a runner fill in a wing position. It was great to do something new. And yes, you remembered correctly, I took a little more pleasure than I should have by taking out a Dartmouth girl (on her home field) and wrecking her knee.
What career path did you take after college? Do you still run?
I became a nurse, and then a nurse practitioner. Now I work at DHMC in Pediatric Surgery, which I love.
I do still run. I have pretty much all along---except during pregnancies and a few years after each baby was born (it just felt too harsh on my body). I’m now 46 years old and have started to experience what a lot of lifelong runners experience: plantar fasciitis and other aches. But I started physical therapy and refuse to let running become my past. I love talking with runners, I feel like we understand each other.
Aparna Alavilli
HHS XC 2014
Dedicated, disciplined, friendly, smart, tough, and a never give up attitude are some of the descriptors when talking about Aparna. In her interview, Aparna describes her family as not athletic and definitely not runners, which sometimes can be a challenge for some runners, but they were supportive and were quite proud of her accomplishments.
However, it took time for her to develop in high school. She went from being the #1 JV runner her first year (sophomore), to her senior year, becoming captain and establishing herself as Hanover’s #2- #3 varsity runner. She earned several awards at banquet time, but her running continued to improve dramatically while matriculating at Carnegie Mellon, where she was Carnegie Mellon’s #1 runner and placing 49th at the NCAA DIII XC championships. She accomplished this, all the while carrying a demanding course load. She recently earned a B.S. In Mechanical Engineering and a Minor in Biomedical Engineering. She will be working on a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University this fall, and of course continue to train and race in Boston.
Who or what got you to decide to run cross country in the fall of 2011? Do you remember your first day? How did the first week go for you? Was it challenging? Were you sore? Did you feel you could keep up with the group?
I remember several of the older girls from the outdoor track season, including Safiya Walker, Liz Haas, Helen Tosteson, Lydia Vogt, and Aidan Bardos convinced me to sign up for cross country. I was already doing track, but had heard that cross country was way more intense. I was terrified about starting the season, so I followed the summer training program religiously and went on many of the team summer runs. On the first day of official practice, I remember running in the rain in Tanzi Park with the whole team and the coaches. When we reached the hill at the end of the trail, Mr. Eakin told everyone who wanted to make varsity this season to run up the hill again. I remember running up the hill again, almost feeling self-conscious at the time for thinking I could make varsity. I definitely came in with a lot of self-doubt and nerves about the whole thing. Transitioning to the season did take some time and I probably was certainly very sore initially. Overall, however, I found that my training had me in a better place than I’d initially realized.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an accomplished runner?
I really liked the Hanover XC running culture, in that everything was kept in perspective. Running was just one of the many things we all did, and Mr. Eakin always made sure to emphasize that and took interest in hearing about our schoolwork, what we were reading, and all things non-running related too. In terms of our training style, unlike many high schools, we weren’t focused on high mileage or intensive training programs. Rather, doing quality work and staying consistent were emphasized – both of which have helped me later on. Hanover XC had a family-feel. We heard stories about old runners and stories about hard work, failures, and accomplishments. I think hearing about old successful runners is what initially got me motivated, and then once I saw myself grow, my personal growth became my primary source of motivation.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
My first XC race was at Keene. I was very nervous and recall working with Fifi for most of the race. I remember conditions being pretty hot, and I saw Fifi collapse before a hill right in front of me! Coaches and officials luckily rushed right away to her, but I remember being so shocked. I realized how brutal this sport could be. Early in high school, I had very bad anxiety before races. As I ran more races though, I was able to manage this better so that my nerves helped rather than took away from my performance.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
Meet of Champions 2012, I remember the girls team came in 9th and it was an abrupt end to our season. We were disappointed because we’d hyped ourselves up to making it to New England’s, so none of us saw it (or wanted to see it) as our last race. To follow that, Mr. Eakin announced his retirement on the bus ride home. I remember my disappointment that day – wishing that Mr. Eakin wouldn’t retire yet, wishing I’d broken 20 minutes in my race, and wishing that the season wasn’t at a close. It was a sad and bitter-sweet moment, realizing that the team we’d built that season couldn’t quite ever be recreated the same way. What I later realized was that the goal was to not recreate a past, but rather make the most of it while I was in it and then use it to fuel the things I did in the future. New things and opportunities came around. I remember being more eager than ever for the next cross country season -- building on the things I loved from my past experiences while also growing and learning a great deal about leadership and transitioning a team.
Did you have any health-related issues that had a serious impact on your competing such as injuries, fatigue, sleep problems, eating disorders, performance anxiety, etc.?
The only health issue to have seriously impacted my running was low iron. I sensed fatigue my senior year of high school, so took the indoor season off to try to let my body catch up. I was back for outdoors, but I could tell things weren’t quite right. When I started cross country in college, I found through some mandatory bloodwork that I had a ferritin level of 2 ng/mL (which is very low)! I started using supplements and incorporated more iron-rich foods into my diet. Luckily, my body absorbed the iron well and I was back by Indoors. I was lucky to have such a quick turn over – I’ve seen many runners battle low iron for much longer stretches of time. Iron issues are huge in distance running, and everyone’s body is different so it’s not always an easy fix. It’s definitely something I’d urge all runners to look into and keep track of regularly so that a baseline can be determined and maintained.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
I remember there were some days in late summer when we’d do doubles, such as a repeat workout at Garipay or an evening run at Oak Hill. These were my absolute favorite. Something about the grueling hard work regardless of the conditions, and the anticipation of the season that’s to come created an awesome vibe that got me going for the season. It was generally also a smaller group, so getting started with creating a pack mentality was always exciting. Other runs that come to mind are longer runs in Norwich on the dirt roads and hills, the Bobsled Run by my parent’s house (and Mr. Eakin’s wild stories of the Abenaki!), Pine Park, Brownie Lane, workouts at Sachem, and of course the watchless run competition, and marker game!
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
Yes! I always followed the summer training program and kept notes on paper in the summers and during the year. I still have this physical running log! I was always big on consistency even very early on in high school.
What else did you do to stay in shape during the season and in between seasons? Yoga? Nutrition? Weights? Resistance training? Cross training? Massage? Meditation?
I remember Coach Wonsavage would lead team yoga sessions! These were always great, although difficult given my limited flexibility! This was a nice way for the team to bond while also focusing on the other parts of our training that are critical to performance and well-being. I remember we’d also occasionally do some circuit work and light weights, although I don’t think I ever really lifted much (and still don’t, although I’m working on it!).
Did you think racing at the challenging Derryfield Park for the divisional state championships was to your advantage or disadvantage? Do you think the pre-race simulation in the gym the day before the Class meet help? Do you think it the simulation should have been used more often?
Derryfield Park was a very nice cross country course. I actually have a college teammate who also ran there many times, and we still talk about the course being a good one! Derryfield has a good variety of hills and terrain, making it a really honest course. It was to our advantage given the hills – Hanover XC was definitely not timid when it came to doing some hill work! I really liked the pre-race simulation. Mr. Eakin would guide the team with some visualization, narrating the upcoming race day to help us create a mindset. It’s something I still do on my own now. I think it’s really cool how that was something we did at the team level. Visualization used in moderation has been very beneficial for me. I think it was key to the development of our mental training.
You are now a senior at Carnegie Mellon, their #1 XC runner, and recently placed 49th at the NCAA DIII Championships. To say the least, that is quite an accomplishment. Describe the differences and similarities between high school and college cross country: training, competing, relationships with teammates/coaches, balancing running with college course work, etc.
Thank you! I’d say one of the biggest differences between high school and college cross country is the importance of compartmentalization. College coursework is more demanding, so making sure that you’re focusing your energies on the right things at the right time becomes increasingly important. In terms of relationships, I’d say a big difference in college is the amount of time you spend with your teammates and coaches. In college, your team is who you see every afternoon at practice, who you’re with every weekend, often who you’re living with, showering with, eating with, studying with, etc. In terms of training and competing, I’d say that while it is more on paper, I’ve naturally grown both physically and mentally so what I put forth in terms of my mentality and work ethic for the sport haven’t changed significantly.
What effect does competing and training as a runner have on your life?
I have a simple love for the sport and it’s something that I’ve grown with over the years, so it’s through running that I’ve learned a lot about myself and my values. Training to compete and perform is important to me because of what a race setting has to offer. The competitive atmosphere helps me make the most of my potential so that I can be the best version of myself. Running for some time has and will always be a part of who I am.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
Don’t limit yourself! Allow yourself to take chances. I don’t come from a family of runners, and I remember first joining the indoor track team feeling awkward as the only distance girl for some time. I wasn’t fast at all initially either, so there was every reason in the world for me to quit and do something else. If you really like something and want things out of it though, go after it! Another key thing is to do it for the right reasons. Be aware of your goals and what drives you. Trying to fit an image or please others is not going to help further yourself after a point. Taking the time to understand yourself can help you focus on the things that matter. Make the most out of what you have to become the best version of yourself, and help bring along those who are working toward the same goals alongside you. The last thing is to take care of yourself and realize everything that you are. Running is one thing you do. Realize that you are not limited to one identity. You can be a runner, a student, an explorer, a musician, a bird enthusiast, a sibling, and a good friend, all at the same time. Your interests and passions can shift as you experience new things. Regardless of what it is that gets you going, invest time in the things that matter to you. Do what makes you feel your best.
HHS XC 2014
Dedicated, disciplined, friendly, smart, tough, and a never give up attitude are some of the descriptors when talking about Aparna. In her interview, Aparna describes her family as not athletic and definitely not runners, which sometimes can be a challenge for some runners, but they were supportive and were quite proud of her accomplishments.
However, it took time for her to develop in high school. She went from being the #1 JV runner her first year (sophomore), to her senior year, becoming captain and establishing herself as Hanover’s #2- #3 varsity runner. She earned several awards at banquet time, but her running continued to improve dramatically while matriculating at Carnegie Mellon, where she was Carnegie Mellon’s #1 runner and placing 49th at the NCAA DIII XC championships. She accomplished this, all the while carrying a demanding course load. She recently earned a B.S. In Mechanical Engineering and a Minor in Biomedical Engineering. She will be working on a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University this fall, and of course continue to train and race in Boston.
Who or what got you to decide to run cross country in the fall of 2011? Do you remember your first day? How did the first week go for you? Was it challenging? Were you sore? Did you feel you could keep up with the group?
I remember several of the older girls from the outdoor track season, including Safiya Walker, Liz Haas, Helen Tosteson, Lydia Vogt, and Aidan Bardos convinced me to sign up for cross country. I was already doing track, but had heard that cross country was way more intense. I was terrified about starting the season, so I followed the summer training program religiously and went on many of the team summer runs. On the first day of official practice, I remember running in the rain in Tanzi Park with the whole team and the coaches. When we reached the hill at the end of the trail, Mr. Eakin told everyone who wanted to make varsity this season to run up the hill again. I remember running up the hill again, almost feeling self-conscious at the time for thinking I could make varsity. I definitely came in with a lot of self-doubt and nerves about the whole thing. Transitioning to the season did take some time and I probably was certainly very sore initially. Overall, however, I found that my training had me in a better place than I’d initially realized.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an accomplished runner?
I really liked the Hanover XC running culture, in that everything was kept in perspective. Running was just one of the many things we all did, and Mr. Eakin always made sure to emphasize that and took interest in hearing about our schoolwork, what we were reading, and all things non-running related too. In terms of our training style, unlike many high schools, we weren’t focused on high mileage or intensive training programs. Rather, doing quality work and staying consistent were emphasized – both of which have helped me later on. Hanover XC had a family-feel. We heard stories about old runners and stories about hard work, failures, and accomplishments. I think hearing about old successful runners is what initially got me motivated, and then once I saw myself grow, my personal growth became my primary source of motivation.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
My first XC race was at Keene. I was very nervous and recall working with Fifi for most of the race. I remember conditions being pretty hot, and I saw Fifi collapse before a hill right in front of me! Coaches and officials luckily rushed right away to her, but I remember being so shocked. I realized how brutal this sport could be. Early in high school, I had very bad anxiety before races. As I ran more races though, I was able to manage this better so that my nerves helped rather than took away from my performance.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
Meet of Champions 2012, I remember the girls team came in 9th and it was an abrupt end to our season. We were disappointed because we’d hyped ourselves up to making it to New England’s, so none of us saw it (or wanted to see it) as our last race. To follow that, Mr. Eakin announced his retirement on the bus ride home. I remember my disappointment that day – wishing that Mr. Eakin wouldn’t retire yet, wishing I’d broken 20 minutes in my race, and wishing that the season wasn’t at a close. It was a sad and bitter-sweet moment, realizing that the team we’d built that season couldn’t quite ever be recreated the same way. What I later realized was that the goal was to not recreate a past, but rather make the most of it while I was in it and then use it to fuel the things I did in the future. New things and opportunities came around. I remember being more eager than ever for the next cross country season -- building on the things I loved from my past experiences while also growing and learning a great deal about leadership and transitioning a team.
Did you have any health-related issues that had a serious impact on your competing such as injuries, fatigue, sleep problems, eating disorders, performance anxiety, etc.?
The only health issue to have seriously impacted my running was low iron. I sensed fatigue my senior year of high school, so took the indoor season off to try to let my body catch up. I was back for outdoors, but I could tell things weren’t quite right. When I started cross country in college, I found through some mandatory bloodwork that I had a ferritin level of 2 ng/mL (which is very low)! I started using supplements and incorporated more iron-rich foods into my diet. Luckily, my body absorbed the iron well and I was back by Indoors. I was lucky to have such a quick turn over – I’ve seen many runners battle low iron for much longer stretches of time. Iron issues are huge in distance running, and everyone’s body is different so it’s not always an easy fix. It’s definitely something I’d urge all runners to look into and keep track of regularly so that a baseline can be determined and maintained.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
I remember there were some days in late summer when we’d do doubles, such as a repeat workout at Garipay or an evening run at Oak Hill. These were my absolute favorite. Something about the grueling hard work regardless of the conditions, and the anticipation of the season that’s to come created an awesome vibe that got me going for the season. It was generally also a smaller group, so getting started with creating a pack mentality was always exciting. Other runs that come to mind are longer runs in Norwich on the dirt roads and hills, the Bobsled Run by my parent’s house (and Mr. Eakin’s wild stories of the Abenaki!), Pine Park, Brownie Lane, workouts at Sachem, and of course the watchless run competition, and marker game!
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
Yes! I always followed the summer training program and kept notes on paper in the summers and during the year. I still have this physical running log! I was always big on consistency even very early on in high school.
What else did you do to stay in shape during the season and in between seasons? Yoga? Nutrition? Weights? Resistance training? Cross training? Massage? Meditation?
I remember Coach Wonsavage would lead team yoga sessions! These were always great, although difficult given my limited flexibility! This was a nice way for the team to bond while also focusing on the other parts of our training that are critical to performance and well-being. I remember we’d also occasionally do some circuit work and light weights, although I don’t think I ever really lifted much (and still don’t, although I’m working on it!).
Did you think racing at the challenging Derryfield Park for the divisional state championships was to your advantage or disadvantage? Do you think the pre-race simulation in the gym the day before the Class meet help? Do you think it the simulation should have been used more often?
Derryfield Park was a very nice cross country course. I actually have a college teammate who also ran there many times, and we still talk about the course being a good one! Derryfield has a good variety of hills and terrain, making it a really honest course. It was to our advantage given the hills – Hanover XC was definitely not timid when it came to doing some hill work! I really liked the pre-race simulation. Mr. Eakin would guide the team with some visualization, narrating the upcoming race day to help us create a mindset. It’s something I still do on my own now. I think it’s really cool how that was something we did at the team level. Visualization used in moderation has been very beneficial for me. I think it was key to the development of our mental training.
You are now a senior at Carnegie Mellon, their #1 XC runner, and recently placed 49th at the NCAA DIII Championships. To say the least, that is quite an accomplishment. Describe the differences and similarities between high school and college cross country: training, competing, relationships with teammates/coaches, balancing running with college course work, etc.
Thank you! I’d say one of the biggest differences between high school and college cross country is the importance of compartmentalization. College coursework is more demanding, so making sure that you’re focusing your energies on the right things at the right time becomes increasingly important. In terms of relationships, I’d say a big difference in college is the amount of time you spend with your teammates and coaches. In college, your team is who you see every afternoon at practice, who you’re with every weekend, often who you’re living with, showering with, eating with, studying with, etc. In terms of training and competing, I’d say that while it is more on paper, I’ve naturally grown both physically and mentally so what I put forth in terms of my mentality and work ethic for the sport haven’t changed significantly.
What effect does competing and training as a runner have on your life?
I have a simple love for the sport and it’s something that I’ve grown with over the years, so it’s through running that I’ve learned a lot about myself and my values. Training to compete and perform is important to me because of what a race setting has to offer. The competitive atmosphere helps me make the most of my potential so that I can be the best version of myself. Running for some time has and will always be a part of who I am.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
Don’t limit yourself! Allow yourself to take chances. I don’t come from a family of runners, and I remember first joining the indoor track team feeling awkward as the only distance girl for some time. I wasn’t fast at all initially either, so there was every reason in the world for me to quit and do something else. If you really like something and want things out of it though, go after it! Another key thing is to do it for the right reasons. Be aware of your goals and what drives you. Trying to fit an image or please others is not going to help further yourself after a point. Taking the time to understand yourself can help you focus on the things that matter. Make the most out of what you have to become the best version of yourself, and help bring along those who are working toward the same goals alongside you. The last thing is to take care of yourself and realize everything that you are. Running is one thing you do. Realize that you are not limited to one identity. You can be a runner, a student, an explorer, a musician, a bird enthusiast, a sibling, and a good friend, all at the same time. Your interests and passions can shift as you experience new things. Regardless of what it is that gets you going, invest time in the things that matter to you. Do what makes you feel your best.
Steph Strenta
Hanover XC 2007
Gritty, loyal, friendly, smart, caring, leader; those are just some of the attributes that describe Steph Strenta. She was named varsity captain her senior year, member of the state championship and New England team, ran an excellent time of 20:54 at Derryfield Park, recipient of the Teachout/Little Trophy, and a 4x varsity letter winner. The empathy, sportsmanship, and leadership she displayed, especially for younger members of the team, was unsurpassed, and much appreciated by her teammates and coaches.
What made you decide to run cross country? Do you remember your first day? How did the first week go for you? Was it challenging? Were you sore? Did you feel you could keep up with the group?
Mr. Eakin joked at my first cross country banquet that I joined the cross country team because I was trying to get out of my English class when he came to the middle school to recruit. That was totally true, but it was not the entire reason I decided to join the team. I decided to run cross country because I realized running was (and is) an escape from the parts of my life that made me anxious or uncomfortable. Ironically, I think I was so anxious and uncomfortable that first week on the team that I don’t even remember it! Mr. Eakin probably said, “The check’s the same” about 100 times; I think we ran around mink brook; I’m fairly certain he bellowed “it’s not October yet” to Willie Colt at least once; and I probably didn’t understand one word he said, but I definitely nodded along to whatever he told me to do. I think, basing this on the other years I ran, I was a little sore from running at a quicker pace than I did on my own. But, I think the comradery of the team ultimately made me feel like I could keep up because I was having so much fun.
What was it like to have a younger brother on the team?
At times, incredibly annoying because he’s cooler than I am! But, if there’s one person who is honest with me and can tell me what’s what, it’s Alex. I remember that there was an issue getting some of our teammates to practice on time, and Alex was the first person to mention it to me because, “It’s super annoying.” (Which it was). It was a small thing, but I got to glimpse what he might be like as an adult when he said that to me. That’s rewarding for an older sister. To this day, he’s my favorite person to run with, when I can keep up. Growing up, it was always clear to me that Alex was the more talented athlete between the two of us, but I didn’t feel that the other programs at the high school would get that talent to shine and help him grow. Alex is one of the most intense people I know, and is extremely competitive, but bringing him under Mr. Eakin’s coaching brought out how kind he is, and his generous spirit. It wasn’t a tough sell, but I feel that getting him to take that first step out the door with us is one of the best things that’s ever happened to him, me, and our family. Watching him have a successful career as an athlete is just a bonus.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
Honestly, I don’t remember a lot about that first race. I remember feeling very irritated about field hockey spectators being in my way and that it was really dusty. But truthfully, the whole first year was kind of a blur. What I know for sure though, was that my results were not spectacular. I think I ran Thetford in excess of 25 minutes? I’m faster now as an adult. But, that first year, I had one of my first tangible “a-ha moments”, which was that for me to perform well, I needed to put in the work and be honest about it. Chelsea Little set such a great example for me as a Freshman in that regard. I respected the intensity she brought to race situations, and would laugh when she’d lead us in choruses of “Build Me Up Buttercup,” or when we counted telephone lines, when we ran on Rte 10.
Describe your most memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
Well, there’s the shoe thing. But, I also remember captaining the team that won the New Englands meet the first time in 2006, but not being fast enough to make the cut to run in the meet myself. Talk about a mixed emotion! I remember feeling elated that we had won, and then later that same day, devastated that I had fallen short of one of my larger goals for the year. It isn’t exactly fun when you are not able to meet your own goals, because someone else runs a faster time. I was running with the likes of Georgia Griffin, Bridgette Black, Heidi Caldwell, Grace Rodriguez, Beth Taylor, Meg Donohue, and Cate Brown. Even though this was a blistering fast group of young women, the feeling of failure on my part was hard to shake. But, ultimately, I realized that we would not have won if I had been on the starting roster. At the time, I didn’t recognize or understand that being the backup for the New Englands meet was the reflection of a year of hard work, and huge improvement for me personally as a runner; not failure. This experience taught me that celebrating the success of others does not diminish your own personal growth or accomplishment. It’s easy to say that when you win races all the time (which we did that year), but it’s not always so easy when you feel you’ve come up short in other, more difficult, situations.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
Alex and I share the same favorite workout: The sand hill. Scrambling up a hill like that is undoubtedly good for your muscle development, but it also allowed people to have fun and be silly. It wasn’t until I got to college that I fully appreciated that Mr. Eakin’s coaching introduced a sense of “play” to our workouts. I also have a soft spot for the marker game, though it was always hard to clean up after that. College workouts are a little more “business as usual”, but Mr. Eakin introduced joy and fun to workouts that otherwise would have been miserable.
My favorite place to run is still Pine Park! There’s something at once peaceful, and urgent about running through the trees. It’s almost like being there pushes you to be better and faster than you were the day before. Like you’re surrounded by the spirit of so many generations of runners and athletes who have also been there. That may be melodramatic, but I still feel it when I go back to Hanover.
You must still remember losing your shoe on the Woods Trail in Thetford during the New Englands. Please explain what happened?
You bet I remember it! It was a cold, muddy day at the New Englands meet in 2005. It had rained and then the ground had frozen and thawed very quickly so the course was a mess. Because of the sloppy terrain, Jeff Colt brought a bag of old spikes that we could use so that we wouldn’t slip when we ran through the mud, woodchips and wet grass on the course. He had graciously leant me a pair that fit very well, and had the spikes already adjusted so they weren’t too long. I would come to learn the golden rule of racing preparation: NEVER TRY ANYTHING NEW ON RACE DAY. Basically, as we charged across the field, right as the course narrowed to head into the woods, there was a giant mud bath and in the chaos, someone stepped on my heel and my foot came out because the mud was so thick. In that moment, I was faced with a choice: Look for my missing shoe and risk being unable to make up the ground I’d lost; Or, dig deep and run as fast and best as I could, without it. All I knew was, I’d been given the opportunity to race in New Englands as a Junior, I had been named cross country captain for the next year, and I didn’t want Mr. Eakin to regret making either of those decisions. So, I ran the race without it. It’s not the worst time I’ve ever run for a 5K (24:3-something) and I didn’t come in last in the meet, or even on the team, that day. To me, the situation required showing him, and my team, what I was made of. I knew I would not be a leader of the team the next year by virtue of my speed or talent, but if I could finish this race and not despair, I might be able to lead with grit and heart.
Compare running in high school to running in college.
Running at Smith gave me the structure that I needed when I arrived in college. That much is certain. But, it was not the best four years for me as an athlete. My first year, I was a contender to make the varsity, but I didn’t feel the same connection with my new team as I felt with the team in Hanover. Despite spending lots of time together, I felt intense loneliness. My coach had a clear interest in making sure I was ok, and tried to get me to open up, but I was too stubborn to see it as an offer to help and support me. I also had the most catastrophic race of my running life in October of my first year, and I don’t think I ever really recovered from that, mentally. I think as a result, the mental toughness that pushed me to run in the past, had left me. I convinced myself that the workouts were too hard, that being on the track wasn’t for me, and that I wasn’t seeing immediate improvement, so I checked out. I ran cross country for three years; my first, sophomore, and senior year (I spent junior year in Florence, Italy), but I never really put myself out there. Thinking about the arc of my life, I look back at collegiate running as my biggest missed opportunity. In college I ran with extraordinary women, and was surrounded by world class coaches, and I didn’t rise to the occasion. The workouts were hard, the miles were long, and the stakes were a little higher in college. But they were doable and achievable. I now run many of the same types of workouts in the same pace window as I was asked to do in college, and though it’s not easy, I can still do it. I wish I had that clarity when I started school, and had the tenacity to really stick with it. That same epiphany I had about putting in the work honestly, didn’t return to me until I moved to Boston after I graduated.
Finally, “Where Are You Now?” Are you still running?
Professionally, I am now a business process analyst at Harvard University in the Development Office. I run almost every day. In the winter, I usually do closer to 35 miles a week, but in the summer, when the weather is good, I get up to 55ish. I also have since added weight lifting to my training and find myself in the weight room twice a week, and go to yoga with friends. I completed my first marathon last November (2017), and have raced more than a dozen half-marathons. I have many colleagues and close friends who are runners, so finding someone to run with is usually easy and we always have a good time. I have thoroughly enjoyed this new chapter in my running life. It’s fun to pursue running as a passion, see what my body can do now as an adult, and see where that motivation can take me. My life is demanding, but I’ve finally gotten to a place where I see training as a privilege, and racing as a reward. I’m excited to see what’s next!
Hanover XC 2007
Gritty, loyal, friendly, smart, caring, leader; those are just some of the attributes that describe Steph Strenta. She was named varsity captain her senior year, member of the state championship and New England team, ran an excellent time of 20:54 at Derryfield Park, recipient of the Teachout/Little Trophy, and a 4x varsity letter winner. The empathy, sportsmanship, and leadership she displayed, especially for younger members of the team, was unsurpassed, and much appreciated by her teammates and coaches.
What made you decide to run cross country? Do you remember your first day? How did the first week go for you? Was it challenging? Were you sore? Did you feel you could keep up with the group?
Mr. Eakin joked at my first cross country banquet that I joined the cross country team because I was trying to get out of my English class when he came to the middle school to recruit. That was totally true, but it was not the entire reason I decided to join the team. I decided to run cross country because I realized running was (and is) an escape from the parts of my life that made me anxious or uncomfortable. Ironically, I think I was so anxious and uncomfortable that first week on the team that I don’t even remember it! Mr. Eakin probably said, “The check’s the same” about 100 times; I think we ran around mink brook; I’m fairly certain he bellowed “it’s not October yet” to Willie Colt at least once; and I probably didn’t understand one word he said, but I definitely nodded along to whatever he told me to do. I think, basing this on the other years I ran, I was a little sore from running at a quicker pace than I did on my own. But, I think the comradery of the team ultimately made me feel like I could keep up because I was having so much fun.
What was it like to have a younger brother on the team?
At times, incredibly annoying because he’s cooler than I am! But, if there’s one person who is honest with me and can tell me what’s what, it’s Alex. I remember that there was an issue getting some of our teammates to practice on time, and Alex was the first person to mention it to me because, “It’s super annoying.” (Which it was). It was a small thing, but I got to glimpse what he might be like as an adult when he said that to me. That’s rewarding for an older sister. To this day, he’s my favorite person to run with, when I can keep up. Growing up, it was always clear to me that Alex was the more talented athlete between the two of us, but I didn’t feel that the other programs at the high school would get that talent to shine and help him grow. Alex is one of the most intense people I know, and is extremely competitive, but bringing him under Mr. Eakin’s coaching brought out how kind he is, and his generous spirit. It wasn’t a tough sell, but I feel that getting him to take that first step out the door with us is one of the best things that’s ever happened to him, me, and our family. Watching him have a successful career as an athlete is just a bonus.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
Honestly, I don’t remember a lot about that first race. I remember feeling very irritated about field hockey spectators being in my way and that it was really dusty. But truthfully, the whole first year was kind of a blur. What I know for sure though, was that my results were not spectacular. I think I ran Thetford in excess of 25 minutes? I’m faster now as an adult. But, that first year, I had one of my first tangible “a-ha moments”, which was that for me to perform well, I needed to put in the work and be honest about it. Chelsea Little set such a great example for me as a Freshman in that regard. I respected the intensity she brought to race situations, and would laugh when she’d lead us in choruses of “Build Me Up Buttercup,” or when we counted telephone lines, when we ran on Rte 10.
Describe your most memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
Well, there’s the shoe thing. But, I also remember captaining the team that won the New Englands meet the first time in 2006, but not being fast enough to make the cut to run in the meet myself. Talk about a mixed emotion! I remember feeling elated that we had won, and then later that same day, devastated that I had fallen short of one of my larger goals for the year. It isn’t exactly fun when you are not able to meet your own goals, because someone else runs a faster time. I was running with the likes of Georgia Griffin, Bridgette Black, Heidi Caldwell, Grace Rodriguez, Beth Taylor, Meg Donohue, and Cate Brown. Even though this was a blistering fast group of young women, the feeling of failure on my part was hard to shake. But, ultimately, I realized that we would not have won if I had been on the starting roster. At the time, I didn’t recognize or understand that being the backup for the New Englands meet was the reflection of a year of hard work, and huge improvement for me personally as a runner; not failure. This experience taught me that celebrating the success of others does not diminish your own personal growth or accomplishment. It’s easy to say that when you win races all the time (which we did that year), but it’s not always so easy when you feel you’ve come up short in other, more difficult, situations.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
Alex and I share the same favorite workout: The sand hill. Scrambling up a hill like that is undoubtedly good for your muscle development, but it also allowed people to have fun and be silly. It wasn’t until I got to college that I fully appreciated that Mr. Eakin’s coaching introduced a sense of “play” to our workouts. I also have a soft spot for the marker game, though it was always hard to clean up after that. College workouts are a little more “business as usual”, but Mr. Eakin introduced joy and fun to workouts that otherwise would have been miserable.
My favorite place to run is still Pine Park! There’s something at once peaceful, and urgent about running through the trees. It’s almost like being there pushes you to be better and faster than you were the day before. Like you’re surrounded by the spirit of so many generations of runners and athletes who have also been there. That may be melodramatic, but I still feel it when I go back to Hanover.
You must still remember losing your shoe on the Woods Trail in Thetford during the New Englands. Please explain what happened?
You bet I remember it! It was a cold, muddy day at the New Englands meet in 2005. It had rained and then the ground had frozen and thawed very quickly so the course was a mess. Because of the sloppy terrain, Jeff Colt brought a bag of old spikes that we could use so that we wouldn’t slip when we ran through the mud, woodchips and wet grass on the course. He had graciously leant me a pair that fit very well, and had the spikes already adjusted so they weren’t too long. I would come to learn the golden rule of racing preparation: NEVER TRY ANYTHING NEW ON RACE DAY. Basically, as we charged across the field, right as the course narrowed to head into the woods, there was a giant mud bath and in the chaos, someone stepped on my heel and my foot came out because the mud was so thick. In that moment, I was faced with a choice: Look for my missing shoe and risk being unable to make up the ground I’d lost; Or, dig deep and run as fast and best as I could, without it. All I knew was, I’d been given the opportunity to race in New Englands as a Junior, I had been named cross country captain for the next year, and I didn’t want Mr. Eakin to regret making either of those decisions. So, I ran the race without it. It’s not the worst time I’ve ever run for a 5K (24:3-something) and I didn’t come in last in the meet, or even on the team, that day. To me, the situation required showing him, and my team, what I was made of. I knew I would not be a leader of the team the next year by virtue of my speed or talent, but if I could finish this race and not despair, I might be able to lead with grit and heart.
Compare running in high school to running in college.
Running at Smith gave me the structure that I needed when I arrived in college. That much is certain. But, it was not the best four years for me as an athlete. My first year, I was a contender to make the varsity, but I didn’t feel the same connection with my new team as I felt with the team in Hanover. Despite spending lots of time together, I felt intense loneliness. My coach had a clear interest in making sure I was ok, and tried to get me to open up, but I was too stubborn to see it as an offer to help and support me. I also had the most catastrophic race of my running life in October of my first year, and I don’t think I ever really recovered from that, mentally. I think as a result, the mental toughness that pushed me to run in the past, had left me. I convinced myself that the workouts were too hard, that being on the track wasn’t for me, and that I wasn’t seeing immediate improvement, so I checked out. I ran cross country for three years; my first, sophomore, and senior year (I spent junior year in Florence, Italy), but I never really put myself out there. Thinking about the arc of my life, I look back at collegiate running as my biggest missed opportunity. In college I ran with extraordinary women, and was surrounded by world class coaches, and I didn’t rise to the occasion. The workouts were hard, the miles were long, and the stakes were a little higher in college. But they were doable and achievable. I now run many of the same types of workouts in the same pace window as I was asked to do in college, and though it’s not easy, I can still do it. I wish I had that clarity when I started school, and had the tenacity to really stick with it. That same epiphany I had about putting in the work honestly, didn’t return to me until I moved to Boston after I graduated.
Finally, “Where Are You Now?” Are you still running?
Professionally, I am now a business process analyst at Harvard University in the Development Office. I run almost every day. In the winter, I usually do closer to 35 miles a week, but in the summer, when the weather is good, I get up to 55ish. I also have since added weight lifting to my training and find myself in the weight room twice a week, and go to yoga with friends. I completed my first marathon last November (2017), and have raced more than a dozen half-marathons. I have many colleagues and close friends who are runners, so finding someone to run with is usually easy and we always have a good time. I have thoroughly enjoyed this new chapter in my running life. It’s fun to pursue running as a passion, see what my body can do now as an adult, and see where that motivation can take me. My life is demanding, but I’ve finally gotten to a place where I see training as a privilege, and racing as a reward. I’m excited to see what’s next!
Marc Whittington
Hanover XC 2009
Marc joined the Hanover XC team his junior year and immediately made an impact by becoming Hanover’s #1 runner. He earned All-Class I (DII) twice, along with individually qualifying twice for New Englands. He also played a critical role in helping Hanover place 3rd in the New Englands as well as being ranked 10th in the Northeast Rankings. His impressive time of 16:13, for Hanover runners competing at Derryfield Park, places him #4 on the All-time list. He was a captain his senior year and was a great role model not just because he could run fast, but because of his grit, toughness, compassion, sportsmanship, empathy, and interests outside the athletic arena, that truly made him a great one. His being named the recipient of the Sonnerup/Torrey Trophy said it all.
So, where are you now and what are you doing these days? Are you still running?
I live in Philadelphia with my wife and am pursuing a graduate degree in analytics and data science. I’ve returned to soccer as my predominant form of exercise; running in college spoiled a lot of the joy for me, and I’ve been hesitant to return to it.
My wife is one of the co-leaders of November Project Philadelphia, though, so I do partake in their workouts. I also helped to pace her through 8 miles in her first marathon this Spring, along with pacing her for the full 10 in Philly’s Broad Street Run this May. I may return to running sometime soon, but I’m still working towards overcoming some mental blocks.
You ran xc as a junior and senior, what led you to run xc instead of continuing with soccer, where you were a good player?
I knew I was pretty fast, because I had run some good times in recreational races, as well as recording the best time in the soccer team’s 2-mile time trial as a freshman. My soccer coaches had told me that I needed to commit to playing soccer year-round if I hoped to break into the starting lineup as a junior, and I had musical and extracurricular commitments in the spring and summer that I valued above that.
So I knew I could switch to a sport that I would be pretty good at. But I never expected for it to be as meaningful a part of my coming of age experience as it became.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become one of the best xc runners in the history of Hanover XC with an exceptional time of 16:13 at Derryfield?
The HHS XC culture was unrivaled, starting at the top with Mr. Eakin and going through the leadership of the nationally ranked girls’ team, which had won the state championship 4 or 5 years in a row (maybe even more?) when I joined. We worked hard, and focused on improvement, but support, positivity, and inclusivity took precedent above all else.
I’ve never seen any other program include 75 runners, from varsity boys to reserve girls, in the same practice the way that we did, and it fostered a feeling of belonging that is necessary to make people feel connected to running. Mr. Eakin spent those runs out talking to the freshmen and JV runners, and encouraging all of us to treat them as equally important to the program’s success. Nobody took this more seriously than the varsity girls, who were as warm and welcoming as could be. When stars like Georgia Griffin, Bridgette Black, Beth Taylor, and Cate Brown take the time to encourage and get to know the most inexperienced athletes in the program, others follow their lead.
The program was lucky enough to have many natural leaders who were nurtured and enabled to become the best versions of themselves.
The boys’ team experienced two distinct iterations during my time, with the guys a year below me all taking massive steps forward to put us in contention for state and regional honors the next year. Aaron Watanabe, Alex Strenta, Luc Amdahl, and Paco DeFrancis were all incredibly committed to the team, and to improving their times. And I don’t think any human has ever embodied enthusiasm for running, and for Hanover High’s track and cross programs, more than Jeff Colt.
We took our training seriously and pushed each other to always give our best. I used to always tell people that I ran cross country, as opposed to track, despite running both because it felt like we were all running for each other, not just for ourselves. The personal records were always great after each race had concluded, but in the heat of the race itself it felt like we were striving for our teammates and to do our best for the team.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
My first real race was Mt. Washington in 2007. I had cleared the rest of the team in a two-team invite in Thetford the week before, but had no real barometer for how I compared to the fastest runners in the state. I ran 17:15 in that race, but it was more instrumental in teaching me how to relax in a pack and to reel runners in as the race went on. Dylan Summers and Chris Pietrocarlo ran some times I hadn’t realized were possible before that, and I was appropriately humbled by the experience.
I went out a bit fast, but Mr. Eakin’s racing advice worked incredibly well in the second half, and I was proud of my placement.
You were the #1 Hanover your junior year, running extremely well, but the following year, Aaron Watanabe, a junior, became Hanover’s #1 runner, how did you react to that situation?
Honestly, this is the first time I’ve considered my own reaction. Aaron is such a selfless, humble guy that I had no trouble stepping back and letting him lead the team in races. It was natural to feel happy for him rather than be threatened by his success.
By the time the Manchester Invitational rolled around, it was pretty evident he was the fastest guy on the team, and it helped to push us toward contention with some of the more top-heavy teams from the larger schools, like Pinkerton and Guertin. Getting passed by a guy who would go on to become one of the best runners in New Hampshire history was never something I had trouble coming to terms with. The empowering culture of the team was so entrenched that I never considered Aaron’s emergence as anything other than a great achievement for a good friend. Plus my own times were good, and it was nice having a teammate to run with for the first half of races, after having been alone the entire previous year.
Two of the best memories of the season were the moments where Aaron took major leaps toward his future superstar status. I’ll never forget States—he and I had frequently gone out together before I fell off his pace. States were no exception. But this time, when the Con-Val stars made their move a mile in, Aaron went with them. I was surprised at his audacity, but had to focus on my own race with the three guys around me. When I found out at the finish that Aaron had not only stuck with Ethan McBrien and Dylan Fisher, but beaten them by a full 10 seconds, it was the best surprise of the season. We didn’t need the extra points—we were heavy favorites to win whether Aaron placed first or fourth—but he rose to the occasion (and more) and showed just how great of a runner he was, not to mention how great Mr. Eakin’s taper planning was.
The second highlight was, of course, when Aaron qualified individually for NXN out of the Northeast. We had hoped to go as a team, but Aaron pulling out the race of his life to make it as an individual was a pretty good consolation, and a great way to wrap up a memorable season. As with at States, he had the race of his life and beat out a bunch of guys who, on paper, appeared to be better bets to qualify than him.
The 2008 Hanover boys’ team made NH xc history by having all 7 runners break 17 minutes at Derryfield Park, only Pinkerton Academy has replicated that feat. Along with Bishop Guertin, the team earned #1 ranking in NH at the end of the season. What do you remember from that remarkable season?
There’s so much to remember from that season that it’s hard to start anywhere. It’s the single best sports memory of my life, and one that I think back on constantly.
Despite being chock-full of talent, one through eight (shouts to Phil Tosteson, who was as strong an 8th runner as I’ve ever seen), we managed not to win a race for nearly the entire season. We lost to Pinkerton by a point or two at Mt. Washington, lost to Guertin by 3 at Coe-Brown, and again lost by one (or maybe even a tie-break?) at the Manchester Invitational. We were huge favorites to win at States, but still needed to prove it. Everyone put together a fantastic race, from Aaron running an insane 15:51, to Jeff overcoming his injury issues to put together a 16:25 and finally beat out Noah Fournier, to Luc, Alex, and Paco all breaking 16:50, not to mention freshman (and now Olympian!) Paddy Caldwell throwing in a 16:53. Finally being able to put it all together after a season of near-misses felt incredibly gratifying.
A major highlight of the year was the compactness and togetherness of our team, in training, in races, and outside of running. Because we all were within 20 seconds of each other, we could train and race together, and got to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses incredibly well. We ran our workouts as a pack; sometimes Aaron led, sometimes Jeff led, and sometimes Paco was the only one who didn’t have exhausted legs and strung us out over the last three repetitions of our workout despite the protestations of the other eight of us.
I loved coming through the track at Coe-Brown for the first time and hearing the announcer slowly realize that all seven Hanover runners were packed together in the top 20 of the race so far: “Two Bishop Guertin runners lead the way, with Pinkerton close behind. And here are two Hanover runners—no three Hanover runners! And two more behind them … wait … all seven Hanover runners coming through within ten seconds of each other!” We were a team in the truest sense. All seven runners mattered, we all pulled our weight, and any one of us could tip the scales in our favor on any given race.
Other highlights included the trip to Manhattan (despite bushwhacking for a half mile after the bottleneck) and seeing the fabled Mahwah; team dinners and Rock Band; finally getting our maroon warm-up jackets, only to realize they were, in fact, bright red; Alex Strenta outsprinting every opponent in the final 100m; old man Keith Drake finally admitting we were faster than his teams; Paco being Paco (and having the best race of any of us at New England’s); and so much more.
I am grateful to have experienced a team experience with people as committed, humble, and magnanimous as the eight guys who made up that team. Jeff, Phil, and I may have been the captains of that team, but the juniors’ incredible character and exuberance made us tick. I competed at a high level with both the soccer and basketball teams at Hanover before switching to running, and the masculinity and ego-centric nature of both sports contributed to a pernicious atmosphere, despite successful seasons. The altruism and togetherness across all levels of the cross country program superseded any squabbling or personal aggrandizing. That’s what I’ll remember most from those years—how great it was to achieve something I was proud of with teammates and parents who I cared deeply for and who reciprocated the caring you gave to them.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
My junior year, we had a late season home meet that I absolutely bombed. I ran 30 or 40 seconds slower than expected and placed 4th or 5th on our varsity team after having been first by a decent margin in every race before that.
The race was a Tuesday after a long weekend (Columbus Day, perhaps?), and I had stayed up very late on the Sunday previously. Despite getting plenty of sleep, the irregular schedule had destroyed my race. That was the last time I failed to take my sleep seriously two nights before a race.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
I remember the tough workouts more than the fun ones, if I’m honest. One that sticks out is doing 1000 meter repeats in the pouring rain on the golf course the week of States my senior year, or sprinting up a sand dune in the rain. Memories of running as a pack and sprinting through the Pine Park are always top of mind.
The fun ones were, of course, any workouts where Mr. Eakin managed to include everyone, a specialty of his. The Marker Game is an obvious highlight. I liked the few times when we headed to Storrs Pond to run the roller coaster trails.
My favorite place to run was always Pine Park. Just a beautiful trail.
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
My first year, I run a five-mile race two weeks before pre-season and did little else. Before my senior year, everyone was very serious about wanting to challenge for States, MoC, and New England’s, so we stayed in touch and did our best to train consistently all summer. I was less consistent than I perhaps should have been (as evidenced by Aaron leapfrogging me and my slow start to the season at Mt. Washington and Manchester), but I did put in work, and it showed with a 20 second improvement from my previous year’s PR.
What other activities did you do in high school?
Music was a major part of my time at Hanover. I sang in DaChords, which I led as a senior, and Footnotes. I participated in chorus and had roles in all 4 Spring musicals, which played a major role in my decision to leave the soccer team and start running. I also acted in 4 years of NCCT shows and played the piano.
My first two years in high school, I was on the soccer and basketball teams.
Hanover XC 2009
Marc joined the Hanover XC team his junior year and immediately made an impact by becoming Hanover’s #1 runner. He earned All-Class I (DII) twice, along with individually qualifying twice for New Englands. He also played a critical role in helping Hanover place 3rd in the New Englands as well as being ranked 10th in the Northeast Rankings. His impressive time of 16:13, for Hanover runners competing at Derryfield Park, places him #4 on the All-time list. He was a captain his senior year and was a great role model not just because he could run fast, but because of his grit, toughness, compassion, sportsmanship, empathy, and interests outside the athletic arena, that truly made him a great one. His being named the recipient of the Sonnerup/Torrey Trophy said it all.
So, where are you now and what are you doing these days? Are you still running?
I live in Philadelphia with my wife and am pursuing a graduate degree in analytics and data science. I’ve returned to soccer as my predominant form of exercise; running in college spoiled a lot of the joy for me, and I’ve been hesitant to return to it.
My wife is one of the co-leaders of November Project Philadelphia, though, so I do partake in their workouts. I also helped to pace her through 8 miles in her first marathon this Spring, along with pacing her for the full 10 in Philly’s Broad Street Run this May. I may return to running sometime soon, but I’m still working towards overcoming some mental blocks.
You ran xc as a junior and senior, what led you to run xc instead of continuing with soccer, where you were a good player?
I knew I was pretty fast, because I had run some good times in recreational races, as well as recording the best time in the soccer team’s 2-mile time trial as a freshman. My soccer coaches had told me that I needed to commit to playing soccer year-round if I hoped to break into the starting lineup as a junior, and I had musical and extracurricular commitments in the spring and summer that I valued above that.
So I knew I could switch to a sport that I would be pretty good at. But I never expected for it to be as meaningful a part of my coming of age experience as it became.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become one of the best xc runners in the history of Hanover XC with an exceptional time of 16:13 at Derryfield?
The HHS XC culture was unrivaled, starting at the top with Mr. Eakin and going through the leadership of the nationally ranked girls’ team, which had won the state championship 4 or 5 years in a row (maybe even more?) when I joined. We worked hard, and focused on improvement, but support, positivity, and inclusivity took precedent above all else.
I’ve never seen any other program include 75 runners, from varsity boys to reserve girls, in the same practice the way that we did, and it fostered a feeling of belonging that is necessary to make people feel connected to running. Mr. Eakin spent those runs out talking to the freshmen and JV runners, and encouraging all of us to treat them as equally important to the program’s success. Nobody took this more seriously than the varsity girls, who were as warm and welcoming as could be. When stars like Georgia Griffin, Bridgette Black, Beth Taylor, and Cate Brown take the time to encourage and get to know the most inexperienced athletes in the program, others follow their lead.
The program was lucky enough to have many natural leaders who were nurtured and enabled to become the best versions of themselves.
The boys’ team experienced two distinct iterations during my time, with the guys a year below me all taking massive steps forward to put us in contention for state and regional honors the next year. Aaron Watanabe, Alex Strenta, Luc Amdahl, and Paco DeFrancis were all incredibly committed to the team, and to improving their times. And I don’t think any human has ever embodied enthusiasm for running, and for Hanover High’s track and cross programs, more than Jeff Colt.
We took our training seriously and pushed each other to always give our best. I used to always tell people that I ran cross country, as opposed to track, despite running both because it felt like we were all running for each other, not just for ourselves. The personal records were always great after each race had concluded, but in the heat of the race itself it felt like we were striving for our teammates and to do our best for the team.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
My first real race was Mt. Washington in 2007. I had cleared the rest of the team in a two-team invite in Thetford the week before, but had no real barometer for how I compared to the fastest runners in the state. I ran 17:15 in that race, but it was more instrumental in teaching me how to relax in a pack and to reel runners in as the race went on. Dylan Summers and Chris Pietrocarlo ran some times I hadn’t realized were possible before that, and I was appropriately humbled by the experience.
I went out a bit fast, but Mr. Eakin’s racing advice worked incredibly well in the second half, and I was proud of my placement.
You were the #1 Hanover your junior year, running extremely well, but the following year, Aaron Watanabe, a junior, became Hanover’s #1 runner, how did you react to that situation?
Honestly, this is the first time I’ve considered my own reaction. Aaron is such a selfless, humble guy that I had no trouble stepping back and letting him lead the team in races. It was natural to feel happy for him rather than be threatened by his success.
By the time the Manchester Invitational rolled around, it was pretty evident he was the fastest guy on the team, and it helped to push us toward contention with some of the more top-heavy teams from the larger schools, like Pinkerton and Guertin. Getting passed by a guy who would go on to become one of the best runners in New Hampshire history was never something I had trouble coming to terms with. The empowering culture of the team was so entrenched that I never considered Aaron’s emergence as anything other than a great achievement for a good friend. Plus my own times were good, and it was nice having a teammate to run with for the first half of races, after having been alone the entire previous year.
Two of the best memories of the season were the moments where Aaron took major leaps toward his future superstar status. I’ll never forget States—he and I had frequently gone out together before I fell off his pace. States were no exception. But this time, when the Con-Val stars made their move a mile in, Aaron went with them. I was surprised at his audacity, but had to focus on my own race with the three guys around me. When I found out at the finish that Aaron had not only stuck with Ethan McBrien and Dylan Fisher, but beaten them by a full 10 seconds, it was the best surprise of the season. We didn’t need the extra points—we were heavy favorites to win whether Aaron placed first or fourth—but he rose to the occasion (and more) and showed just how great of a runner he was, not to mention how great Mr. Eakin’s taper planning was.
The second highlight was, of course, when Aaron qualified individually for NXN out of the Northeast. We had hoped to go as a team, but Aaron pulling out the race of his life to make it as an individual was a pretty good consolation, and a great way to wrap up a memorable season. As with at States, he had the race of his life and beat out a bunch of guys who, on paper, appeared to be better bets to qualify than him.
The 2008 Hanover boys’ team made NH xc history by having all 7 runners break 17 minutes at Derryfield Park, only Pinkerton Academy has replicated that feat. Along with Bishop Guertin, the team earned #1 ranking in NH at the end of the season. What do you remember from that remarkable season?
There’s so much to remember from that season that it’s hard to start anywhere. It’s the single best sports memory of my life, and one that I think back on constantly.
Despite being chock-full of talent, one through eight (shouts to Phil Tosteson, who was as strong an 8th runner as I’ve ever seen), we managed not to win a race for nearly the entire season. We lost to Pinkerton by a point or two at Mt. Washington, lost to Guertin by 3 at Coe-Brown, and again lost by one (or maybe even a tie-break?) at the Manchester Invitational. We were huge favorites to win at States, but still needed to prove it. Everyone put together a fantastic race, from Aaron running an insane 15:51, to Jeff overcoming his injury issues to put together a 16:25 and finally beat out Noah Fournier, to Luc, Alex, and Paco all breaking 16:50, not to mention freshman (and now Olympian!) Paddy Caldwell throwing in a 16:53. Finally being able to put it all together after a season of near-misses felt incredibly gratifying.
A major highlight of the year was the compactness and togetherness of our team, in training, in races, and outside of running. Because we all were within 20 seconds of each other, we could train and race together, and got to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses incredibly well. We ran our workouts as a pack; sometimes Aaron led, sometimes Jeff led, and sometimes Paco was the only one who didn’t have exhausted legs and strung us out over the last three repetitions of our workout despite the protestations of the other eight of us.
I loved coming through the track at Coe-Brown for the first time and hearing the announcer slowly realize that all seven Hanover runners were packed together in the top 20 of the race so far: “Two Bishop Guertin runners lead the way, with Pinkerton close behind. And here are two Hanover runners—no three Hanover runners! And two more behind them … wait … all seven Hanover runners coming through within ten seconds of each other!” We were a team in the truest sense. All seven runners mattered, we all pulled our weight, and any one of us could tip the scales in our favor on any given race.
Other highlights included the trip to Manhattan (despite bushwhacking for a half mile after the bottleneck) and seeing the fabled Mahwah; team dinners and Rock Band; finally getting our maroon warm-up jackets, only to realize they were, in fact, bright red; Alex Strenta outsprinting every opponent in the final 100m; old man Keith Drake finally admitting we were faster than his teams; Paco being Paco (and having the best race of any of us at New England’s); and so much more.
I am grateful to have experienced a team experience with people as committed, humble, and magnanimous as the eight guys who made up that team. Jeff, Phil, and I may have been the captains of that team, but the juniors’ incredible character and exuberance made us tick. I competed at a high level with both the soccer and basketball teams at Hanover before switching to running, and the masculinity and ego-centric nature of both sports contributed to a pernicious atmosphere, despite successful seasons. The altruism and togetherness across all levels of the cross country program superseded any squabbling or personal aggrandizing. That’s what I’ll remember most from those years—how great it was to achieve something I was proud of with teammates and parents who I cared deeply for and who reciprocated the caring you gave to them.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
My junior year, we had a late season home meet that I absolutely bombed. I ran 30 or 40 seconds slower than expected and placed 4th or 5th on our varsity team after having been first by a decent margin in every race before that.
The race was a Tuesday after a long weekend (Columbus Day, perhaps?), and I had stayed up very late on the Sunday previously. Despite getting plenty of sleep, the irregular schedule had destroyed my race. That was the last time I failed to take my sleep seriously two nights before a race.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
I remember the tough workouts more than the fun ones, if I’m honest. One that sticks out is doing 1000 meter repeats in the pouring rain on the golf course the week of States my senior year, or sprinting up a sand dune in the rain. Memories of running as a pack and sprinting through the Pine Park are always top of mind.
The fun ones were, of course, any workouts where Mr. Eakin managed to include everyone, a specialty of his. The Marker Game is an obvious highlight. I liked the few times when we headed to Storrs Pond to run the roller coaster trails.
My favorite place to run was always Pine Park. Just a beautiful trail.
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
My first year, I run a five-mile race two weeks before pre-season and did little else. Before my senior year, everyone was very serious about wanting to challenge for States, MoC, and New England’s, so we stayed in touch and did our best to train consistently all summer. I was less consistent than I perhaps should have been (as evidenced by Aaron leapfrogging me and my slow start to the season at Mt. Washington and Manchester), but I did put in work, and it showed with a 20 second improvement from my previous year’s PR.
What other activities did you do in high school?
Music was a major part of my time at Hanover. I sang in DaChords, which I led as a senior, and Footnotes. I participated in chorus and had roles in all 4 Spring musicals, which played a major role in my decision to leave the soccer team and start running. I also acted in 4 years of NCCT shows and played the piano.
My first two years in high school, I was on the soccer and basketball teams.
Julie Farrell
XC ‘92
When the Hanover XC team met in mid August of 1988, ninth grader, Julie Farrell, was just another newcomer to the girls’ team, however, three months later, on a cold, windy day in Montpelier, VT, she helped Hanover to 2nd place in the New Englands, by being Hanover’s 3rd runner to cross the finish line, and placing 25th overall. Needless to say, she earned a varsity letter all four years, as well winning all the major awards from Rookie of the Year, MVP, to being awarded the Teachout Trophy. She earned All-Class I , All State, and All New England individual awards in her career.
Her strong work ethic, upbeat, friendly attitude, flawless consistency and true grit made her a great and highly respected teammate and played a major part in the Hanover girls’ becoming a powerhouse in New Hampshire XC.
Who or what influenced you to run cross country in the fall of 1988? Do you remember your first day? How did the first week go for you? Was it challenging? Were you sore? Did you feel you could keep up with the group?
In seventh and eighth grade I participated in the Ford Sayre downhill ski racing program. I found that I was not much of an alpine racer, but what I really liked was the running and other endurance workouts that we did during dry land training before the ski season started. This influenced me to run cross country my freshman year in high school. I followed the recommended training schedule over the summer, diligently increasing my runs by two-minute increments starting with ten minutes and working my way up to an hour-long run. Despite my training, my first day of practice was awful. Before practice I went to lunch with friends at Molly’s Balloon and decided to order a plate of nachos with guacamole – bad choice. I felt ill the whole run through Pine Park and I remember distinctly not impressing Jim. In my head I knew I could keep up with the group, but I sure did not show it that day.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an an outstanding runner?
My freshman year I ran with a group of amazing female runners, including Zephyr Teachout and Alais Griffin. We all just seemed to want to run as hard, fast and smart as we could. There was a real feeling that we were part of a team, and while each of us had our own opportunity to achieve, I recall being motivated by a desire to excel as team. In running that year, I discovered something that I truly loved to do and it was great to be with a group of other people who shared my passion. It was a lot of fun!
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
My first race in high school was a home meet. I had to talk Jim into letting me run (see description of my first day of practice above). I had a decent run that clearly exceeded coach’s expectations, as evidenced by the classic raised eyebrows and “Huh, not bad Jules” from Jim. After that first race I was hooked.
After you graduated, as a way to motivate the runners, I would mention your incredible improvement through the season. At times during practice, I would say to the runners that he/she would plateau for a couple of weeks, but to not get complacent, because there was still room for improvement; I then told the story of Julie Farrell, who ran 15:58 placing 3rd in the 2.1 Frosh Race at the Manchester Invitational and then making the incredible leap to being the 3rd runner (19:59) for Hanover at the New Englands, thus helping the team place 2nd and her gaining All New England status. Wow, how did you do that?
I honestly do not know how I did that and can only offer my best guess. First, I loved the team and was so honored to be a part of such a talented group. Second, as I said above, I put in the miles over the summer. Even though my training started out small, I took it seriously and made it my daily goal to improve. Finally, you were an amazing coach and I loved running for you. You offered so many words of wisdom (e.g. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”) that would pierce through my consciousness at just the right moment in a race to serve as the necessary boost to dig deeper and run harder. Running at Hanover was a sport unto itself. Some people ran to get into shape for other sports, but you cultivated a group of us that ran for excellence in running. We learned how to train hard and smart. We also learned what it felt to have a coach believe in us and the benefit of a coach with high expectations. I remember being proud of the fact that you did all the workouts with us, while some of the coaches followed their runners around in their cars. Those lessons have severed me time and time again in life, not just in running. I now live in Montpelier, Vermont, site of New Englands in 1988. Now, going back to the auditorium at Montpelier High School I get a rush remembering how great it felt to walk up on that stage and get my “All New England” medal.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
I always loved running in Pine Park, with its tall pines, wide trails and river views. I remember a particularly grueling high school workout that involved hill repeats on a tall, sandy bank of the Connecticut River somewhere just south of town. Fartlek intervals between telephone poles, timed mile runs around Occum Pond and tempo runs all offered a chance to be challenged and improve. I really loved coming to practice, running with the team was also a very fun and social experience for me.
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
Yes! Every summer!
Did you continue to compete after high school? Why? Why not?
I did not run in college. In part because I did not think that I was good enough to run on a college team, and in part because after running and later cross-country ski racing hard in high school I was ready to try something new. However, with one exception, there has never been a time since high school when I did not run. After college I got back into competitive running, completing the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 1999 in 3:22:48, followed by the Boston Marathon in 2000 in 3:31:15. I have two daughters, ages 10 and 8. When they were born I stopped running for a couple of years. When my youngest was 6 months old I started running again, drawing on the same training program from the summer before my freshman year – starting with 10 minutes and increasing by 2-minute increments. Before long I was back in peak racing shape doing 5ks, 10ks, half-marathons and even a couple of triathlons. Currently, I am not racing but enjoying running on the trails in the woods around my central Vermont home.
What effect did running for Hanover High have on you later in life?
The work ethic that I learned by running for Hanover High has had a huge impact on me. Also, HHS running cultivated true “grit”, a character trait that is getting lots of press and praise these days. For example, in law school I had the skills and perseverance to graduate in the top 10% of my class and win a post-graduate fellowship that allowed me to practice public interest law. Doing that took many hours of study and practice, much like a good running program. I think that running for Hanover taught me to be humble, while recognizing that with integrity and effort, I could reach my goals. Also, running for Hanover gave me the gift of running for life. Running is an incredibly grounding activity for me, something that keeps my head clear and focused.
Describe what life is like now for you, and do you still stay active?
Now my life is busy as a working mom. I am currently a lawyer and director of the Legal Department for the Vermont Land Trust, a statewide nonprofit conservation organization. Through my work I protect forests, farms, parks and trails, some of which I hike and run on with my family. I stay active running, cross country skiing and practicing yoga. It is also important to me to set a good example for my daughters, showing them that exercise is important and fun. I feel deep gratitude for Jim Eakin and HHS for the incredible life shaping lessons and skills that running for Hanover taught me – what gifts!
XC ‘92
When the Hanover XC team met in mid August of 1988, ninth grader, Julie Farrell, was just another newcomer to the girls’ team, however, three months later, on a cold, windy day in Montpelier, VT, she helped Hanover to 2nd place in the New Englands, by being Hanover’s 3rd runner to cross the finish line, and placing 25th overall. Needless to say, she earned a varsity letter all four years, as well winning all the major awards from Rookie of the Year, MVP, to being awarded the Teachout Trophy. She earned All-Class I , All State, and All New England individual awards in her career.
Her strong work ethic, upbeat, friendly attitude, flawless consistency and true grit made her a great and highly respected teammate and played a major part in the Hanover girls’ becoming a powerhouse in New Hampshire XC.
Who or what influenced you to run cross country in the fall of 1988? Do you remember your first day? How did the first week go for you? Was it challenging? Were you sore? Did you feel you could keep up with the group?
In seventh and eighth grade I participated in the Ford Sayre downhill ski racing program. I found that I was not much of an alpine racer, but what I really liked was the running and other endurance workouts that we did during dry land training before the ski season started. This influenced me to run cross country my freshman year in high school. I followed the recommended training schedule over the summer, diligently increasing my runs by two-minute increments starting with ten minutes and working my way up to an hour-long run. Despite my training, my first day of practice was awful. Before practice I went to lunch with friends at Molly’s Balloon and decided to order a plate of nachos with guacamole – bad choice. I felt ill the whole run through Pine Park and I remember distinctly not impressing Jim. In my head I knew I could keep up with the group, but I sure did not show it that day.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an an outstanding runner?
My freshman year I ran with a group of amazing female runners, including Zephyr Teachout and Alais Griffin. We all just seemed to want to run as hard, fast and smart as we could. There was a real feeling that we were part of a team, and while each of us had our own opportunity to achieve, I recall being motivated by a desire to excel as team. In running that year, I discovered something that I truly loved to do and it was great to be with a group of other people who shared my passion. It was a lot of fun!
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
My first race in high school was a home meet. I had to talk Jim into letting me run (see description of my first day of practice above). I had a decent run that clearly exceeded coach’s expectations, as evidenced by the classic raised eyebrows and “Huh, not bad Jules” from Jim. After that first race I was hooked.
After you graduated, as a way to motivate the runners, I would mention your incredible improvement through the season. At times during practice, I would say to the runners that he/she would plateau for a couple of weeks, but to not get complacent, because there was still room for improvement; I then told the story of Julie Farrell, who ran 15:58 placing 3rd in the 2.1 Frosh Race at the Manchester Invitational and then making the incredible leap to being the 3rd runner (19:59) for Hanover at the New Englands, thus helping the team place 2nd and her gaining All New England status. Wow, how did you do that?
I honestly do not know how I did that and can only offer my best guess. First, I loved the team and was so honored to be a part of such a talented group. Second, as I said above, I put in the miles over the summer. Even though my training started out small, I took it seriously and made it my daily goal to improve. Finally, you were an amazing coach and I loved running for you. You offered so many words of wisdom (e.g. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”) that would pierce through my consciousness at just the right moment in a race to serve as the necessary boost to dig deeper and run harder. Running at Hanover was a sport unto itself. Some people ran to get into shape for other sports, but you cultivated a group of us that ran for excellence in running. We learned how to train hard and smart. We also learned what it felt to have a coach believe in us and the benefit of a coach with high expectations. I remember being proud of the fact that you did all the workouts with us, while some of the coaches followed their runners around in their cars. Those lessons have severed me time and time again in life, not just in running. I now live in Montpelier, Vermont, site of New Englands in 1988. Now, going back to the auditorium at Montpelier High School I get a rush remembering how great it felt to walk up on that stage and get my “All New England” medal.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
I always loved running in Pine Park, with its tall pines, wide trails and river views. I remember a particularly grueling high school workout that involved hill repeats on a tall, sandy bank of the Connecticut River somewhere just south of town. Fartlek intervals between telephone poles, timed mile runs around Occum Pond and tempo runs all offered a chance to be challenged and improve. I really loved coming to practice, running with the team was also a very fun and social experience for me.
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
Yes! Every summer!
Did you continue to compete after high school? Why? Why not?
I did not run in college. In part because I did not think that I was good enough to run on a college team, and in part because after running and later cross-country ski racing hard in high school I was ready to try something new. However, with one exception, there has never been a time since high school when I did not run. After college I got back into competitive running, completing the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 1999 in 3:22:48, followed by the Boston Marathon in 2000 in 3:31:15. I have two daughters, ages 10 and 8. When they were born I stopped running for a couple of years. When my youngest was 6 months old I started running again, drawing on the same training program from the summer before my freshman year – starting with 10 minutes and increasing by 2-minute increments. Before long I was back in peak racing shape doing 5ks, 10ks, half-marathons and even a couple of triathlons. Currently, I am not racing but enjoying running on the trails in the woods around my central Vermont home.
What effect did running for Hanover High have on you later in life?
The work ethic that I learned by running for Hanover High has had a huge impact on me. Also, HHS running cultivated true “grit”, a character trait that is getting lots of press and praise these days. For example, in law school I had the skills and perseverance to graduate in the top 10% of my class and win a post-graduate fellowship that allowed me to practice public interest law. Doing that took many hours of study and practice, much like a good running program. I think that running for Hanover taught me to be humble, while recognizing that with integrity and effort, I could reach my goals. Also, running for Hanover gave me the gift of running for life. Running is an incredibly grounding activity for me, something that keeps my head clear and focused.
Describe what life is like now for you, and do you still stay active?
Now my life is busy as a working mom. I am currently a lawyer and director of the Legal Department for the Vermont Land Trust, a statewide nonprofit conservation organization. Through my work I protect forests, farms, parks and trails, some of which I hike and run on with my family. I stay active running, cross country skiing and practicing yoga. It is also important to me to set a good example for my daughters, showing them that exercise is important and fun. I feel deep gratitude for Jim Eakin and HHS for the incredible life shaping lessons and skills that running for Hanover taught me – what gifts!
Adam Heaney
XC ‘92
Adam earned a varsity letter all four years running cross country for Hanover High, but that was just the start. At banquet time, he won all the major awards from Rookie of the Year, MVP (3x), to being awarded the Sonnerup Trophy. He was elected captain twice and led the Hanover boys to three consecutive Class I State Championships, while individually earning All-Class I three times. He also set the Indoor State Record in the 600 meters (1:23.1) and ran a (1:58.7) 800 meter outdoors. His discipline, desire, competitiveness, empathy, courage, and character set the tone for the boys’ team.
Who or what got you to run cross country in the fall of 1988? Were you a soccer player growing up?
Until that fall, most of my running experiences were elementary school field-days and presidential fitness tests. I had always done very good for my age, but it had never occurred to me that you could do it as a sport. Probably my best running experience was in the spring of 7th grade. The middle school French Teacher, Maureen Ward, had organized a middle school relay for a local marathon that went up to Lyme and back. A handful of us took turns riding in a van and jumping out to run a mile. It was a tremendously positive experience – goofing off in the van, jumping out for my turn to run, cheering for each other and receiving that encouragement.
Yet, in the spring of ’88 I didn’t even know cross country existed, and you’re right I was planning to play soccer. Before moving to Hanover at the beginning of 7th grade, I loved in Dublin, Ireland where PE and recess basically equated to play soccer for several hours every day. I was already physically mature and because of my experience in Ireland was a fairly advanced player, and in 8th grade the spring soccer club decided to bump me up to the U16 level – but, I hated it. The older kids weren’t very accepting, and I felt isolated most of the time. It’s probably fair to say that the experience put me off of playing soccer for Hanover in the fall. I remember a substitute teacher recommending we attend a XC informational meeting in the gym -- it came at just the right time. I compared my enjoyent between soccer and the marathon relay – it wasn’t really much of a competition.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an outstanding runner?
You created environment that masterfully balanced fun and hard work. It was such a positive on almost every level. Chatting and listening to stories about Mahwah on recovery days, or during warm ups over to the Dartmouth 400, Pine Park, etc. But then, as we did our strides we’d get focused and the work would begin. I feel like I had always been aware of the storied past of Hanover XC. Working to reach the heights of Rolph and Nord was always a goal. I feel especially fortunate to have been teammates with another legend, Zephyr Teachout, who was a Senior my Freshman Year. She had been New England Champion the previous year, and just had an amazing aura about her. She and Alais (Griffin) worked so hard together – they really pushed each other to improve. It was obvious that Alais adored Zephyr, but she challenged Zephyr each and every day. They never backed down from each other they just kept raising their game. That was an important lesson – you can both care about your teammates and challenge them. Both things can be true.
Early that year I ended up running with them a lot. The boys team was young and inexperienced. We didn’t have any Seniors and this was the first year for some of our Juniors – like Brian Cook. As my fitness improved I was able to keep up with the top group of boys and you could start to see the beginnings of something that would really take hold the following year.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
Haha! I remember several things very distinctly. It was a smallish home meet, we raced at Hanover High School. We did two loops around the football field before heading down into the Brook Road neighborhood around Thompson Terrace, and back up to finish on the football field. The boys and girls must have raced together at that time, because I remember Zephyr and Alais passing me together and offering me encouragement. There was a junior varsity soccer game on Thompson Terrace and I yelled and cheered for Hanover as I circled the field – that is really humorous in retrospect. In the final mile, I found myself with some kid who would run fast for 30m, and stop and walk until I began to pass him and he would to sprint again – over and over. He slapped his feet on the ground very loudly, and I quickly began to be annoyed by the whole situation. I resolved that a little more pain was worth distancing myself from him. I was able to maintain that increased pace all the way through the finish -- it was a little bit of a light-bulb moment for me and my ability.
The 1989 Hanover boys’ team made history by winning the CVC’s for the 1st time, as well as winning the Class I State Championship (2nd Hanover boys’ championship, 1982 being the 1st). What do you remember from that season?
That team was really tight. The five seniors were all great friends, and Brian Cook had become like a big-brother to me since playing JV basketball together the previous season. Chris Bise and I had developed a relationship similar to what Alais and Zephyr had the previous year where we really pushed each other during practice. We had ended up the 1-2 runners by the end of my Freshman XC season and we just picked up from there. I distinctly remember in races looking back at corners or across a field to find encouragement from how the rest of the team was doing. And although I couldn’t improve over the 1-stick, somehow, if I dug deep and ran faster it would transfer to them so that they would have a great race also.
Unfortunately, I don’t remember CVCs at all. But I do remember standing on the stage in Derry Field Park after Class I’s being so proud to be a member of that team. I finished 2nd overall that day, but it was the overwhelming feeling of admiration for those seniors: Bise, Brian, Bogie, and Scott, and pride in my classmates Jere and Aaron that stands out today.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
Injuries are definitely among the lowlights. I had a strained calf and missed Meet of Champs in 1989. It was a 50-50 call, and I shrunk away from the opportunity. In retrospect, I owed it to those guys to give it a shot. Even if I wasn’t 100%, I probably could have helped that team get to New Englands.
Hanover hosted CVCs my senior year and I twisted my ankle running down the stairs from the band room a few days before. I competed but again wasn’t 100%. It was a different experience competing mid-pack – I got lost in my own head. It takes a special kind of mental discipline to compete at your best, and not to get lost in the sea of people.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
Trivia Day and the Marker Game were definitely my favorites. I coached High School for a few years and I definitely included those in my bag of tricks. Anything on Dartmouth 400: it was such an adaptable area: rolling hills, steep hills, soft surface with great footing. It’s so sad that it’s not there anymore. I remember running hill repeats one time, somebody complained about it so you made us all chant “I love hills” the whole way up!
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
Absolutley! The best way to stay healthy in the fall is to run in the summer. I probably didn’t run as much as I should have, but we scheduled captains runs in the summer and we’d meet up to run a couple of times/week. I’d mostly run from home in Etna, but it was also a good opportunity to check out new areas that we didn’t really use during the school year because of their distance from school. I’d explore the trails around Storrs Pond, Boston Lake and Sachem Village, or different sections of the Appalachian Trail.
You raced at Derryfield Park at least a dozen times, what were the highlights and lowlights of racing at that venue?
Yeah. I know that place well. I’ll still dream about it on occasion! Clearly, the three consecutive Class I team championships stand out. I never had an outstanding individual race, so it goes without saying that that doesn’t happen without running with some great teammates.
I remember the first time walking the course as a freshman, and that long climb up to the top of the hill and finding a chairlift for McIntyre Ski Area at the top! I don’t know if it is still there, but THAT was intimidating. One advantage that I had over almost everyone I raced was my top-end speed, and I knew that after the long climb we also had a long descent. I could make up ground and be mostly recovered by the bottom, and I used that to my advantage. In 1989 my “job” was to beat Oyster River’s number 1 runner Jim Poteat. He had visions of winning it all and went with Conroy on the climb, but I didn’t. They had a sizeable lead on me by the top of the hill. But, I was able to catch Poteat by the time we came down and had returned to the park, but Conroy was probably still another 30-50meters ahead. I sat on Poteat’s shoulder rather than go after Conroy and risk blowing up in the last ½ mile. As we approached the final turn, I was hurting but knew I still had a big kick left in me. You must have been able to tell and yelled at me to “Stop messing around and go!” I planted my foot to accelerate past him… slipped… and fell flat on the ground. Oyster River coach, Jeff Johnson, caught a great picture of me looking like Superman an inch from the ground as Poteat pulled away. That woke me up! I got a flood of adrenaline and probably ran the fastest 200m of my life! I stormed past him to finish 2nd overall.
I know that you are probably most proud of that 1989 team, but the 1990 championship is the one that always amazes me. We had lost four seniors from the previous year and had no expectations of winning. When the dust settled, we beat Oyster River one point. Tal Galton, our number 4 runner outran Oyster River’s 3 & 4 down the final straightaway – and that ended up being the difference.
Looking back, having coached you in cross country and track, did you have a preference and why?
I found that in coaching high school boys and girls, there was a difference, in that boys took longer than the girls to develop into, as in your case, championship runners. Did you notice that when you first started competing? What effect did that have on you and the rest of the boys? What advice would you give to young boys just starting out as runners?
I really enjoyed the team aspect of XC, and you’re able to carry that over to track to some extent, but, it was the individual man a man type of competition that I really enjoyed about. Some of my fastest XC races were run in small dual meets, squaring off against a talented competitor from somewhere in Vermont. I had trouble rising to the challenge in the bigger meets, like Meet of Champs and New Englands. By the very nature of track the number of competitors are limited and I definitely preferred that. That said, I also broke the State Record in the indoor 600m… so shorter distances suited me too.
As far as differences in development between girls and boys, there was no question that timing is different. As a Freshman, my dear friend and classmate Julie Farrell finished top 25 at New Englands! It was inspiring for me to see one of my peers achieve something like that. I was lucky in that I developed pretty quickly and was running fast as a sophomore, but I didn’t really run much faster than that in XC over the next few years. Both Julie and I had to deal with younger athletes outperforming us later in our career. Cara Aley came in to be the number one runner on the girls side, and Matt Robinson surpassed me over the last month of my Senior Cross Country Season. That part can be frustrating and demoralizing, because everyone is looking for continuous improvement. I think that the important part isn’t to focus on the results, but rather the process and how it all helps the overall team’s success. Each year as you continue to develop, you can add more to your process of improvement and become a more complete athlete and competitor.
After high school, you ran for Wake Forest. How was running cross country in college compare to high school?
It was definitely a shock to the system. I went from being a fairly big fish in a small (New Hampshire) pond. To a tiny fish in a big pond of NCAA Division I competition. My freshman year roommate finished 2nd at Kinney (Footlocker) Nationals the previous year. That freshman fall was a humbling one, my first XC race I finished 2nd to last overall. However, the only person that I beat was the reigning ACC 800m champion, who ran 1:46 the previous spring. And I only finished 10 seconds behind Wake Forest’s top 800m runner, who ran 1:48 the previous spring. I was recruited as an 800m runner, so maybe my finish wasn’t too bad!
The biggest difference in the move to collegiate running was the mileage. At that time we were running 30-35 miles/week at Hanover, in my Senior year at Wake Forest I was running 100+mile weeks. I never actually made the XC Top-7 at Wake Forest, but I worked hard to be an integral part of the team. At that level, being successful is more than just being talented – everyone is talented. You have to do all the little things: get good sleep, eat well, the morning runs, the weight room, stretching, drills, etc. It was a gradual process, of slowly putting the building blocks in place. I went from never breaking 17 at Derryfield Park, to running ~a 15min 5k, 9min Steeple, and 4:10 1600.
Do you stay in contact with any of your former Hanover teammates?
Honestly, I am really bad at staying in touch with people. We didn’t really even have email when I was in college, we wrote letters back and forth a little bit. You’d come back in the summer and call around to see who was in town. Each summer, it would be fewer and fewer people. Facebook has helped to reconnect. My parents still live in Hanover, so that is how I get most of my updates.
Describe what your life is like now. What effect did competing and training as a runner have on your life?
Now I live in Boulder, CO – a true running Mecca. There are elite runners and endurance athletes everywhere. It’s always inspiring to see them putting in the work on the trails and roads. Running has continued to be a constant in my life. I’m a running gear tester for Runner’s World, Outdoor Magazine, Trail Runner and Competitor Magazine. College reunions have often been running epic relays like Hood to Coast in Oregon, and New Hampshire’s Reach the Beach. Despite vowing to never run a marathon, I have now completed 5 of them -- including Boston in 2015. Now, running mostly serves as an excuse to get out into nature. My focus has shifted from running fast times, to the enjoying the experience. Improving my fitness allows me to explore bigger mountains and more epic trails. The fitter I am, the bigger the adventure. I’ve been toying with the idea of running the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim run, for several years now. I just need to bare down and get fit enough to do it!
XC ‘92
Adam earned a varsity letter all four years running cross country for Hanover High, but that was just the start. At banquet time, he won all the major awards from Rookie of the Year, MVP (3x), to being awarded the Sonnerup Trophy. He was elected captain twice and led the Hanover boys to three consecutive Class I State Championships, while individually earning All-Class I three times. He also set the Indoor State Record in the 600 meters (1:23.1) and ran a (1:58.7) 800 meter outdoors. His discipline, desire, competitiveness, empathy, courage, and character set the tone for the boys’ team.
Who or what got you to run cross country in the fall of 1988? Were you a soccer player growing up?
Until that fall, most of my running experiences were elementary school field-days and presidential fitness tests. I had always done very good for my age, but it had never occurred to me that you could do it as a sport. Probably my best running experience was in the spring of 7th grade. The middle school French Teacher, Maureen Ward, had organized a middle school relay for a local marathon that went up to Lyme and back. A handful of us took turns riding in a van and jumping out to run a mile. It was a tremendously positive experience – goofing off in the van, jumping out for my turn to run, cheering for each other and receiving that encouragement.
Yet, in the spring of ’88 I didn’t even know cross country existed, and you’re right I was planning to play soccer. Before moving to Hanover at the beginning of 7th grade, I loved in Dublin, Ireland where PE and recess basically equated to play soccer for several hours every day. I was already physically mature and because of my experience in Ireland was a fairly advanced player, and in 8th grade the spring soccer club decided to bump me up to the U16 level – but, I hated it. The older kids weren’t very accepting, and I felt isolated most of the time. It’s probably fair to say that the experience put me off of playing soccer for Hanover in the fall. I remember a substitute teacher recommending we attend a XC informational meeting in the gym -- it came at just the right time. I compared my enjoyent between soccer and the marathon relay – it wasn’t really much of a competition.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an outstanding runner?
You created environment that masterfully balanced fun and hard work. It was such a positive on almost every level. Chatting and listening to stories about Mahwah on recovery days, or during warm ups over to the Dartmouth 400, Pine Park, etc. But then, as we did our strides we’d get focused and the work would begin. I feel like I had always been aware of the storied past of Hanover XC. Working to reach the heights of Rolph and Nord was always a goal. I feel especially fortunate to have been teammates with another legend, Zephyr Teachout, who was a Senior my Freshman Year. She had been New England Champion the previous year, and just had an amazing aura about her. She and Alais (Griffin) worked so hard together – they really pushed each other to improve. It was obvious that Alais adored Zephyr, but she challenged Zephyr each and every day. They never backed down from each other they just kept raising their game. That was an important lesson – you can both care about your teammates and challenge them. Both things can be true.
Early that year I ended up running with them a lot. The boys team was young and inexperienced. We didn’t have any Seniors and this was the first year for some of our Juniors – like Brian Cook. As my fitness improved I was able to keep up with the top group of boys and you could start to see the beginnings of something that would really take hold the following year.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
Haha! I remember several things very distinctly. It was a smallish home meet, we raced at Hanover High School. We did two loops around the football field before heading down into the Brook Road neighborhood around Thompson Terrace, and back up to finish on the football field. The boys and girls must have raced together at that time, because I remember Zephyr and Alais passing me together and offering me encouragement. There was a junior varsity soccer game on Thompson Terrace and I yelled and cheered for Hanover as I circled the field – that is really humorous in retrospect. In the final mile, I found myself with some kid who would run fast for 30m, and stop and walk until I began to pass him and he would to sprint again – over and over. He slapped his feet on the ground very loudly, and I quickly began to be annoyed by the whole situation. I resolved that a little more pain was worth distancing myself from him. I was able to maintain that increased pace all the way through the finish -- it was a little bit of a light-bulb moment for me and my ability.
The 1989 Hanover boys’ team made history by winning the CVC’s for the 1st time, as well as winning the Class I State Championship (2nd Hanover boys’ championship, 1982 being the 1st). What do you remember from that season?
That team was really tight. The five seniors were all great friends, and Brian Cook had become like a big-brother to me since playing JV basketball together the previous season. Chris Bise and I had developed a relationship similar to what Alais and Zephyr had the previous year where we really pushed each other during practice. We had ended up the 1-2 runners by the end of my Freshman XC season and we just picked up from there. I distinctly remember in races looking back at corners or across a field to find encouragement from how the rest of the team was doing. And although I couldn’t improve over the 1-stick, somehow, if I dug deep and ran faster it would transfer to them so that they would have a great race also.
Unfortunately, I don’t remember CVCs at all. But I do remember standing on the stage in Derry Field Park after Class I’s being so proud to be a member of that team. I finished 2nd overall that day, but it was the overwhelming feeling of admiration for those seniors: Bise, Brian, Bogie, and Scott, and pride in my classmates Jere and Aaron that stands out today.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
Injuries are definitely among the lowlights. I had a strained calf and missed Meet of Champs in 1989. It was a 50-50 call, and I shrunk away from the opportunity. In retrospect, I owed it to those guys to give it a shot. Even if I wasn’t 100%, I probably could have helped that team get to New Englands.
Hanover hosted CVCs my senior year and I twisted my ankle running down the stairs from the band room a few days before. I competed but again wasn’t 100%. It was a different experience competing mid-pack – I got lost in my own head. It takes a special kind of mental discipline to compete at your best, and not to get lost in the sea of people.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
Trivia Day and the Marker Game were definitely my favorites. I coached High School for a few years and I definitely included those in my bag of tricks. Anything on Dartmouth 400: it was such an adaptable area: rolling hills, steep hills, soft surface with great footing. It’s so sad that it’s not there anymore. I remember running hill repeats one time, somebody complained about it so you made us all chant “I love hills” the whole way up!
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
Absolutley! The best way to stay healthy in the fall is to run in the summer. I probably didn’t run as much as I should have, but we scheduled captains runs in the summer and we’d meet up to run a couple of times/week. I’d mostly run from home in Etna, but it was also a good opportunity to check out new areas that we didn’t really use during the school year because of their distance from school. I’d explore the trails around Storrs Pond, Boston Lake and Sachem Village, or different sections of the Appalachian Trail.
You raced at Derryfield Park at least a dozen times, what were the highlights and lowlights of racing at that venue?
Yeah. I know that place well. I’ll still dream about it on occasion! Clearly, the three consecutive Class I team championships stand out. I never had an outstanding individual race, so it goes without saying that that doesn’t happen without running with some great teammates.
I remember the first time walking the course as a freshman, and that long climb up to the top of the hill and finding a chairlift for McIntyre Ski Area at the top! I don’t know if it is still there, but THAT was intimidating. One advantage that I had over almost everyone I raced was my top-end speed, and I knew that after the long climb we also had a long descent. I could make up ground and be mostly recovered by the bottom, and I used that to my advantage. In 1989 my “job” was to beat Oyster River’s number 1 runner Jim Poteat. He had visions of winning it all and went with Conroy on the climb, but I didn’t. They had a sizeable lead on me by the top of the hill. But, I was able to catch Poteat by the time we came down and had returned to the park, but Conroy was probably still another 30-50meters ahead. I sat on Poteat’s shoulder rather than go after Conroy and risk blowing up in the last ½ mile. As we approached the final turn, I was hurting but knew I still had a big kick left in me. You must have been able to tell and yelled at me to “Stop messing around and go!” I planted my foot to accelerate past him… slipped… and fell flat on the ground. Oyster River coach, Jeff Johnson, caught a great picture of me looking like Superman an inch from the ground as Poteat pulled away. That woke me up! I got a flood of adrenaline and probably ran the fastest 200m of my life! I stormed past him to finish 2nd overall.
I know that you are probably most proud of that 1989 team, but the 1990 championship is the one that always amazes me. We had lost four seniors from the previous year and had no expectations of winning. When the dust settled, we beat Oyster River one point. Tal Galton, our number 4 runner outran Oyster River’s 3 & 4 down the final straightaway – and that ended up being the difference.
Looking back, having coached you in cross country and track, did you have a preference and why?
I found that in coaching high school boys and girls, there was a difference, in that boys took longer than the girls to develop into, as in your case, championship runners. Did you notice that when you first started competing? What effect did that have on you and the rest of the boys? What advice would you give to young boys just starting out as runners?
I really enjoyed the team aspect of XC, and you’re able to carry that over to track to some extent, but, it was the individual man a man type of competition that I really enjoyed about. Some of my fastest XC races were run in small dual meets, squaring off against a talented competitor from somewhere in Vermont. I had trouble rising to the challenge in the bigger meets, like Meet of Champs and New Englands. By the very nature of track the number of competitors are limited and I definitely preferred that. That said, I also broke the State Record in the indoor 600m… so shorter distances suited me too.
As far as differences in development between girls and boys, there was no question that timing is different. As a Freshman, my dear friend and classmate Julie Farrell finished top 25 at New Englands! It was inspiring for me to see one of my peers achieve something like that. I was lucky in that I developed pretty quickly and was running fast as a sophomore, but I didn’t really run much faster than that in XC over the next few years. Both Julie and I had to deal with younger athletes outperforming us later in our career. Cara Aley came in to be the number one runner on the girls side, and Matt Robinson surpassed me over the last month of my Senior Cross Country Season. That part can be frustrating and demoralizing, because everyone is looking for continuous improvement. I think that the important part isn’t to focus on the results, but rather the process and how it all helps the overall team’s success. Each year as you continue to develop, you can add more to your process of improvement and become a more complete athlete and competitor.
After high school, you ran for Wake Forest. How was running cross country in college compare to high school?
It was definitely a shock to the system. I went from being a fairly big fish in a small (New Hampshire) pond. To a tiny fish in a big pond of NCAA Division I competition. My freshman year roommate finished 2nd at Kinney (Footlocker) Nationals the previous year. That freshman fall was a humbling one, my first XC race I finished 2nd to last overall. However, the only person that I beat was the reigning ACC 800m champion, who ran 1:46 the previous spring. And I only finished 10 seconds behind Wake Forest’s top 800m runner, who ran 1:48 the previous spring. I was recruited as an 800m runner, so maybe my finish wasn’t too bad!
The biggest difference in the move to collegiate running was the mileage. At that time we were running 30-35 miles/week at Hanover, in my Senior year at Wake Forest I was running 100+mile weeks. I never actually made the XC Top-7 at Wake Forest, but I worked hard to be an integral part of the team. At that level, being successful is more than just being talented – everyone is talented. You have to do all the little things: get good sleep, eat well, the morning runs, the weight room, stretching, drills, etc. It was a gradual process, of slowly putting the building blocks in place. I went from never breaking 17 at Derryfield Park, to running ~a 15min 5k, 9min Steeple, and 4:10 1600.
Do you stay in contact with any of your former Hanover teammates?
Honestly, I am really bad at staying in touch with people. We didn’t really even have email when I was in college, we wrote letters back and forth a little bit. You’d come back in the summer and call around to see who was in town. Each summer, it would be fewer and fewer people. Facebook has helped to reconnect. My parents still live in Hanover, so that is how I get most of my updates.
Describe what your life is like now. What effect did competing and training as a runner have on your life?
Now I live in Boulder, CO – a true running Mecca. There are elite runners and endurance athletes everywhere. It’s always inspiring to see them putting in the work on the trails and roads. Running has continued to be a constant in my life. I’m a running gear tester for Runner’s World, Outdoor Magazine, Trail Runner and Competitor Magazine. College reunions have often been running epic relays like Hood to Coast in Oregon, and New Hampshire’s Reach the Beach. Despite vowing to never run a marathon, I have now completed 5 of them -- including Boston in 2015. Now, running mostly serves as an excuse to get out into nature. My focus has shifted from running fast times, to the enjoying the experience. Improving my fitness allows me to explore bigger mountains and more epic trails. The fitter I am, the bigger the adventure. I’ve been toying with the idea of running the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim run, for several years now. I just need to bare down and get fit enough to do it!
Heather Williamson
Hanover XC 1987
Interviewed by Jim Eakin
What made you decide to run cross country?
We moved to Hanover when I was in 6th grade, so I hadn’t done any of the local sports. And the town I moved from did not have a big sports program, so my early athletic activities were hiking in the White Mountains with my family, or cross country skiing in our back yard. My father had been a runner and skier, and my mother was athletic as well, so they encouraged me to find a sport where I could participate fully. You had a team that welcomed everybody of all skills and encouraged everyone to do their best so I showed up for practice my freshman year.
Do you remember your first day? How did the first week go for you? Was it challenging? Were you sore? Did you feel you could keep up with the group?
I don’t remember the first day necessarily, but I had not done adequate training so the first few weeks were difficult. I remember having terrible shin splints and having to wear tube socks as compression socks for about two weeks. I did not care what everyone might have been saying or thinking, it was the only way I could get through practice.
That first year I think I was somewhere in the pack behind the varsity team, and I remember really wanting to catch up.
The girls’ cross country running team was becoming quite competitive in the state, how challenging was it for you to compete at the varsity level? How different was it from competing in cross country skiing ?
A couple of years ago we were remembering high school with my parents and my dad said “Oh you ran with Zephyr Teachout, right?”. I laughed and said I ran on the same team, but rarely did I run with Zephyr. When I started Woden Teachout and Kari Van Winkle were the standouts, and soon after Zephyr, Alais Griffin and a crew joined who just blew the competition away. I think there were three of us who traded the 6 and 7 spot on a regular basis. You always told us to go out and get the 5th runner from all the other teams so we could win, so I always felt like we had an important part to play even though I was a not the fastest runner.
Originally, I joined the running team so I could be in good shape for cross country skiing. But by the end of my first season I was hooked on running as well. Both you and Robin Ellison (the coach at the time) were demanding and encouraging all at the same time. Both teams were very competitive so if I wanted to be even close to the varsity team I definitely had to earn it and work hard.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
I don’t remember a specific race. But I do remember one of the first home races that we had at the Ray Elementary school and finishing really fast because I didn’t know how to pace myself. I think you said something along the lines of “if you can run that fast in the last part you need to run faster out on the course!”. I’d like to think that I was doing better by the end of that first season.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
One of the Championships at Derry Park in Manchester. I had just entered the final lap around that field and I was hit with one of those massive stitches that make it impossible to breathe well or lengthen your stride. I still finished, but I was not happy with the results. There were a few races in high school, both for running and skiing when I was determined to finish even though it wasn’t easy. I didn’t want to let the team or my coaches down.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
When I went off to Bates College I finally understood how good we had it as a team for training terrain. Anywhere we went we were in the woods and on a regular basis did not have to run on pavement. I remember doing speed workouts barefoot on some of the fields behind the Hanover Co-op or on a field on the golf course. But if I had to name a favorite it would be running up the AT behind the Hanover Co-op. I also enjoyed the satisfaction of finishing those fartlek or hill workouts along the Connecticut River and Mink Brook.
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
I did a better job with each year. By my senior year I was following your pre season program to the letter and it definitely showed in my results that year. I was able to make varsity on my good days, despite the depth of talent on the team.
What other sports or activities did you do in high school?
I enjoyed cross country skiing and did track for two seasons. The adventure for me was trying Biathlon (cross country skiing and shooting) my junior and senior year. My father worked for the US Biathlon Association so I got to do some fun things like go to the World Championships in Lake Placid and meet some of the top athletes.
Having a family and a full-time job is a challenge, how do you stay in shape? Do you still run? Do your children run?
It has been a challenge. I don’t always manage to stay in great physical shape, but as long as I can walk/jog about 3 miles comfortably few days a week I am hopeful that I can always get back to better fitness when time permits. I did run a half marathon about 5 years ago and was very happy with my results and the fact that I was uninjured at the end.
Lately it is getting better as the kids are older, 13 and 10, and I can include them in activities. My son is more interested in karate and cycling, and I’m hoping my daughter does decide to run. She loves soccer, but it is so competitive in the town we live in that she will have a better chance at full participation on the cross country team. She already has a natural gait and is fast. She can outrun almost all of her classmates. But it is ultimately up to her, there is a great program and it sounds like the coaches have the same philosophy as you did Jim. Show up and do your best. We will find a place for you.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
I know this sounds trite, but it is important. Be kind to yourself and others. I work on a college campus and was working with a student who had a sticker on her laptop that said “be kind to others, you don’t know the burdens they might be carrying”. The running team was my refuge during tough times in high school because my teammates were kind. I hope that legacy continues.
Try new things, be open to opportunities. I did not continue competitive running or skiing on a regular basis because I ended up spending my junior year of college abroad in what was the Soviet Union just before the Berlin Wall went down. And then went back to Russia after college to work and volunteer. It was the best thing for me because it challenged me to look at the world differently and upended some of my assumptions about how the world works. And while I was there I got to meet and train with Tatiana Kazankina, a world record holder and Olympic medal runner in track. It was thanks to my training with the HHS team that I didn’t embarrass myself too much.
Hanover XC 1987
Interviewed by Jim Eakin
What made you decide to run cross country?
We moved to Hanover when I was in 6th grade, so I hadn’t done any of the local sports. And the town I moved from did not have a big sports program, so my early athletic activities were hiking in the White Mountains with my family, or cross country skiing in our back yard. My father had been a runner and skier, and my mother was athletic as well, so they encouraged me to find a sport where I could participate fully. You had a team that welcomed everybody of all skills and encouraged everyone to do their best so I showed up for practice my freshman year.
Do you remember your first day? How did the first week go for you? Was it challenging? Were you sore? Did you feel you could keep up with the group?
I don’t remember the first day necessarily, but I had not done adequate training so the first few weeks were difficult. I remember having terrible shin splints and having to wear tube socks as compression socks for about two weeks. I did not care what everyone might have been saying or thinking, it was the only way I could get through practice.
That first year I think I was somewhere in the pack behind the varsity team, and I remember really wanting to catch up.
The girls’ cross country running team was becoming quite competitive in the state, how challenging was it for you to compete at the varsity level? How different was it from competing in cross country skiing ?
A couple of years ago we were remembering high school with my parents and my dad said “Oh you ran with Zephyr Teachout, right?”. I laughed and said I ran on the same team, but rarely did I run with Zephyr. When I started Woden Teachout and Kari Van Winkle were the standouts, and soon after Zephyr, Alais Griffin and a crew joined who just blew the competition away. I think there were three of us who traded the 6 and 7 spot on a regular basis. You always told us to go out and get the 5th runner from all the other teams so we could win, so I always felt like we had an important part to play even though I was a not the fastest runner.
Originally, I joined the running team so I could be in good shape for cross country skiing. But by the end of my first season I was hooked on running as well. Both you and Robin Ellison (the coach at the time) were demanding and encouraging all at the same time. Both teams were very competitive so if I wanted to be even close to the varsity team I definitely had to earn it and work hard.
Describe your first race in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
I don’t remember a specific race. But I do remember one of the first home races that we had at the Ray Elementary school and finishing really fast because I didn’t know how to pace myself. I think you said something along the lines of “if you can run that fast in the last part you need to run faster out on the course!”. I’d like to think that I was doing better by the end of that first season.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience?
One of the Championships at Derry Park in Manchester. I had just entered the final lap around that field and I was hit with one of those massive stitches that make it impossible to breathe well or lengthen your stride. I still finished, but I was not happy with the results. There were a few races in high school, both for running and skiing when I was determined to finish even though it wasn’t easy. I didn’t want to let the team or my coaches down.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
When I went off to Bates College I finally understood how good we had it as a team for training terrain. Anywhere we went we were in the woods and on a regular basis did not have to run on pavement. I remember doing speed workouts barefoot on some of the fields behind the Hanover Co-op or on a field on the golf course. But if I had to name a favorite it would be running up the AT behind the Hanover Co-op. I also enjoyed the satisfaction of finishing those fartlek or hill workouts along the Connecticut River and Mink Brook.
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
I did a better job with each year. By my senior year I was following your pre season program to the letter and it definitely showed in my results that year. I was able to make varsity on my good days, despite the depth of talent on the team.
What other sports or activities did you do in high school?
I enjoyed cross country skiing and did track for two seasons. The adventure for me was trying Biathlon (cross country skiing and shooting) my junior and senior year. My father worked for the US Biathlon Association so I got to do some fun things like go to the World Championships in Lake Placid and meet some of the top athletes.
Having a family and a full-time job is a challenge, how do you stay in shape? Do you still run? Do your children run?
It has been a challenge. I don’t always manage to stay in great physical shape, but as long as I can walk/jog about 3 miles comfortably few days a week I am hopeful that I can always get back to better fitness when time permits. I did run a half marathon about 5 years ago and was very happy with my results and the fact that I was uninjured at the end.
Lately it is getting better as the kids are older, 13 and 10, and I can include them in activities. My son is more interested in karate and cycling, and I’m hoping my daughter does decide to run. She loves soccer, but it is so competitive in the town we live in that she will have a better chance at full participation on the cross country team. She already has a natural gait and is fast. She can outrun almost all of her classmates. But it is ultimately up to her, there is a great program and it sounds like the coaches have the same philosophy as you did Jim. Show up and do your best. We will find a place for you.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
I know this sounds trite, but it is important. Be kind to yourself and others. I work on a college campus and was working with a student who had a sticker on her laptop that said “be kind to others, you don’t know the burdens they might be carrying”. The running team was my refuge during tough times in high school because my teammates were kind. I hope that legacy continues.
Try new things, be open to opportunities. I did not continue competitive running or skiing on a regular basis because I ended up spending my junior year of college abroad in what was the Soviet Union just before the Berlin Wall went down. And then went back to Russia after college to work and volunteer. It was the best thing for me because it challenged me to look at the world differently and upended some of my assumptions about how the world works. And while I was there I got to meet and train with Tatiana Kazankina, a world record holder and Olympic medal runner in track. It was thanks to my training with the HHS team that I didn’t embarrass myself too much.
Grace Rodriguez
Hanover XC 2009
Interviewed by Jim Eakin
You joined the cross country team in the fall of 2005, what do you remember from that first season? Why did you decide to run cross country?
I had always planned to run track in high school since I was young, but it was really my middle school track coach, Chris Brown, who encouraged me to go out for the team. I was a bit hesitant as I had no experience with distance running. Playing other sports growing up I was always pretty fast, so I knew running was something I might want to pursue when I got older but I didn’t know much more than that. I remember my first training run going into my freshman year – one mile around the Dartmouth track! My parents also used to show me newspaper clippings from the cross country team when I was in elementary and middle school, so I always knew it was a great program and had heard it was a fun and successful team. Mr. Eakin of course had a great reputation around town as well. I remember being excited to come in as a freshman and I really wanted to do well and work hard, but the sport really tests you! At first I was shocked at how brutal races and workouts could be, and was so impressed and inspired by how all of the upperclassmen were acting like this was all perfectly normal.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an accomplished runner?
I feel so lucky to have been a part of the Hanover XC team during a time when the running culture was so well established! Probably starting with runners like Russell Brown and Catherine Bryson, there was a real legacy of excellence established at HHS. By the time I joined the team so many talented runners and generally hardworking people comprised the team, that it was hard not be inspired. I had so many girls to look up to my freshman year, there was never any shortage of motivation. I felt that if you wanted to make varsity XC at Hanover, you just had to take it seriously and really go for it, and that’s what I tried to do. I knew I wasn’t a natural born cross country runner, middle distance was my strength, but XC became so important to me because it provided a strong base for track, and more importantly allowed me to experience being part of a really special team and program. While many runners took the program, training, and racing seriously, there was also a such a fun team element. The team was huge when I was around, there were so many traditions established, and it was all very inclusive – Mr. Eakin always somehow managed to include runners of all ability levels. You really felt like you were a part of something and like you mattered.
Describe your most memorable moment running cross country in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
Of course, being on the team that qualified to run at Nike Team Nationals in 2007 was an amazing experience. But it wasn’t just that one meet, it was the whole season, and the whole body of work and teamwork that it took to make that happen. The seven of us all really wanted the chance to try to qualify for nationals after winning New England’s and performing well at other big meets, and we were thankful Mr. Eakin supported us to go for it and was able to keep us healthy for a very extended season. I remember running that race at NTN in Oregon and just having no idea how were doing, even when we finished and for a while after, we were all just freezing and muddy and huddled together wrapped in space blankets. Then we found out that we placed up 4th in the nation and it was just such a surprise such a special moment! I think the whole 2007 season capped off with nationals taught me what it really means and feels like to be part of a super tight-knit team. The team was so deep and besides Georgia and Heidi consistently being 1-2 for us, runners 3-6 switched around a lot, so when one person had an off day, it was really cool to see how one of us was able to step up. Not only on varsity, but there were several other girls on the team at the time who could have run varsity if needed on any given day – there was a ton of depth and support.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience. Which experience (most memorable or least memorable) helped you the most? It does not have to be just from an athletic standpoint.
I would say my first ever XC race at Thetford was one I used to try to forget! I finished, but I walked up part of the “big hill” and felt super embarrassed about that. I remember thinking during that moment “this whole cross country thing is going to be way harder than I thought, I’m going to need to toughen up”. Again, I was shocked (and inspired) that all of these high school runners and my teammates were able to put themselves through the agony of racing! I had a somewhat traumatic experience running New England’s my freshman year as well which was also at Thetford. However, we ended up running the Thetford course for smaller early season races when I was a sophomore and junior, so I was able to acquire some really positive memories from that course too. We would run those races together as a pack and take turns leading, and that really helped me to face my fears and learn to enjoy running Thetford!
When and what did you usually eat before a race or a challenging workout?
I would eat my main meal about 2 ½ hours before a race. If I was home, it would be scrambled eggs whites (I used to hate yolks) and a whole grain English muffin, or some kind whole grain toast with almond butter and banana situation. Then I would have a little snack closer to the race, just a nibble of a brown rice cake with almond butter and honey. Pretty simple stuff. Post race was chocolate milk and pineapple to aid with recovery. For no special reason besides that the are my all time favorite, I would also almost always have a honey crisp apple on had post-race or pre-workout. I don’t eat gluten or much dairy these days, so my toast and chocolate milk would now probably be gluten-free and almond milk instead of cow’s milk J I would also probably go for a sweet potato or avocado toast now that my tastes have “matured” a bit. But you really can’t go wrong with banana and nut butter!
Did you have any health related issues that had a serious impact on your competing such as fatigue, sleep problems, eating disorders, performance anxiety, etc.?
I stayed very healthy throughout high school in terms of injuries and general health until track my senior year. Anemia, hypothyroidism, and other hormonal issues became big challenges for me around this time and I struggled to manage them in college. It was pretty easy to deal with health issues in high school with the support of family, coaches, and health professionals – people who really knew me well – but running in college presented itself with a whole bunch of new but related health issues as training, demands, and stress increased. I really had to learn a lot about my body, how it responds to certain types of training, how to take care of myself, and look out for myself on my own. This was the hardest thing to navigate because as a runner you are really in touch with your body, and at a certain point running in college I knew something was really off, but since it wasn’t an external injury, it was hard to understand, explain, and justify. I felt an immense amount of pressure both internally and externally to keep pushing myself, train harder, be tougher, be successful etc. and really ended up getting run into the ground physically, mentally, and emotionally. At that point I had to take a step back from the sport and get some perspective and regroup.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
There are so many! I’m a big Pine Park fan. Mile repeats in Pine Park was always an intimidating workout (especially when Cardiac was included!) but left you feeling accomplished and confident for the upcoming races. I like workouts that give you something tangible to take away so you can remind yourself of your abilities and strength in moments of doubt before or during races. These types of workouts helped me to trust my training when the big races came around. I was also super lucky I had girls like Bridgette Black, Heidi Caldwell, Beth Taylor, Cate Brown, and Georgia Griffin and many others to run with because we were able to push and motivate each other just the right amount in workouts and races, while keeping things fun and light with lots of singing, laughing, and chatting about food J
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
I followed Mr. Eakin’s training plan for rookies the summer before my freshman year, and then the veteran’s training program every summer after that and they both served me well! I always took the approach of fully trusting my coaches and followed their training plans very closely. I only really veered off the plan by adding more core work and a little bit of strength training on the side. I think I really benefited from the Hanover summer training because it gave me a solid base to start the season, but was in no way too much, or over-training. I personally do much better with lower mileage than many other XC runners, so for me it was just right, reasonable, but still required dedication. I think this approach saved some of us from burning out, something that Mr. Eakin was always smart about.
What else did you do to stay in shape during the season and inbetween seasons? Yoga? Nutrition? Weights? Resistance training? Cross training? Massage? Meditation?
I ran all three seasons at Hanover and in college as well. In high school I took a full 2 weeks totally off between seasons, and 3 or 4 weeks off after spring track to recover and reset. I stayed active but really made an effort to take it easy because it’s a long year of running. I wish I had known all the benefits of yoga and meditation in high school and would have incorporated it into my training and downtime as it’s something I am very into now. I’ve always been a big fan of sports massage and would get a deep tissue sports massage the Thursday before a Saturday race if I could swing it. I always included lots of foam rolling, ice baths, and deep stretching post-run. In terms of cross training did a lot of pool running when any little injuries came up or I was feeling run down – big aqua jogging fan! Knowing what I know now I probably would have followed a slightly different diet, but with the knowledge that was available to me at the time, I think I managed to do a decent job and tried to eat a plant-based anti-inflammatory diet.
Did you think racing at the challenging Derryfield Park for the divisional state championships was to your advantage or disadvantage? Do you think the pre race simulation in the gym the day before the Class meet help? Do you think it the simulation should have been used more often?
I think racing at Derryfield Park for Class I state championships was an advantage for Hanover. Running Manchester Invitational early in the season definitely helped prepare us for states as well. Being more of a track specialist and middle distance runner, as well as being quite tall, I have always preferred a flat course where you can really fly and settle into a quick pace. Running flat courses always felt more natural to me so I looked forward to races like Meet of Champs in Nashua where there wasn’t a hill to be found. That said, hills are pretty much unavoidable in Hanover, NH and Norwich, VT where we all did our training, so Derryfield was always a good test of both physical and mental strength and I think it made us all more well-rounded runners. The pre-race simulation with Mr. Eakin in the gym the day before states always got us all in the mood to compete at states. It was something I carried with me into track and life in general as it helped to calm nerves and anticipation anxiety. Setting aside a specific amount of time for simulations, visualizations, meditations, or simply just allowing yourself time to worry and go through everything that could possibly go right or wrong (just for an allotted period of time), and then truly allowing yourself to just let it go and not overthink your race until you’re at the starting line can be really helpful.
You went on to run at Boston College on a full athletic scholarship, describe the differences and similarities between high school and college cross country: training, competing, relationships with teammates/coaches, balancing running with college course work, etc.
I found running in college to be quite manageable in terms of balancing school work with training, and travel to races as long as I stayed on top of things. Hanover High prepares you well for a college workload. BC was great in that they have a really strong athletic program and treat their athletes very well, so they have a lot of support available for student-athletes in terms of academic resources that I took advantage of and found to be helpful. The team environment was very different than in high school and certainly required you to look out for yourself more. A lot of the girls on the team at BC were runners whose careers’ I had followed in high school, and found it very inspiring and humbling to train with teammates who I had looked up to for years. The training was definitely demanding and I found myself running high school PR’s in workouts right off the bat my freshman year!
What type of work are you involved in? Do you still run?
Yes, I still run! I took a big break and necessary break from running after college, but I’ve gotten back into it, particularly in the last year. In terms of work, I am in the wellness field and teach vinyasa and restorative yoga, I’m a board certified health coach, and a natural foods chef – I did all my training while I was living in NYC after college. This fall I am back in town and have been helping to coach the Hanover XC team which has been such a pleasure and a throwback! I am actually going back to nursing school this winter for a degree that will allow me to work with a functional medicine doctor as a nurse. Functional medicine is like integrative medicine, meaning it takes a systems approach (looking at all the systems of the body), where the focus is on finding the root cause of health issues rather than treating symptoms individually. As a patient you work with a team of health care professionals and treatment incorporates supplementation, nutrition, yoga, meditation, chiropractic care, and other self-care practices into treatment. It is a really cool and preventative approach, and the future of primary care, I think! I actually first discovered this type of medicine as a result of dealing with my health issues that were triggered by over-training, and it totally turned things around for me.
What effect did competing and training as a runner have on your life?
Running and training had such a positive impact on my high school experience, and also on my life. Hanover XC was the start of all of that and really helped shaped who I am today. Having running as an outlet in my life has been very meaningful because it’s there during tough times, joy filled times, and all those non-eventful times in between. Running is so familiar at this point that coming back to it always helps me to feel like myself, clear my head, and gain perspective. Training and racing over the years also really helped to occupy a part of my brain that likes to be focused on working toward a goal. Training and competition also taught me a lot about learning to trust and enjoy the process, to make sense of successes and failures, and to always step back and look at the bigger picture. At the end of the day it should be fun and enjoyable!
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
I would say, just try to enjoy the sport as much as you can! See if you can use it to help you practice setting goals, to learn to get comfortable being really uncomfortable, to learn to push yourself and then to trust yourself. I would also say try to take the opportunity to learn about your own unique mind and body and its strengths and weaknesses. And of course, the friendships and team aspect is such a huge part of the joy of the sport, so just try to be a good teammate, have empathy, support each other, be happy for other people’s success, because there is always room for everyone to succeed!
Hanover XC 2009
Interviewed by Jim Eakin
You joined the cross country team in the fall of 2005, what do you remember from that first season? Why did you decide to run cross country?
I had always planned to run track in high school since I was young, but it was really my middle school track coach, Chris Brown, who encouraged me to go out for the team. I was a bit hesitant as I had no experience with distance running. Playing other sports growing up I was always pretty fast, so I knew running was something I might want to pursue when I got older but I didn’t know much more than that. I remember my first training run going into my freshman year – one mile around the Dartmouth track! My parents also used to show me newspaper clippings from the cross country team when I was in elementary and middle school, so I always knew it was a great program and had heard it was a fun and successful team. Mr. Eakin of course had a great reputation around town as well. I remember being excited to come in as a freshman and I really wanted to do well and work hard, but the sport really tests you! At first I was shocked at how brutal races and workouts could be, and was so impressed and inspired by how all of the upperclassmen were acting like this was all perfectly normal.
Describe the Hanover XC running culture at that time. What motivated you to become such an accomplished runner?
I feel so lucky to have been a part of the Hanover XC team during a time when the running culture was so well established! Probably starting with runners like Russell Brown and Catherine Bryson, there was a real legacy of excellence established at HHS. By the time I joined the team so many talented runners and generally hardworking people comprised the team, that it was hard not be inspired. I had so many girls to look up to my freshman year, there was never any shortage of motivation. I felt that if you wanted to make varsity XC at Hanover, you just had to take it seriously and really go for it, and that’s what I tried to do. I knew I wasn’t a natural born cross country runner, middle distance was my strength, but XC became so important to me because it provided a strong base for track, and more importantly allowed me to experience being part of a really special team and program. While many runners took the program, training, and racing seriously, there was also a such a fun team element. The team was huge when I was around, there were so many traditions established, and it was all very inclusive – Mr. Eakin always somehow managed to include runners of all ability levels. You really felt like you were a part of something and like you mattered.
Describe your most memorable moment running cross country in high school. What did you learn from this experience?
Of course, being on the team that qualified to run at Nike Team Nationals in 2007 was an amazing experience. But it wasn’t just that one meet, it was the whole season, and the whole body of work and teamwork that it took to make that happen. The seven of us all really wanted the chance to try to qualify for nationals after winning New England’s and performing well at other big meets, and we were thankful Mr. Eakin supported us to go for it and was able to keep us healthy for a very extended season. I remember running that race at NTN in Oregon and just having no idea how were doing, even when we finished and for a while after, we were all just freezing and muddy and huddled together wrapped in space blankets. Then we found out that we placed up 4th in the nation and it was just such a surprise such a special moment! I think the whole 2007 season capped off with nationals taught me what it really means and feels like to be part of a super tight-knit team. The team was so deep and besides Georgia and Heidi consistently being 1-2 for us, runners 3-6 switched around a lot, so when one person had an off day, it was really cool to see how one of us was able to step up. Not only on varsity, but there were several other girls on the team at the time who could have run varsity if needed on any given day – there was a ton of depth and support.
Describe your least memorable experience running cross country in high school? What did you learn from this experience. Which experience (most memorable or least memorable) helped you the most? It does not have to be just from an athletic standpoint.
I would say my first ever XC race at Thetford was one I used to try to forget! I finished, but I walked up part of the “big hill” and felt super embarrassed about that. I remember thinking during that moment “this whole cross country thing is going to be way harder than I thought, I’m going to need to toughen up”. Again, I was shocked (and inspired) that all of these high school runners and my teammates were able to put themselves through the agony of racing! I had a somewhat traumatic experience running New England’s my freshman year as well which was also at Thetford. However, we ended up running the Thetford course for smaller early season races when I was a sophomore and junior, so I was able to acquire some really positive memories from that course too. We would run those races together as a pack and take turns leading, and that really helped me to face my fears and learn to enjoy running Thetford!
When and what did you usually eat before a race or a challenging workout?
I would eat my main meal about 2 ½ hours before a race. If I was home, it would be scrambled eggs whites (I used to hate yolks) and a whole grain English muffin, or some kind whole grain toast with almond butter and banana situation. Then I would have a little snack closer to the race, just a nibble of a brown rice cake with almond butter and honey. Pretty simple stuff. Post race was chocolate milk and pineapple to aid with recovery. For no special reason besides that the are my all time favorite, I would also almost always have a honey crisp apple on had post-race or pre-workout. I don’t eat gluten or much dairy these days, so my toast and chocolate milk would now probably be gluten-free and almond milk instead of cow’s milk J I would also probably go for a sweet potato or avocado toast now that my tastes have “matured” a bit. But you really can’t go wrong with banana and nut butter!
Did you have any health related issues that had a serious impact on your competing such as fatigue, sleep problems, eating disorders, performance anxiety, etc.?
I stayed very healthy throughout high school in terms of injuries and general health until track my senior year. Anemia, hypothyroidism, and other hormonal issues became big challenges for me around this time and I struggled to manage them in college. It was pretty easy to deal with health issues in high school with the support of family, coaches, and health professionals – people who really knew me well – but running in college presented itself with a whole bunch of new but related health issues as training, demands, and stress increased. I really had to learn a lot about my body, how it responds to certain types of training, how to take care of myself, and look out for myself on my own. This was the hardest thing to navigate because as a runner you are really in touch with your body, and at a certain point running in college I knew something was really off, but since it wasn’t an external injury, it was hard to understand, explain, and justify. I felt an immense amount of pressure both internally and externally to keep pushing myself, train harder, be tougher, be successful etc. and really ended up getting run into the ground physically, mentally, and emotionally. At that point I had to take a step back from the sport and get some perspective and regroup.
What were some of your favorite high school workouts and favorite places to run?
There are so many! I’m a big Pine Park fan. Mile repeats in Pine Park was always an intimidating workout (especially when Cardiac was included!) but left you feeling accomplished and confident for the upcoming races. I like workouts that give you something tangible to take away so you can remind yourself of your abilities and strength in moments of doubt before or during races. These types of workouts helped me to trust my training when the big races came around. I was also super lucky I had girls like Bridgette Black, Heidi Caldwell, Beth Taylor, Cate Brown, and Georgia Griffin and many others to run with because we were able to push and motivate each other just the right amount in workouts and races, while keeping things fun and light with lots of singing, laughing, and chatting about food J
Did you do any running during the summer to get in shape for fall cross country?
I followed Mr. Eakin’s training plan for rookies the summer before my freshman year, and then the veteran’s training program every summer after that and they both served me well! I always took the approach of fully trusting my coaches and followed their training plans very closely. I only really veered off the plan by adding more core work and a little bit of strength training on the side. I think I really benefited from the Hanover summer training because it gave me a solid base to start the season, but was in no way too much, or over-training. I personally do much better with lower mileage than many other XC runners, so for me it was just right, reasonable, but still required dedication. I think this approach saved some of us from burning out, something that Mr. Eakin was always smart about.
What else did you do to stay in shape during the season and inbetween seasons? Yoga? Nutrition? Weights? Resistance training? Cross training? Massage? Meditation?
I ran all three seasons at Hanover and in college as well. In high school I took a full 2 weeks totally off between seasons, and 3 or 4 weeks off after spring track to recover and reset. I stayed active but really made an effort to take it easy because it’s a long year of running. I wish I had known all the benefits of yoga and meditation in high school and would have incorporated it into my training and downtime as it’s something I am very into now. I’ve always been a big fan of sports massage and would get a deep tissue sports massage the Thursday before a Saturday race if I could swing it. I always included lots of foam rolling, ice baths, and deep stretching post-run. In terms of cross training did a lot of pool running when any little injuries came up or I was feeling run down – big aqua jogging fan! Knowing what I know now I probably would have followed a slightly different diet, but with the knowledge that was available to me at the time, I think I managed to do a decent job and tried to eat a plant-based anti-inflammatory diet.
Did you think racing at the challenging Derryfield Park for the divisional state championships was to your advantage or disadvantage? Do you think the pre race simulation in the gym the day before the Class meet help? Do you think it the simulation should have been used more often?
I think racing at Derryfield Park for Class I state championships was an advantage for Hanover. Running Manchester Invitational early in the season definitely helped prepare us for states as well. Being more of a track specialist and middle distance runner, as well as being quite tall, I have always preferred a flat course where you can really fly and settle into a quick pace. Running flat courses always felt more natural to me so I looked forward to races like Meet of Champs in Nashua where there wasn’t a hill to be found. That said, hills are pretty much unavoidable in Hanover, NH and Norwich, VT where we all did our training, so Derryfield was always a good test of both physical and mental strength and I think it made us all more well-rounded runners. The pre-race simulation with Mr. Eakin in the gym the day before states always got us all in the mood to compete at states. It was something I carried with me into track and life in general as it helped to calm nerves and anticipation anxiety. Setting aside a specific amount of time for simulations, visualizations, meditations, or simply just allowing yourself time to worry and go through everything that could possibly go right or wrong (just for an allotted period of time), and then truly allowing yourself to just let it go and not overthink your race until you’re at the starting line can be really helpful.
You went on to run at Boston College on a full athletic scholarship, describe the differences and similarities between high school and college cross country: training, competing, relationships with teammates/coaches, balancing running with college course work, etc.
I found running in college to be quite manageable in terms of balancing school work with training, and travel to races as long as I stayed on top of things. Hanover High prepares you well for a college workload. BC was great in that they have a really strong athletic program and treat their athletes very well, so they have a lot of support available for student-athletes in terms of academic resources that I took advantage of and found to be helpful. The team environment was very different than in high school and certainly required you to look out for yourself more. A lot of the girls on the team at BC were runners whose careers’ I had followed in high school, and found it very inspiring and humbling to train with teammates who I had looked up to for years. The training was definitely demanding and I found myself running high school PR’s in workouts right off the bat my freshman year!
What type of work are you involved in? Do you still run?
Yes, I still run! I took a big break and necessary break from running after college, but I’ve gotten back into it, particularly in the last year. In terms of work, I am in the wellness field and teach vinyasa and restorative yoga, I’m a board certified health coach, and a natural foods chef – I did all my training while I was living in NYC after college. This fall I am back in town and have been helping to coach the Hanover XC team which has been such a pleasure and a throwback! I am actually going back to nursing school this winter for a degree that will allow me to work with a functional medicine doctor as a nurse. Functional medicine is like integrative medicine, meaning it takes a systems approach (looking at all the systems of the body), where the focus is on finding the root cause of health issues rather than treating symptoms individually. As a patient you work with a team of health care professionals and treatment incorporates supplementation, nutrition, yoga, meditation, chiropractic care, and other self-care practices into treatment. It is a really cool and preventative approach, and the future of primary care, I think! I actually first discovered this type of medicine as a result of dealing with my health issues that were triggered by over-training, and it totally turned things around for me.
What effect did competing and training as a runner have on your life?
Running and training had such a positive impact on my high school experience, and also on my life. Hanover XC was the start of all of that and really helped shaped who I am today. Having running as an outlet in my life has been very meaningful because it’s there during tough times, joy filled times, and all those non-eventful times in between. Running is so familiar at this point that coming back to it always helps me to feel like myself, clear my head, and gain perspective. Training and racing over the years also really helped to occupy a part of my brain that likes to be focused on working toward a goal. Training and competition also taught me a lot about learning to trust and enjoy the process, to make sense of successes and failures, and to always step back and look at the bigger picture. At the end of the day it should be fun and enjoyable!
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
I would say, just try to enjoy the sport as much as you can! See if you can use it to help you practice setting goals, to learn to get comfortable being really uncomfortable, to learn to push yourself and then to trust yourself. I would also say try to take the opportunity to learn about your own unique mind and body and its strengths and weaknesses. And of course, the friendships and team aspect is such a huge part of the joy of the sport, so just try to be a good teammate, have empathy, support each other, be happy for other people’s success, because there is always room for everyone to succeed!
Chelsea Little
Hanover XC 2005
Interviewed by Jim Eakin
February, 2016
At the 2004 Hanover Cross Country banquet, I said that Chelsea Little reminded me of what sports writers said about the middle-weight boxing champion of the 50s and 60s, Sugar Robinson, as being pound for pound the greatest boxer of all-time. I said that when it came to all the ingredients that made a great cross country runner and teammate, Chelsea was the greatest of all the runners I had coached. Her dedication, loyalty, leadership, stamina, courage, talent, toughness, competitiveness, heart, along with all the other ingredients made her rise above the rest, because when tallying up those qualities, she was the best.
Starting as a 9th grader, Chelsea ran varsity throughout her high school career. She garnered just about every honor the program awarded: Rookie of the Year, Most Improved, Most Valuable (2X), Teachout (2X), Aley/Bryson, Captain (2X). She played a vital role in the girls winning two Class I State Championships, two runner-ups, and in her senior year (2004), the Hanover Girls were named #1 in New Hampshire and ended up #8 in the Northeast Regional (including New York). Her name was added to the Teachout Trophy after the 2004 cross country season.
Who or what got you interested in running high school cross country?
I grew up in Lyme and then went to Crossroads Academy for middle school. Hanover was going to be a big change for me. I had the idea that if I did a fall sport with a preseason, I’d get to know some people before school started. Unfortunately I had no background in soccer, field hockey, or other fall team sports. So I thought, well there’s no previous skill required to run, is there? I thought maybe I should try that since it was really my only option. I had never run for running’s sake before. When I heard that practices lasted two hours I got a little scared, but it all worked out.
Do you remember your first xc race and your last race? Compare and contrast them if you can.
My first race was the Mount Washington Invitational. I was in the JV race and I had no idea what to expect. What I mostly remember was that it was really hot, and the hill at the end was really big. It was fun to be part of the team and see how I did - it wasn’t just my first high school race, but I think my first running race of any kind ever! But mostly, I think I just enjoyed traveling with the team and hanging out with the other girls. They tried to point me in the right direction because I had no idea what was going on.
My last race was Foot Lockers, but we didn’t go as a team. I had thought maybe I was hot stuff but Foot Lockers proved that this was not the case. It was probably good that it knocked me down a peg though. I was pretty cocky at some point and for that, I apologize to my teammates.
My last team race, though, was New Englands my senior year. It was the very first year that Nike Team Nationals (now Nike Cross Nationals) was a thing. We had done so much better than expected all year, and we knew that we were a strong team. We really, really, really wanted to qualify for NTN’s, but coming out of New Hampshire - rightly or wrongly, we thought we should be higher on the ranking list than we were. So doing well at New Englands was what it was going to come down to, our last chance to get picked.
If you asked us afterwards, we’d have said that so many things went wrong at that race. A lot of us didn’t have our best races. It was really snowy and for some reason I had a terrible start. Bridgette Black really led the way for us and did what we all thought we all should have done - she was phenomenal! We were disappointed to finish fourth, but looking back on it I think we should have been a lot more proud of ourselves. My freshman year, we hadn’t even qualified for New Englands. To finish fourth there as a team would have been unimaginable. I can’t remember if I really stopped to savor that, or was just mad that we weren’t on the podium. I’m sure I was very dramatic about it.
That disappointment we all felt was a sort of tough way to end my senior season. It was cool to see the girls succeed so well the year(s) after I left, to actually follow through on those goals we had made in fall 2004 when we had more ideas than execution or talent.
What do you remember most about your first cross country season as a 9th grader? Do you remember your teammates?
Yes, of course! In terms of the racing, I couldn’t believe it when I was racing varsity at the Manchester Invitational a month after starting with the team. Looking back on it I don’t even know what I was doing out there - I didn’t have much concept of how to pace myself or anything. I think maybe I just tried to follow my teammates. In a way, that’s a good way to race, actually. I bet it made you and my teammates nervous to think of relying on me for anything though.
We were a very small team back then, which is part of the way that I ended up racing varsity. My wonderful teammates were a big part of the reason I stuck with cross country - after only a few weeks it was so obvious that this was a new thing that I loved. Rachel Clattenburg, Jenn Taylor, Catherine Bryson, Amelia Fisher, Marion Albert, and others. We were a great and fun team. There was some incredible talent and people who were really focused that taught me a lot about how to be an athlete. But at the same time, I think they did a good job of never being TOO focused to ruin the fun aspect. If you have a good group of people, even when it’s a small group it can be fantastic.
What were some of the highlights of running cross country at Hanover?
I will always remember high school cross country as the best athletic experience I’ve had in my life. Team was so important, and training was always fun. Mr. Eakin, you were the best coach anyone could ask for - I haven’t ever met a coach so perfectly suited for the athletes they are shepherding through. For a high school student to have you is like a godsend.
The training certainly prepared us to run fast, but it wasn’t too many miles and it was never tedious or repetitive. Each day was like a new adventure. Sometimes we didn’t even know what we would be doing until we arrived at practice, so there was never this sense of looming dread of a workout. I loved how you would break us up into groups and challenge us to run and race against each other, sometimes adding extra repeats at the end or just telling us to run up a hill on the golf course really fast. That kind of challenge is something I thrive on and I suspect others do as well. Plus it’s a fun thing to do as a team. So with all of that as a background, the results just came to us I guess. We had earned them without feeling like it was taxing. When we were at practice it as more like hanging out with your friends and happening to do some fast running.
In terms of results, we had some very satisfying races where we weren’t favorites. Winning is so much more fun when you’re not sure you are actually going to win, but then it happens and it is so exciting. Winning Class I Championships my sophomore year was totally special and amazing. We didn’t actually even have a full team - only six because Amelia had hurt her knee. That was literally our entire women’s team. Six people. Yet we came together and all improved and turned out to be the best after being disappointed the year before. The next year, we had graduated Catherine, Jenn, and Amelia, and I was so proud that we made a new team and finished sixth at Meet of Champs and qualified for New Englands. That wasn’t necessarily a logical next step for Hanover XC at that point.
My senior year was like a whirlwind. Winning Manchester and Meet of Champs? Again, that would have seemed crazy to say when I started with Hanover XC just a few years earlier. The girls on the team were really fast and that pushed me to a lot of PR’s… Bridgette in particular pushed me to a lot of PR’s! It took me some races to catch up with them and get back to near the front of the team. I think every race we were all pushing each other. Having such competition within the team always makes everyone much faster. You can achieve incredible things that way, and it’s not as difficult as trying to train your way up alone. Like I said above, you improve because you put in the work without realizing you’ve worked so hard.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park especially confronting the challenging terrain, weather conditions, competition.....
I loved Derryfield Park! I guess I must have had some bad races there, but I mostly remember the good ones. Because of the training we did, the hills were good for me, and those silly steeplechase hurdles broke up the effort a little bit. I think the most exciting thing was to come down off the hill and you could hear the loudspeaker coming across the field. After being on the hill where there were usually less spectators, in the field they would be lining the course and shouting. The adrenaline would just get going more and more as you ran down along the bottom of the field and then had to come all the way back. And then the finish was uphill, just to cap it all off, which I loved. In terms of race courses that got your competitive juices flowing, Derryfield Park had all the right ingredients.
How did you prepare for the cross country seasons during the summer?
Hmm well, to be honest, not that much! I had the calendar with the training plan but I don’t think I ever really followed it. Maybe more towards my senior year, but I can’t really remember. I grew up in Lyme riding horses, so in the summer I still really enjoyed riding my horse around town on the trails rather than running. I did run some, but I don’t think I managed to do the repeats in the program or anything. I think I would follow the strength part in the beginning of the summer, then drop off, then do some panic training at the end of the summer as pre-season approached…
What was your favorite high school xc workout? Where was your favorite place to run?
I think I liked a lot of the workouts. I liked running in Pine Park, and also on the golf course when we got to do hills. I didn’t really like Sachem or workouts where it was all long flat repeats. At least, that’s how I remember it. I’m sad to say that some of the specific workouts have been written over in my memory by Dartmouth workouts that happened in the same place and which usually left me depressed.
I really liked running in Mink Brook. That place still feels very special to me. It’s so cool that it’s really close to town, but it is really its own little pocket of quiet and nature. You can run around there quite a bit, or go up toward Sachem. I liked those runs. But not doing repeats once you got to Sachem!
What other activities did you partake in during high school?
I was a pretty serious student and enjoyed my classes. Between classes, homework, and sports, there wasn’t all that much time for other things. But I did help out with the Amnesty International club and Operation Days Work.
I played basketball my freshman year on the reserve team, but it was pretty clear that I didn’t have a promising career there! So on the advice of Amelia, Jenn, and Alice Nelson, I joined the cross-country ski team my sophomore year. I had a lot of fun on the ski team and improved a ton over the course of those three seasons. Skiing has grown into the sport that I really love, and I pursued it during and after college and still race recreationally. In terms of running, I eventually stopped track & field after my sophomore year because running in circles never seemed as fun to me as running cross-country. I like races where you go somewhere. I guess I need some extra things to hold my interest besides just the competition itself.
Did participating in cross country help you later in life?
Oh my gosh, yes. In the most obvious sense, it opened up the whole world of aerobic exercise to me! Whether it’s running or skiing or biking, endurance sports have become a central part of my life and the thing I’m most dedicated to doing in my spare time. I still try to get out five or six times a week, and the time that I’m outside running (or doing whatever else) is time that I have to myself to reflect, and to enjoy nature. Sometimes I have good ideas or solve problems while I’m out running. It’s really good for me emotionally and mentally. If I didn’t have that I guess I would have figured out some other way to take care of myself, but to be able to go out for a long run when I get frustrated with work or life has helped me so, so many times.
But other than the actual athletic part, running cross country turned me into a competitor, taught me how to work in a team, taught me how to lead (and how not to lead), and gave me so much mental toughness. Those are really profound things that help you in everything that you do. Some of them are things that you’d get in any sport, but there are things about individual endurance sports that are unique. It takes a special kind of focus and grit to run a muddy cross country race, one in terrible weather and tough terrain, and never give up. You taught us that, Mr. Eakin! Right now I’m doing research in academia, and that mental toughness and competitiveness come in really handy.
In multiple job interviews people have asked me about my athletic background. They ask it like it’s a negative thing, but then later they tell me they were just seeing what I would say because having someone who puts themselves through grueling endurance races is quite attractive - there are a lot of traits you might want in an employee that are displayed by, say, cross country runners.
After graduation, you went to Dartmouth and ran XC one year, but continued xc skiing. Did you miss running XC?
That’s a complicated question. I missed running high school cross country. What I realized when I got to Dartmouth was that college running was never going to measure up compared to my experiences from high school. For one thing, I just wasn’t a good enough athlete to run in Division I. But the team aspect wasn’t the same; the courses were mostly flat, which didn’t suit me; and I didn’t enjoy the training. At that point, the Dartmouth women’s team wasn’t very good (which was how I was allowed to be on it!). We had some very good runners of course, like Melanie Schorr who was an All-American, but as a team we did not have good results (the men did). Whereas in high school our team had so often exceeded expectations, in college it was just one discouraging result after another. I wasn’t getting faster.
It was just a totally different experience. I didn’t know how to run a certain pace, so when the workouts were to run on a track or on the road at a certain pace for a certain distance, it both caused me some anxiety to figure out how to pace myself, and also in a way robbed a lot of the joy from me. On the Hanover team we had never really used paces, you just gave us instructions about how we should feel and put us in groups that were conducive to achieving the planned workout. That was way more fun. I think it’s something I love about cross-country skiing actually - because snow conditions change, times are irrelevant from one day to the next, so your workouts are about how you feel (gauged by your heart rate probably). There’s not this pressure to time everything down to the second.
I actually ran two years of cross country there, but you can be totally forgiven for missing that because I was a terrible college runner. I didn’t miss it when I quit, but I did always miss this idea of our Hanover team.
It was a no brainer to stay on the ski team, which in many ways was like the Hanover cross country team transposed onto college skiing. By that I mean that it was fun, there was a huge focus on team, and because it had a development team component there were people of many different speeds all training together and supporting each other. There were some really incredible teammates who I was able to train with, and I learned so much from them and it made me faster. When I quit the running team and committed to training for skiing year-round, it was like a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Running had been such a big part of my life in high school that I think I felt I couldn’t give it up, that it was who I was. But I guess it wasn’t. I had a really wonderful four years with the ski team.
Describe what you are doing now and how you are staying in shape.
At the moment I live in Zurich, Switzerland, where I am working on a PhD in ecology. I’m about a year in and PhD’s only last three years here, so I should be moving back to North America in early 2018. I study how land use and the distribution of aquatic macroinvertebrates affects carbon processing in freshwater streams, for all the biology nerds out there. Before that, in my masters, I studied the effects of global change (climate, nutrients, etc) on alpine plants. In my work as a scientist I have been able to do fieldwork in some really amazing places including the Swiss Alps, subarctic Sweden, and Svalbard. I hope to have a career in ecology after I graduate.
I also work part-time as a journalist, mostly covering cross-country skiing and biathlon but also sports in general to some extent. I’m really interested in sports governance, sports science, and anti-doping efforts. Being in Switzerland has allowed me to delve deep into things like the way the International Olympic Committee selects hosts for the Olympics, as well as recent doping scandals in track and field. The FIFA headquarters are actually just up the hill from me and I go past there on most of my runs, but I haven’t tackled that scandal yet. I’m really passionate about anti-doping and being a scientist I can get into the nerdy details which is super interesting.
I try hard to stay in shape, but with my two jobs sometimes I get really busy. I have weeks where I “train” (maybe let’s just say exercise) every day, and weeks where I only get out once. I have still done some running races, including a marathon in France during my masters and a half marathon here in Zurich this summer. I’m hoping to do more trail running races next summer. After almost a year living here, I finally bought a road bike which expands my training options. I like running a lot, but I’d rather not do it every single time I want to exercise. Diversity is good. I’m hoping to bike some crazy mountain passes in the summer.
This winter I’m focusing on a national ski marathon series. I race every Sunday somewhere different in Switzerland, which is a great way to see the country. It’s also a great way to stay motivated to train, because the races won’t stop coming! It’s fun to see my shape start to come back a little bit, since this is the first time I have raced with any regularity since I “retired” in 2011. While I’m not as fast as I was before, it’s interesting to see how you can still push your body just as hard even if the time is slower. I’m really enjoying myself. I also recently won the Swiss University Games ski races because no other women showed up. It’s a extremely discouraging to see that women’s sports still have a long way to go here compared to the U.S.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
It’s hard for me to think of what to say here because the great thing about high school running is that people come from so many different backgrounds. Athletically, specific advice for someone like me who had never done an endurance sport before, compared to athletes coming from the soccer team, compared to someone who has been running or skiing or bike racing while growing up… those are all so different.
But the most important thing is to have fun. Try to enjoy yourself and your teammates. Find happiness in each day’s practice, even when it’s hard, and don’t stress out too much. I’ve learned that I race best when I’m happiest, so do what makes you happy in the rest of your life and let the coaches worry about the details (but, of course, do what they say…). The results will come.
Noah Williams
Hanover XC 2013
Interviewed by Jim Eakin
Sept. 2015
Dedicated, tough, resilient, respectful, appreciative, brave, a great runner and a person of great character; these are some of the adjectives that come to mind from people who know Noah. Noah is presently a junior at Williams College and a valuable member of its cross country team. Noah’s eye popping 16:12 at Derryfield Park places him #3 on the All-time Hanover XC list. He was a 3x Class I All-Star and because of his 6th place finish at the MOC (16:01) he earned the All-State All-Star team at the NH Cross Country Banquet. He was Hanover’s #1 and Most Valuable runner since his sophomore year. As well as being elected captain, he earned just about every cross country award given at the annual cross country banquets. He placed 49th at the highly competitive Northeast Footlocker Regional meet his senior year.
What prompted you to run cross country as a ninth grader? Had you competed in road racing before high school?
My mom got me hooked on running when I was in sixth grade, so I had competed in middle school cross country before joining the HHS team. I remember Coach Eakin and a group of upperclassmen visited the middle school in the spring of eighth grade to recruit some runners. They gave us a summer training packet and I took it very seriously all summer. That summer was the first time I trained hard and it really paid off once my freshman season started.
Describe your initial reaction to coming out for cross country? Were the practices difficult? Did you ever believe that you would wind up as one of the greatest of Hanover cross country runners?
Coach Eakin and the senior runners were quite intimidating at first. The workouts were faster than I had anticipated, but I adjusted pretty well. I figured out the workouts were all going to hurt, but they were also exciting since Eakin never had us do the same workout twice. Coach had me do some workouts with the best senior girl, Heidi Caldwell. So I began looking up to her and the top guy, Aaron Watanabe, as role models. Once I ran a few varsity races my confidence grew and I began falling in love with the sport. So I’m not sure if I thought I could ever reach Aaron’s level, but I knew I was going to work as hard as I possibly could to get there.
Did you write down any goals you wanted to reach as a distance runner?
I can’t remember any specific goals from early high school. I just knew I wanted to follow in the footsteps of great Hanover runners before me like Aaron, Russell Brown, Rolf Sonnerup, Nord Samuelson, Georgia Griffin, and Heidi Caldwell (to name a few).
Your self-motivation was remarkable, what made you so motivated to do so well?
This is a tough question. The only way I can explain my hard work in running is that I love it. Every few days I’ll be on an easy run and just get a feeling of pure happiness that I’ve never experienced doing anything else. Those moments along with the feeling of finishing a great race after working for months or years for it really keep me going as a runner. I hope to continue running for as long as my body will let me. A lot of virtues one develops as a runner can translate directly to being a better person in all facets of life. Obviously there are exceptions, but runners have been and will continue to be some of my favorite people.
What other activities did you partake in while in high school?
I played the trumpet in band and jazz band. But to be honest I’m the kind of person that focuses on just a few things, so running and schoolwork occupied most of my time in high school. I also skied cross country with Ford Sayre in the winter, which I think actually prevented me from getting injured running year round as a youngster.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Oh boy. That course brings back so many memories. Whether for the Manchester Invite or States, we were always training to race fast at Derryfield. The first mile was always quick because it was so flat, but that second mile was what separated the men from the boys for sure. Then there was that crazy downhill and the last 800m in the big field was super exciting because that’s where all the spectators cheered. I just remember it being so iconic. You had the big hill right after the mile mark, the steep ski hill way out on the loop, then that famous turn at the tree into the finishing straight. I’ll never forget racing at Derryfield.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My most memorable moment was probably my senior year states race. I was running to win at Derryfield and I gave it everything I had, running that second hilly mile way faster than I ever had before to stay with the leader. I ended up getting beat by just a few seconds, but I knew I had nothing left and he had beaten me fair and square. It was a very humbling moment because I’d been working toward winning that race since freshman year. But when I lost by a small margin I was totally ok with it because I knew I couldn’t have raced any better on that day.
My least memorable moment came three years earlier when I raced states as a freshman. I’d been dealing with some shin pain the whole week leading up to the race and Coach Eakin told me I really shouldn’t race that day but that the decision was still up to me. Being a freshman eager to “prove myself” to the upperclassmen who I looked up to so much, I decided to race. I ended up injuring my left foot pretty badly with about 1k to go, I finished way behind where I expected to, sat down to take my spikes off, and couldn’t stand back up. We had won the race as a team, but I wasn’t able to go up and get the trophy with them since I couldn’t walk. I was just so disappointed in myself for making the decision to race when I knew our eighth guy would probably have a better race. I think that injury made me realize how important it is to put your pride behind you for the good of the team.
What was your favorite high school workout?
The marker game was always a blast. But my favorite hard workout was certainly the “float-sting” workouts. They were basically just fartleks with cones to mark where to “sting” every minute or so. Eakin used the great Muhammad Ali quote “float like a butterfly sting like a bee” to explain how everyone should be feeling during the workout. Those kinds of explanations were what made Eakin such a great coach. He was likening a runner to a boxer. So we would run smooth and fast for the “floats”, then we’d hammer the “stings”. It was always a very tough workout that prepared us well for surges during a race.
Describe the transition from competing in high school to college.
College is a huge change in every aspect of your life, not only running. So the transition athletically can take a while, which was something I hadn’t anticipated. Since I’d always improved season-to-season in high school, I figured that trajectory would continue. But the transition to college running is both a jump in mileage and a jump in intensity. Then when you add a change in lifestyle (diet, sleep, etc.), it can catch you off guard. Freshman year I had a solid cross country season, but then I had a stretch of almost two months at the beginning of indoor training where I hadn’t felt good in a workout. I even started to feel extremely tired on hilly easy runs. Coach Farwell suggested I get my blood checked and it turned out I was anemic (very low ferretin and even hemoglobin levels in my blood). I thought I was just burning out, but it turned out to be a consequence of the higher volume of training during cross country and not having a full breakfast every morning. I immediately started taking iron twice a day and eating a big breakfast every morning. I had to cut my mileage way down and just accept that I was going to feel bad on every run. Within a month I was feeling much stronger and I ended up running a few competitive 10ks at the end of outdoor season. And once I realized I could handle more mileage, I just stayed consistent with it from season to season. The great thing about a sport like running is that the longer you can maintain a good aerobic base, the more benefits you will get from it.
What are your future career plans?
I’m majoring in Geology at Williams and I know I want to work in that field after college. I’d like to go to graduate school and maybe even get a PhD eventually, but I’ll probably take a few years after college to explore the world a bit. I’d love to live out in California and possibly work in environmental consulting, but these are more dreams than plans at this point. I’m headed to New Zealand for my spring semester this year to study geology, so I’m looking forward to that the most right now.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
This is something I was told as a freshman at Hanover that has stuck with me until now. Make sure running continues to be fun and continues to be something you’re passionate about. If you realize you’re just doing it to please someone else (your parents, coaches, friends, etc.) and training becomes a burden, stop running competitively. Find another passion and pursue that. Running is not for everyone, but if you really are passionate about the sport, work hard to be the best runner you can possibly be.
Hanover XC 2013
Interviewed by Jim Eakin
Sept. 2015
Dedicated, tough, resilient, respectful, appreciative, brave, a great runner and a person of great character; these are some of the adjectives that come to mind from people who know Noah. Noah is presently a junior at Williams College and a valuable member of its cross country team. Noah’s eye popping 16:12 at Derryfield Park places him #3 on the All-time Hanover XC list. He was a 3x Class I All-Star and because of his 6th place finish at the MOC (16:01) he earned the All-State All-Star team at the NH Cross Country Banquet. He was Hanover’s #1 and Most Valuable runner since his sophomore year. As well as being elected captain, he earned just about every cross country award given at the annual cross country banquets. He placed 49th at the highly competitive Northeast Footlocker Regional meet his senior year.
What prompted you to run cross country as a ninth grader? Had you competed in road racing before high school?
My mom got me hooked on running when I was in sixth grade, so I had competed in middle school cross country before joining the HHS team. I remember Coach Eakin and a group of upperclassmen visited the middle school in the spring of eighth grade to recruit some runners. They gave us a summer training packet and I took it very seriously all summer. That summer was the first time I trained hard and it really paid off once my freshman season started.
Describe your initial reaction to coming out for cross country? Were the practices difficult? Did you ever believe that you would wind up as one of the greatest of Hanover cross country runners?
Coach Eakin and the senior runners were quite intimidating at first. The workouts were faster than I had anticipated, but I adjusted pretty well. I figured out the workouts were all going to hurt, but they were also exciting since Eakin never had us do the same workout twice. Coach had me do some workouts with the best senior girl, Heidi Caldwell. So I began looking up to her and the top guy, Aaron Watanabe, as role models. Once I ran a few varsity races my confidence grew and I began falling in love with the sport. So I’m not sure if I thought I could ever reach Aaron’s level, but I knew I was going to work as hard as I possibly could to get there.
Did you write down any goals you wanted to reach as a distance runner?
I can’t remember any specific goals from early high school. I just knew I wanted to follow in the footsteps of great Hanover runners before me like Aaron, Russell Brown, Rolf Sonnerup, Nord Samuelson, Georgia Griffin, and Heidi Caldwell (to name a few).
Your self-motivation was remarkable, what made you so motivated to do so well?
This is a tough question. The only way I can explain my hard work in running is that I love it. Every few days I’ll be on an easy run and just get a feeling of pure happiness that I’ve never experienced doing anything else. Those moments along with the feeling of finishing a great race after working for months or years for it really keep me going as a runner. I hope to continue running for as long as my body will let me. A lot of virtues one develops as a runner can translate directly to being a better person in all facets of life. Obviously there are exceptions, but runners have been and will continue to be some of my favorite people.
What other activities did you partake in while in high school?
I played the trumpet in band and jazz band. But to be honest I’m the kind of person that focuses on just a few things, so running and schoolwork occupied most of my time in high school. I also skied cross country with Ford Sayre in the winter, which I think actually prevented me from getting injured running year round as a youngster.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Oh boy. That course brings back so many memories. Whether for the Manchester Invite or States, we were always training to race fast at Derryfield. The first mile was always quick because it was so flat, but that second mile was what separated the men from the boys for sure. Then there was that crazy downhill and the last 800m in the big field was super exciting because that’s where all the spectators cheered. I just remember it being so iconic. You had the big hill right after the mile mark, the steep ski hill way out on the loop, then that famous turn at the tree into the finishing straight. I’ll never forget racing at Derryfield.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My most memorable moment was probably my senior year states race. I was running to win at Derryfield and I gave it everything I had, running that second hilly mile way faster than I ever had before to stay with the leader. I ended up getting beat by just a few seconds, but I knew I had nothing left and he had beaten me fair and square. It was a very humbling moment because I’d been working toward winning that race since freshman year. But when I lost by a small margin I was totally ok with it because I knew I couldn’t have raced any better on that day.
My least memorable moment came three years earlier when I raced states as a freshman. I’d been dealing with some shin pain the whole week leading up to the race and Coach Eakin told me I really shouldn’t race that day but that the decision was still up to me. Being a freshman eager to “prove myself” to the upperclassmen who I looked up to so much, I decided to race. I ended up injuring my left foot pretty badly with about 1k to go, I finished way behind where I expected to, sat down to take my spikes off, and couldn’t stand back up. We had won the race as a team, but I wasn’t able to go up and get the trophy with them since I couldn’t walk. I was just so disappointed in myself for making the decision to race when I knew our eighth guy would probably have a better race. I think that injury made me realize how important it is to put your pride behind you for the good of the team.
What was your favorite high school workout?
The marker game was always a blast. But my favorite hard workout was certainly the “float-sting” workouts. They were basically just fartleks with cones to mark where to “sting” every minute or so. Eakin used the great Muhammad Ali quote “float like a butterfly sting like a bee” to explain how everyone should be feeling during the workout. Those kinds of explanations were what made Eakin such a great coach. He was likening a runner to a boxer. So we would run smooth and fast for the “floats”, then we’d hammer the “stings”. It was always a very tough workout that prepared us well for surges during a race.
Describe the transition from competing in high school to college.
College is a huge change in every aspect of your life, not only running. So the transition athletically can take a while, which was something I hadn’t anticipated. Since I’d always improved season-to-season in high school, I figured that trajectory would continue. But the transition to college running is both a jump in mileage and a jump in intensity. Then when you add a change in lifestyle (diet, sleep, etc.), it can catch you off guard. Freshman year I had a solid cross country season, but then I had a stretch of almost two months at the beginning of indoor training where I hadn’t felt good in a workout. I even started to feel extremely tired on hilly easy runs. Coach Farwell suggested I get my blood checked and it turned out I was anemic (very low ferretin and even hemoglobin levels in my blood). I thought I was just burning out, but it turned out to be a consequence of the higher volume of training during cross country and not having a full breakfast every morning. I immediately started taking iron twice a day and eating a big breakfast every morning. I had to cut my mileage way down and just accept that I was going to feel bad on every run. Within a month I was feeling much stronger and I ended up running a few competitive 10ks at the end of outdoor season. And once I realized I could handle more mileage, I just stayed consistent with it from season to season. The great thing about a sport like running is that the longer you can maintain a good aerobic base, the more benefits you will get from it.
What are your future career plans?
I’m majoring in Geology at Williams and I know I want to work in that field after college. I’d like to go to graduate school and maybe even get a PhD eventually, but I’ll probably take a few years after college to explore the world a bit. I’d love to live out in California and possibly work in environmental consulting, but these are more dreams than plans at this point. I’m headed to New Zealand for my spring semester this year to study geology, so I’m looking forward to that the most right now.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
This is something I was told as a freshman at Hanover that has stuck with me until now. Make sure running continues to be fun and continues to be something you’re passionate about. If you realize you’re just doing it to please someone else (your parents, coaches, friends, etc.) and training becomes a burden, stop running competitively. Find another passion and pursue that. Running is not for everyone, but if you really are passionate about the sport, work hard to be the best runner you can possibly be.
Rachel Clattenburg
Hanover XC ‘02
Interviewed by Jim Eakin
August 2015
Rachel was a four year varsity letter winner. During those four years she earned various awards: Rookie of the Year, Most Improved, Most Valuable, Sportsmanship, and the Teachout Trophy. Through her leadership, intelligence, humor, hard work, discipline, and racing accomplishments, Rachel played a vital role in the rebirth of Hanover XC excellence.
The ‘98 team (her 9th grade year) won only one race and finished 14th out of 17 teams at the Class I State Meet. However, The 2000 team (five girls competed) pulled out one of the biggest upsets ever by upending a heavily favored Kingswood team to win the Class I State Championship. Rachel played a vital role in the victory by being #3 runner for Hanover. Rachel was elected captain in both her junior and senior seasons in which those teams went undefeated during the regular meet schedule.
Rachel went on to Princeton where she briefly competed and then to law school. She is presently a lawyer for a non profit in Washington DC. Even with a busy schedule, Rachel has gotten back into training and racing and doing very well to put it mildly, she won the New Jersey Marathon last year breaking 3 hours and continues to do well. Rachel is truly a great role model as both scholar-athlete and a wonderful person.
Who or what got you interested in running high school cross country? My sister ran and said the coach was great. I decided to give it a try.
What do you remember most about your first cross country season as a 9th grader? Do you remember your teammates?Yes. Christine, Bridget, another Rachel, Lindsey. The guys team was pretty strong that year. The girls team had a lot of fun, but we weren’t good. Before the State meet, you took the guys and girls teams into the gym, separately, to discuss our goals. We decided that our goal was to not be last. We weren’t kidding. That was our goal. I can’t believe you let us have a goal like that, but I guess it’s because it was going to be a hard goal to reach.
For many reasons, winning the 2000 Class I (DII) state meet over Kingswood was one of the highlights of my coaching career, what do you remember?I remember waiting for the results to be finalized. I remember we were really surprised and super excited. I remember what their singlets looked like, because during the race we were focused on chasing down the girls in the green and white. We had a strong freshman crew that year, including Catherine, Amelia, and Jen.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.I used to get really nervous before races and just thinking about that course gives me butterflies. I think I could go back and run the course with no map-- I remember it very well. I dreaded that start up the wide grassy field with everyone jostling for position. There were those barriers to jump over on the big uphill. You always said to push it through the top of the hill, because we could drop the runners who slowed right at the top. I also remember that those races were big. Some of the girls on other teams would would make a scene when they crossed the finish line, nearly fainting, flailing their arms, or sobbing, all of this in the finishing chute. You told all the girls on our team you wouldn't tolerate that. I'm very glad you taught all of us to put things--especially running--in perspective.
How did you prepare for the cross country seasons during the summer?You gave us a calendar with hand-written workouts for each day of the summer. (By the way, in D.C., if you want that kind of coaching, it would cost you around $300/month.) My first year I got the easy plan. I was really excited the year you gave me the veterans plan. I did every workout on there, because I follow instructions to a fault. Except the squat jumps. I’m still terrible at those and I still dread doing them.
What was your favorite high school xc workout? Where was your favorite place to run? Pine Park for sure. I liked the workouts toward the end of the season, when the team was smaller, and we were all focused on one or two key races. I dreaded Sachem workouts. Everyone always talked about the infamous dunes, but I didn't think those were that bad. Sachem was bad.
What other activities did you partake in during high school?Indoor track, outdoor track. I tried tennis and cross-country skiing too, but I eventually switched to 3 seasons of running. Did I do any other activities? I can’t even remember.
Did participating in cross country help you later in life? Well I still love to run and in my workouts I still draw on things that you taught us: downhill running form, running hard after you crest a hill, breathing out of the side of your mouth on really windy days (we learned that at Derryfield park when it was very windy), that it’s normal to feel terrible on an easy run the day before a race, and, probably most useful of all — not to take any one workout or any one race too seriously. I think it was especially valuable to learn how to do deal with competition: the nerves, having teammates who beat you, having teammates you always lost to and then start beating, learning how to perform well under pressure. And on another note: You did an amazing job of not favoring the fastest runners. For instance, when we were leaving for big cross country meets, it didn't matter who was late, you didn't wait for them. We left Keith behind one time because he was late for the bus. I remember everyone was startled that you would leave without one of your best runners, but it also reaffirmed that you wouldn't pick favorites. (It also reaffirmed that we better be on time.) You paid attention to everyone on the team and you knew when someone had worked really hard, regardless of where they finished in the pack. By doing that, you made everyone run better. That has become a trait I look for in a coach (and a boss). It's hard to find.
You went to Princeton, but stopped running. Why? I thought I had to be doing 60 miles per week, which was a huge jump from what I’d been running in high school. I got stress fracture after stress fracture and was very stupid about healing those. I was a walk-on and even if I had been healthy, I don’t think I was fast enough to be on that team. Looking back, I’m really glad I gave it a try and I wish I hadn’t been so stupid, so that my trying could have lasted a little longer.
Describe your recent racing accomplishments? (DON’T BE MODEST)I won the 2014 New Jersey marathon, breaking 3 hours for the first time, and getting a 12 minute PR (2:57:56). This past spring I ran Ottawa in 2:56:53. Two weeks ago I ran the fastest road 5k I've done in recent memory, 18:11.
You have become quite an accomplished marathon runner in addition to being married and having a full-time job as an attorney. What does your “typical” day entail? I run before work everyday. On Tuesdays and Fridays I meet a training group for our hard workouts (intervals and tempo). On the other week days, I meet friends for easy runs. We have a big group that does long runs together on Sundays and then we meet for coffee after. If I didn’t have people to run with, I would skip a lot of runs, especially during the miserable summer running weather. My running companions are the greatest.I feel lucky to have this job — I get to do really interesting legal work at a public interest law firm, working with smart people who teach me a lot of things. During marathon training, I do an easy run or strength training after work.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners? Enjoy it. It is unlikely you will ever again have such a supportive team environment with excellent coaching and great competition. And unless you run in college, you will hardly ever get to do cross country running again. Also, it’s really sad that you don’t have Mr. Eakin as a coach, but I hear his son-in-law is pretty awesome!
Lucy Skinner
Hanover XC 2010
Interviewed by Jim Eakin (March 2015)
Lucy was the 2008 JV Champion as a 9th grader. She continued to improve late in the season culminating in running in the New England Championships and helping the Hanover girls' to a second place finish. She continued for the next three years to be in the top 5, thus playing a critical role in Hanover winning its 6th #1 NH ranking and other top team finishes. Her toughness and indomitable spirit twas exemplified by her overcoming pneumonia her junior year and still making the varsity. She was one of the few Hanover runners to be captain as a junior and senior. Her infectious smile, calm demeanor, and caring attitude made her a standout. Her time of 20:19 places her 30th on the Hanover All-time Derryfield Park Performance List. Lucy went on to Bowdoin College where she became their #1 runner and raced in the NCAA DIII Championships.
What got you interested in distance running?
I started distance running because my older brother joined the cross country team. I saw how much fun he was having, and said “I want to be part of that team”.
You have overcome many injuries and illnesses as a runner, but you continue to compete. What drives you to continue?
Running has helped me through many hardships. It has helped me cope with serious illness, to remember my strength, and escape from stressful realities. What drives me to continue is the sense of happiness and freedom that running brings to my life.
What was your least memorable moment running cross country in high school?
My senior year, we had a very stern talking to about our season performance. I think it was right before New Englands. I remember, we were on the field by the tennis center and you told us you were disappointed in us. After that, we all started crying and vowed to run our hearts out.
What was your most memorable moment running cross country in high school?
Senior year, when we won the Brown Invitational. We weren’t expecting to win, and I remember you told us you were proud of us, and we felt so excited and such a sense of team camaraderie.
I believe our placing 2nd at the DII State Meet was one of the great achievements and proudest moment of my coaching career. What do you remember of that day?
I think that was my freshman, or sophomore year. I remember feeling so lucky to be a part of such a successful team, to be running with people like Heidi, Grace, and Connie. And I also remember thinking, “we’ll get Coe-Brown next year”.
What was your favorite high school workout? Where was your favorite place to run?
My favorite high school workout was the “October workout” at Storrs Pond, which was also my favorite place to run. The “October workout” was when the season began to get serious, and I remember always wanting to run my best to show I was committed to the team. This was also when the foliage was at its peak, the leaves were a vibrant array of reds and yellow, and there was that fall scent in the crisp air.
Compare and contrast your running experience from Hanover High to Bowdoin College?
At both Hanover High and Bowdoin, running cross country has brought me structure, and a strong sense of community. The starkest difference, is the type of community. In High School, I think the running community was much farther reaching. We got to know parents, siblings, my parents befriended other parents, we had team dinners, neighbors and teachers read about us in the Valley news. In college, it feels like a much smaller community. Although our team is very close, that does not seep into our families, our teachers, our neighbors, like it did in high school.
Why were you so successful as a distance runner?
I think I was so successful as a distance runner because I don’t let it take over my life. Some people can get so consumed in running and competing that they forget the joy of it. It is important to have balance, and not to be overcome by the stress of performance.
What are your future plans after college? Has competing as a runner aided you in other avenues of life?
I am not sure yet what I will do after college, I am hoping to eventually go to medical school. I think competing as a runner has taught me discipline, the benefits of hard work, and the happiness and freedom of physical exercise and being outside. This has been valuable in academics, coping with stress and hardship, and it has helped me find balance in my life.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
My advice would be to always remember the joy of running. It is not something we “have to” do, it is something we “get to” do.
Hanover XC 2010
Interviewed by Jim Eakin (March 2015)
Lucy was the 2008 JV Champion as a 9th grader. She continued to improve late in the season culminating in running in the New England Championships and helping the Hanover girls' to a second place finish. She continued for the next three years to be in the top 5, thus playing a critical role in Hanover winning its 6th #1 NH ranking and other top team finishes. Her toughness and indomitable spirit twas exemplified by her overcoming pneumonia her junior year and still making the varsity. She was one of the few Hanover runners to be captain as a junior and senior. Her infectious smile, calm demeanor, and caring attitude made her a standout. Her time of 20:19 places her 30th on the Hanover All-time Derryfield Park Performance List. Lucy went on to Bowdoin College where she became their #1 runner and raced in the NCAA DIII Championships.
What got you interested in distance running?
I started distance running because my older brother joined the cross country team. I saw how much fun he was having, and said “I want to be part of that team”.
You have overcome many injuries and illnesses as a runner, but you continue to compete. What drives you to continue?
Running has helped me through many hardships. It has helped me cope with serious illness, to remember my strength, and escape from stressful realities. What drives me to continue is the sense of happiness and freedom that running brings to my life.
What was your least memorable moment running cross country in high school?
My senior year, we had a very stern talking to about our season performance. I think it was right before New Englands. I remember, we were on the field by the tennis center and you told us you were disappointed in us. After that, we all started crying and vowed to run our hearts out.
What was your most memorable moment running cross country in high school?
Senior year, when we won the Brown Invitational. We weren’t expecting to win, and I remember you told us you were proud of us, and we felt so excited and such a sense of team camaraderie.
I believe our placing 2nd at the DII State Meet was one of the great achievements and proudest moment of my coaching career. What do you remember of that day?
I think that was my freshman, or sophomore year. I remember feeling so lucky to be a part of such a successful team, to be running with people like Heidi, Grace, and Connie. And I also remember thinking, “we’ll get Coe-Brown next year”.
What was your favorite high school workout? Where was your favorite place to run?
My favorite high school workout was the “October workout” at Storrs Pond, which was also my favorite place to run. The “October workout” was when the season began to get serious, and I remember always wanting to run my best to show I was committed to the team. This was also when the foliage was at its peak, the leaves were a vibrant array of reds and yellow, and there was that fall scent in the crisp air.
Compare and contrast your running experience from Hanover High to Bowdoin College?
At both Hanover High and Bowdoin, running cross country has brought me structure, and a strong sense of community. The starkest difference, is the type of community. In High School, I think the running community was much farther reaching. We got to know parents, siblings, my parents befriended other parents, we had team dinners, neighbors and teachers read about us in the Valley news. In college, it feels like a much smaller community. Although our team is very close, that does not seep into our families, our teachers, our neighbors, like it did in high school.
Why were you so successful as a distance runner?
I think I was so successful as a distance runner because I don’t let it take over my life. Some people can get so consumed in running and competing that they forget the joy of it. It is important to have balance, and not to be overcome by the stress of performance.
What are your future plans after college? Has competing as a runner aided you in other avenues of life?
I am not sure yet what I will do after college, I am hoping to eventually go to medical school. I think competing as a runner has taught me discipline, the benefits of hard work, and the happiness and freedom of physical exercise and being outside. This has been valuable in academics, coping with stress and hardship, and it has helped me find balance in my life.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
My advice would be to always remember the joy of running. It is not something we “have to” do, it is something we “get to” do.
Nord Samuelson
Hanover XC 1983
Interviewed by Jim Eakin (January 2015)
I came to teach and coach cross country and track at Hanover in the fall of 1981. When I accepted the position as a Learning Specialist at the high school, I thought I was done with coaching, however, I was asked by the athletic director if I would consider coaching again because he had just fired the coach. I was not sure what I was getting into. You were a junior then, what was your reaction to having a new coach?
Before I respond to the first question, I want to let you know that I am extremely honored by being interviewed by you for the HHS program. I should be interviewing you. I was so fortunate to attend your retirement party and recall the many memories. Yet, you have little idea how much your mentorship and patience have helped me and countless others in our many life pursuits.
My reaction to a new coach. Hmmm. It was probably something along the lines of, “we are all set, we don’t really need a coach.” As you recall Tom Jennings was our winter and spring track coach at the time and was viewed with hero status. We had little confidence that anyone could add to what Tom was already doing with us. We were of course wrong. There were two things that I clearly recall that won us over. The first was the watermelon. It was clear that this new coach was going to try to with the hearts and minds … or at least the stomachs of the team. The second was the acknowledgement that we knew how to run hills (on the first run behind the Dartmouth Golf Course). Anything to feed our ego of this bunch was much appreciated.
What got you interested in distance running? Unlike most high school runners, I remember you were quite knowledgeable about track and running. In fact, I saw you as an additional coach as well #2 man of a state championship team. Where did that knowledge and interest derive from?
As my wife (All New England Runner in college) acknowledged early in our relationship, “you don’t really get accepted into the Samuelson family if you don’t run.” The rather funny thing is that I am really, at best, middle of the pack in our running family. We are a running family. My sister Jan started it all – AAU, High School, and College track star (middle distance – in the early days when women didn’t run long distances and people swallowed salt pills during practice), now a Track and Field coach at Duke and married to the Men’s Track and Field coach at Duke who was a great runner in his day. My brother Scott followed that act as a star pole vaulter in high school and college (and continues to coach high school vaulters) and married Joan Benoit Samuelson (Olympic Gold Medalist in the first Women’s Marathon, World Record Holder, etc., etc.). Then followed by my brother Thor who persevered through cross country and my sister Shawn the successful finisher of many marathons. Supporting the whole extended clan were my parents. My father was an avid track official and my mom an avid fan and volunteer. I went to countless Dartmouth meets when Rich Nichols, Danny Tagatak and Ray Blackwell were key to a national caliber mile relay. The Dartmouth Relays at Leverone Field House were an incredible highlight each year (starting when the track was wooden on top of a dirt floor) with the supreme highlight of Doc Meriwether running the dash (on the cover of Sports Illustrated that year) – I think his signature stayed on my bulletin board for over a decade until I went to college. We subscribed to Runner’s World, I received a copy of Track and Field News in my stocking for Christmas, my dad bought the Nike LDVs when they first came out, etc., etc.
Sounds great eh? But here is the reality. I was a couch potato as a child. I had every excuse in the book to avoid work or excess movement. By eighth grade my mom had had enough. She said I had to play a spring sport. Period. I was terrible at baseball so I decided to see if I could join the High School Track Team as an eighth grader. I was given the opportunity by the coach Bill Scott who made the highly erroneous assumption that I too would be a vaulter like my brother. I went along with the plan – gosh, what an event – jump a few times and hang out on huge soft mats the rest of the day. Strong appeal for a coach potato.
For some reason the facts that I basically failed the Presidential Physical Fitness Test (0 pull ups), was slow, and was (am) afraid of heights didn’t raise any warning flags in my head. It took one run down the runway. The jarring of the pole when it hit the box, the 2 foot lift (ok, 1 foot), and the rather unpleasant landing back on the runway quickly brought reality home. Five minutes later I started my career as a long distance runner and tasted my first success dueling Billy McGrath in a two mile time trial only to lose in the last 100 yards. I was, of course, greatly saddened to hear of Bill’s recent passing and hope he realized that if he was in better shape that spring I may not have stuck with it.
Winning the Class I State Championship in 1982 (1st state championship for Hanover XC) must have been a memorable moment. Do you remember the race and the conditions?
It is interesting. I really don’t remember the race. I remember the bus ride home and how we were commenting on why there really should be a welcoming committee and how we had as much to brag about as the soccer team. Oddly, it was rather quiet when we pulled up in front of school that evening. I also remember the awards ceremony and thinking how far we had come from those days when we spoke of the other teams as if they were invincible.
What was your least memorable moment running cross country in high school?
Cross country was challenging for me. I was (am) scrawny and never able to muscle my way through the hillier courses. And anything like a cold or a lack of sleep would turn a challenging run into an exercise in pain management. Yet, the one I remember most was an early season race at Storrs Pond. That course was brutal. I was battling anemia at the time and had little energy. I can’t tell you how much I struggled. There have been few things that I have done that have matched that level of physical pain and exhaustion. At the end when I finished far back in the pack, Coach Soderholm said, “whew Nord, rough day today eh?” The understatement of my running career.
Your teammate , Rolf Sonnerup, credits his success to you. Describe your relationship with Rolf and other members of the cross country team.
Rolf. Where to begin. When I look at my children grow up, I wish for them to have a friend like Rolf. I was so incredibly blessed to have a group of friends who thought Saturday night adventures meant sneaking into Leverone to play Frisbee. Unfortunately it doesn’t always happen.
I was as close to Rolf as any socially awkward male teenager could be. I was close to Rolf and so many of my teammates. It is interesting because all I remember of all the challenging workouts are the jokes, the nicknames (not appropriate for all ages), the stories, the pranks. We were successful because it was fun and we were close friends.
We had amazing fun and created deep lasting relationships – without drugs, without alcohol, without Facebook … there may just be a lesson there.
As for Rolf himself, I assume by now my children assume he is a Marvel Super Hero. He was brilliantly talented but worked tirelessly to realize his full potential. His wild success was only topped by his incredible modesty. I assume many of his classmates had no clue how amazing he truly was as an athlete and is as a person.
What was your favorite high school workout?
10 x 400m – alternating with Rolf. Favorite and least favorite. There was a huge pit in my stomach before I started that workout. It was brilliant – the faster you ran, the less rest your teammate got, the slower he would run, the more rest you would get. Sick eh?
I think you told me you ran a marathon as a high school sophomore. Describe the experience. Do you recommend doing something like that for high school runners?
Hah – Right. It was winter break from school and there was no snow. There was little to do except chores. Referring to the earlier question … I will do basically anything to get out of work. I figured the longer I was gone the fewer chores I would have to do. This led me to the plan to run the Dartmouth Medical School Marathon course. I strapped on my racing shoes, put on my sweatpants and running jacket and ran the course – slightly more than 26 miles since I had to run to and from home. And it helped being the fifth child, hair-brained schemes rarely got questioned. This was one of many silly endurance outings – including a 40 mile canoe paddle that Rolf and I did in a day or a 60 mile bike ride Rolf and I did with Trey Gannon and Dave Weider … after a race, the 30 mile run I did for charity, etc., etc.
I would strongly recommend against anything as ridiculous as those endeavors. If you want to exercise for a long time – go on a hike, play lots of frisbee, etc.
Compare and contrast your running experience from Hanover High to Bowdoin College? Do you still run?
There are a number of similarities. The team was very close and I have made lifelong friends. My world revolved around it. We were both terrible freshman year.
And there are a number of differences including the fact that my college team stayed terrible until after I left … and now they are generally amazing – including my wife’s team who won everything they could and sent a number of runners to nationals.
Yet, I think the two most important differences were coaching and focus. You, Tom, and Cindi are amazing. Amazing coaches and amazing people. I didn’t realize that until I met good coaches (versus amazing). My college coaches were very good but they didn’t compare to you three. I am not saying that to be nice, I am saying that because it was a clear and somewhat shocking difference. The second difference is focus. College was / is incredibly demanding … and many times in a very good way. I loved my studies, professors, friends, etc. at Bowdoin. I would regularly get little sleep when study groups dissolved into social gatherings … and running would suffer. It was much harder to manage that balance in college. I really didn’t figure it out until I got injured my junior year.
I still run – mostly recently ran a marathon in Buenos Aires this fall. I ran a lot after college – continuing to run under my college coach Bob Sevene. I had enough success to keep me hungry and committed. My level of commitment went way down when I got married and had four children … an important and wildly enjoyable reset of priorities.
Why were you so successful as a distance runner?
This is really a matter of perspective. As I mentioned I am pretty much middle of the pack when I sit around the Thanksgiving table. My success, as I view it, is being satisfied that I have run somewhat close to my potential. And think that is what we all hope for. I would owe that success to genetics (all of us who have enjoyed running success have to concede we have been helped by genetics), commitment to training and being a wee bit competitive.
What are you presently doing as a career? Did competing as a runner aid you in pursing your career?
I currently work for a global consulting firm and run the analytics group (using those geeky math skills taught by Mr. Howell, Mr. Cogswell, Mr. Norman, and Ms. Ells). Yet, if anyone knows of a different career that can put four children through college and doesn’t require me to travel, please let me know!
I would say that running provided me the discipline and endurance to deal with a career, family, etc.
Yet, more importantly, running has been a godsend for me to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. I don’t run to win anymore. I run to gain balance and remind myself of what is truly important. I know I would be a lot less pleasant to live with and work with if I did not run.
And finally and most importantly, I met my wife through running. I would happily run all those miles again if only to meet my wife. The only other way I would have met her is if she got lost and ended up in the Math Library or if I got lost and found myself in the Classics department (sorry Ms Bognolo I didn’t maintain my Latin scholarship)
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners? How much were you involved with your children's running or sports in general.
Two things. Seasons are won or lost in the offseason. Preparing yourself to run (weights, yoga, mental visualization, diet, sleep, etc.) is as important as the running itself.
Whew boy, this last question is a good one. To admit it, we named our fourth child after Kipchoge Keino – a pioneer of the Kenyan running boom and unbelievable generous person.
From my children’s perspective, they tolerate my involvement in their sports but find that I am way too into it. I am happy when they find joy in a sport I have no clue about: ultimate Frisbee, soccer, or crew. It allows me to back off and enjoy the fact that they are enjoying friends in the same way I did.
Hanover XC 1983
Interviewed by Jim Eakin (January 2015)
I came to teach and coach cross country and track at Hanover in the fall of 1981. When I accepted the position as a Learning Specialist at the high school, I thought I was done with coaching, however, I was asked by the athletic director if I would consider coaching again because he had just fired the coach. I was not sure what I was getting into. You were a junior then, what was your reaction to having a new coach?
Before I respond to the first question, I want to let you know that I am extremely honored by being interviewed by you for the HHS program. I should be interviewing you. I was so fortunate to attend your retirement party and recall the many memories. Yet, you have little idea how much your mentorship and patience have helped me and countless others in our many life pursuits.
My reaction to a new coach. Hmmm. It was probably something along the lines of, “we are all set, we don’t really need a coach.” As you recall Tom Jennings was our winter and spring track coach at the time and was viewed with hero status. We had little confidence that anyone could add to what Tom was already doing with us. We were of course wrong. There were two things that I clearly recall that won us over. The first was the watermelon. It was clear that this new coach was going to try to with the hearts and minds … or at least the stomachs of the team. The second was the acknowledgement that we knew how to run hills (on the first run behind the Dartmouth Golf Course). Anything to feed our ego of this bunch was much appreciated.
What got you interested in distance running? Unlike most high school runners, I remember you were quite knowledgeable about track and running. In fact, I saw you as an additional coach as well #2 man of a state championship team. Where did that knowledge and interest derive from?
As my wife (All New England Runner in college) acknowledged early in our relationship, “you don’t really get accepted into the Samuelson family if you don’t run.” The rather funny thing is that I am really, at best, middle of the pack in our running family. We are a running family. My sister Jan started it all – AAU, High School, and College track star (middle distance – in the early days when women didn’t run long distances and people swallowed salt pills during practice), now a Track and Field coach at Duke and married to the Men’s Track and Field coach at Duke who was a great runner in his day. My brother Scott followed that act as a star pole vaulter in high school and college (and continues to coach high school vaulters) and married Joan Benoit Samuelson (Olympic Gold Medalist in the first Women’s Marathon, World Record Holder, etc., etc.). Then followed by my brother Thor who persevered through cross country and my sister Shawn the successful finisher of many marathons. Supporting the whole extended clan were my parents. My father was an avid track official and my mom an avid fan and volunteer. I went to countless Dartmouth meets when Rich Nichols, Danny Tagatak and Ray Blackwell were key to a national caliber mile relay. The Dartmouth Relays at Leverone Field House were an incredible highlight each year (starting when the track was wooden on top of a dirt floor) with the supreme highlight of Doc Meriwether running the dash (on the cover of Sports Illustrated that year) – I think his signature stayed on my bulletin board for over a decade until I went to college. We subscribed to Runner’s World, I received a copy of Track and Field News in my stocking for Christmas, my dad bought the Nike LDVs when they first came out, etc., etc.
Sounds great eh? But here is the reality. I was a couch potato as a child. I had every excuse in the book to avoid work or excess movement. By eighth grade my mom had had enough. She said I had to play a spring sport. Period. I was terrible at baseball so I decided to see if I could join the High School Track Team as an eighth grader. I was given the opportunity by the coach Bill Scott who made the highly erroneous assumption that I too would be a vaulter like my brother. I went along with the plan – gosh, what an event – jump a few times and hang out on huge soft mats the rest of the day. Strong appeal for a coach potato.
For some reason the facts that I basically failed the Presidential Physical Fitness Test (0 pull ups), was slow, and was (am) afraid of heights didn’t raise any warning flags in my head. It took one run down the runway. The jarring of the pole when it hit the box, the 2 foot lift (ok, 1 foot), and the rather unpleasant landing back on the runway quickly brought reality home. Five minutes later I started my career as a long distance runner and tasted my first success dueling Billy McGrath in a two mile time trial only to lose in the last 100 yards. I was, of course, greatly saddened to hear of Bill’s recent passing and hope he realized that if he was in better shape that spring I may not have stuck with it.
Winning the Class I State Championship in 1982 (1st state championship for Hanover XC) must have been a memorable moment. Do you remember the race and the conditions?
It is interesting. I really don’t remember the race. I remember the bus ride home and how we were commenting on why there really should be a welcoming committee and how we had as much to brag about as the soccer team. Oddly, it was rather quiet when we pulled up in front of school that evening. I also remember the awards ceremony and thinking how far we had come from those days when we spoke of the other teams as if they were invincible.
What was your least memorable moment running cross country in high school?
Cross country was challenging for me. I was (am) scrawny and never able to muscle my way through the hillier courses. And anything like a cold or a lack of sleep would turn a challenging run into an exercise in pain management. Yet, the one I remember most was an early season race at Storrs Pond. That course was brutal. I was battling anemia at the time and had little energy. I can’t tell you how much I struggled. There have been few things that I have done that have matched that level of physical pain and exhaustion. At the end when I finished far back in the pack, Coach Soderholm said, “whew Nord, rough day today eh?” The understatement of my running career.
Your teammate , Rolf Sonnerup, credits his success to you. Describe your relationship with Rolf and other members of the cross country team.
Rolf. Where to begin. When I look at my children grow up, I wish for them to have a friend like Rolf. I was so incredibly blessed to have a group of friends who thought Saturday night adventures meant sneaking into Leverone to play Frisbee. Unfortunately it doesn’t always happen.
I was as close to Rolf as any socially awkward male teenager could be. I was close to Rolf and so many of my teammates. It is interesting because all I remember of all the challenging workouts are the jokes, the nicknames (not appropriate for all ages), the stories, the pranks. We were successful because it was fun and we were close friends.
We had amazing fun and created deep lasting relationships – without drugs, without alcohol, without Facebook … there may just be a lesson there.
As for Rolf himself, I assume by now my children assume he is a Marvel Super Hero. He was brilliantly talented but worked tirelessly to realize his full potential. His wild success was only topped by his incredible modesty. I assume many of his classmates had no clue how amazing he truly was as an athlete and is as a person.
What was your favorite high school workout?
10 x 400m – alternating with Rolf. Favorite and least favorite. There was a huge pit in my stomach before I started that workout. It was brilliant – the faster you ran, the less rest your teammate got, the slower he would run, the more rest you would get. Sick eh?
I think you told me you ran a marathon as a high school sophomore. Describe the experience. Do you recommend doing something like that for high school runners?
Hah – Right. It was winter break from school and there was no snow. There was little to do except chores. Referring to the earlier question … I will do basically anything to get out of work. I figured the longer I was gone the fewer chores I would have to do. This led me to the plan to run the Dartmouth Medical School Marathon course. I strapped on my racing shoes, put on my sweatpants and running jacket and ran the course – slightly more than 26 miles since I had to run to and from home. And it helped being the fifth child, hair-brained schemes rarely got questioned. This was one of many silly endurance outings – including a 40 mile canoe paddle that Rolf and I did in a day or a 60 mile bike ride Rolf and I did with Trey Gannon and Dave Weider … after a race, the 30 mile run I did for charity, etc., etc.
I would strongly recommend against anything as ridiculous as those endeavors. If you want to exercise for a long time – go on a hike, play lots of frisbee, etc.
Compare and contrast your running experience from Hanover High to Bowdoin College? Do you still run?
There are a number of similarities. The team was very close and I have made lifelong friends. My world revolved around it. We were both terrible freshman year.
And there are a number of differences including the fact that my college team stayed terrible until after I left … and now they are generally amazing – including my wife’s team who won everything they could and sent a number of runners to nationals.
Yet, I think the two most important differences were coaching and focus. You, Tom, and Cindi are amazing. Amazing coaches and amazing people. I didn’t realize that until I met good coaches (versus amazing). My college coaches were very good but they didn’t compare to you three. I am not saying that to be nice, I am saying that because it was a clear and somewhat shocking difference. The second difference is focus. College was / is incredibly demanding … and many times in a very good way. I loved my studies, professors, friends, etc. at Bowdoin. I would regularly get little sleep when study groups dissolved into social gatherings … and running would suffer. It was much harder to manage that balance in college. I really didn’t figure it out until I got injured my junior year.
I still run – mostly recently ran a marathon in Buenos Aires this fall. I ran a lot after college – continuing to run under my college coach Bob Sevene. I had enough success to keep me hungry and committed. My level of commitment went way down when I got married and had four children … an important and wildly enjoyable reset of priorities.
Why were you so successful as a distance runner?
This is really a matter of perspective. As I mentioned I am pretty much middle of the pack when I sit around the Thanksgiving table. My success, as I view it, is being satisfied that I have run somewhat close to my potential. And think that is what we all hope for. I would owe that success to genetics (all of us who have enjoyed running success have to concede we have been helped by genetics), commitment to training and being a wee bit competitive.
What are you presently doing as a career? Did competing as a runner aid you in pursing your career?
I currently work for a global consulting firm and run the analytics group (using those geeky math skills taught by Mr. Howell, Mr. Cogswell, Mr. Norman, and Ms. Ells). Yet, if anyone knows of a different career that can put four children through college and doesn’t require me to travel, please let me know!
I would say that running provided me the discipline and endurance to deal with a career, family, etc.
Yet, more importantly, running has been a godsend for me to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. I don’t run to win anymore. I run to gain balance and remind myself of what is truly important. I know I would be a lot less pleasant to live with and work with if I did not run.
And finally and most importantly, I met my wife through running. I would happily run all those miles again if only to meet my wife. The only other way I would have met her is if she got lost and ended up in the Math Library or if I got lost and found myself in the Classics department (sorry Ms Bognolo I didn’t maintain my Latin scholarship)
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners? How much were you involved with your children's running or sports in general.
Two things. Seasons are won or lost in the offseason. Preparing yourself to run (weights, yoga, mental visualization, diet, sleep, etc.) is as important as the running itself.
Whew boy, this last question is a good one. To admit it, we named our fourth child after Kipchoge Keino – a pioneer of the Kenyan running boom and unbelievable generous person.
From my children’s perspective, they tolerate my involvement in their sports but find that I am way too into it. I am happy when they find joy in a sport I have no clue about: ultimate Frisbee, soccer, or crew. It allows me to back off and enjoy the fact that they are enjoying friends in the same way I did.
Rolf Sonnerup
Hanover XC 1983
Interviewed by retired Hanover XC Coach (1981-2012) Jim Eakin (12/31/2014)
Rolf was the first big time runner that Hanover cross country later became known for. Rolf was not only dominant his senior year at the conference level (CVC Champion), but went on to win both the Class I and and Meet of Champions title, as well as placing 3rd at the New England Championships. His time of 16:09 at Derryfield Park still ranks 2nd (tied with Russell Brown) on the All-time Derryfield times for Hanover runners. He, along with his training partner and friend, Nord Samuelson, played a vital role in Hanover High School winning its first Class I State Championship in 1982. When it came to dedication, consistency, training, toughness, humility, humor, and strength, Rolf set the standard for future Hanover harriers.
His track accomplishments were also impressive, culminating in a New England 1600 meter title. His personal track bests were: 9:16.2 (3200), 4:13.64 (mile), 1:56.8 (800), and 52.2 (400). Rolf went on to Princeton University, but unfortunately his college career was cut short by a knee injury. Because of his record, The Sonnerup Trophy was named after him and presented to the top male Hanover runner at the annual end-of-season cross country banquet.
In 1993, Rolf faced his biggest challenge when he was involved in a climbing accident suffering a severed leg.
I came to teach and coach cross country and track at Hanover in the fall of 1981. When I accepted the position as a Learning Specialist at the high school, I thought I was done with coaching, however, I was asked by the athletic director if I would consider coaching again because he had just fired the coach. I was not sure what I was getting into. You were a junior then, what was your reaction to having a new coach?
I had taken the Class-I 3200 meter title in the spring, and Bill McGrath and Nord Samuelson organized training in August, so I wasn’t too worried. Probably my ego was already out of control. We were ready for you because the Hanover XC culture was changing from party sport to something more serious. By “we” I mean Nord and Billy, and Derek Eaton the year before – they were the real leaders. My contribution, I suppose, was helping bury the team’s partier reputation. Partiers have friends, charisma, girlfriends, and the like. Hard to associate me with any of those.
I remember vividly the bus ride home from the 1981 state (I) meet. We had placed, I think, three guys in the top ten, and yet failed to win the team title. You chewed us out for at least 10 minutes. That was new.
I like the grittier aspects of training and racing and I appreciated your willingness to bust my chops. A lot of coaches would’ve handled me like a prima donna but I wasn’t getting any free passes. You (and Tom Jennings: head track coach/ass't cross country coach) kept reminding me that I wasn’t faster than the other guys, I was less slow. Plus, I always had that one guy at practice that could kick my butt. I knew it.
What are you presently doing as a career? Did competing as a runner aid you in pursing your career?
I’m an oceanographer/climate scientist. I learned how to take myself and my activities seriously in track/XC, and I never would’ve gotten into any of the colleges I applied to without my running. Not a chance.
I never spoke to you about your climbing accident. If you wish, would you like to briefly describe what happened and the impact it has had on you?
That was devastating. I’m glad we’re not doing this in person. We were on an overhanging face when a good-sized rock broke loose above me. I just couldn’t get out of the way. The leg was one thing, I was helpless there with a collapsed lung and crushed shoulder, and somehow my left arm and other leg were trashed as well. Thankfully, my right hand was working. With coaching, I was able to lower my clear-thinking friend and he quickly arranged a rescue. That was a lonely time up there, waiting and wondering. I spent about six weeks mostly unconscious in an ICU, surgeries all over, and another 6 months in and out of rehab. What followed were some dark days. I’m amazed and grateful that my wife, friends, and family stuck with me. I lost touch with almost everybody during that time. It was just too much.
After about a decade feeling sorry for myself (and kayaking), I discovered that I can cross country ski with very little handicap. Some buddies urged me to enter a race with them…”c’mon Rolf, we’ll help you!” “Help me? You guys are totaled,” was my thinking. I crushed ‘em (by a little), but I made a great discovery: Training and prepping for a race, giving it your all, and finishing in the middle of the pack yields exactly the same feeling you get when doing the same, but winning by a ton. I do as much XC skiing as I can, and “race” from time to time. I cycle a fair amount, and can hike a bit. I have loved being outside as long as I can remember so getting that back was a treasure.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
I don’t remember anything unique about it, although my both my highs/lows were at that venue. Our ragtag little band, we were usually amazed to have made it that far.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
Junior year, all year, was a highlight for me. Nobody expected much, so it was easy to be happy. And hey, we finally won states in 1982.
A great memory for me was the Class I meet my junior year - 1981. Jim’s first year coaching. It was the only race I won that season. The last week of summer vacation I had badly sprained my ankle playing ultimate frisbee. Jim had me train by cycling: We would tape my ankle and I would go out alone and hammer. I really liked that. Towards the end of the season, like at CVCs, I ran, taped, as Hanover’s #5 – the most important guy on the team, after all. I did what I could. At state I knew we had a chance of doing well, and this being the last race of the year and all, I decided to skip the tape: Nothing to lose. I figured I’d score okay if I watched my footing and could keep Billy (McGrath) in sight for at least a little while. Managed to keep in touch and I remember coming out of the woods, maybe about a mile to go, and you (Jim) waiting there with the first racing advice I ever got from you: “ah Rolf, just TAKE this thing”. I suppose you were joking – I had no business running with those guys – but I had this 16 yr old boy’s brain and I loved going to the basement, as they say. Managed to eke it out and FINALLY put a full year of razzing to rest: In my least memorable moment, I had banged up my shin the night before the 1980 state meet (again, playing frisbee) and let the team down badly. Some of the guys were still pretty sore about that. I managed to hang on to the disc both times, by the way.
You were close to more than several teammates from the cross country team. Can you describe some of those friendships and how they helped you succeed?
Nord Samuelson (later became brother-in- law to Olympic Champion Joan Benoit Samuleson) convinced me to come out for track in the spring of freshman year. Growing up, Nord and I had run in different circles – good/bad grades never/usually in trouble, respectively. My sisters had been great runners at HHS, so I suppose he was working me as part of his not-so-secret plan to turn Hanover into an XC/track powerhouse. I goofed around at practice, and at meets Nord and I would try to qualify for the Class-I 3200m. In the end we both made it, barely, and our results showed just how barely. He and I took 1st and 2nd in that event our senior year. That was my proudest moment at Hanover High. We had come a long way.
Sophomore year I went out for XC. I would try to run out near the front with (Senior) Derek Eaton and (Junior) Bill McGrath. Sometimes I’d keep up, sometimes I’d blow up. I didn’t take the workouts all that seriously, I just liked tearing around in the hills around Hanover after school, BSing with the guys. Plus, all the cross country girls were super smart and so pretty. Everybody knows that.
This was the first time in my life I’d been noticeably good at anything. Even though it’s such a simple little thing - when the gun goes off, run hard until somebody tells you you can stop – running success affected me academically and socially. Most of the guys were good students, and all of a sudden I had these coaches, parents, and even teachers taking me seriously, expecting me to do well. I was just an insecure kid, jumping the bars people put in front of me.
I owe a lot of my personal resources to having great training partners and academic examples in high school. In those days it seemed like everything Nord Samuelson touched turned to gold. It worked on me.
What was your favorite high school workout?
Intervals, man. Bring ‘em.
At HHS my favorite was a two-person 20x400. You run a 400, hand off, and rest while your partner runs his. Repeat until you’ve each run 10. The thing is, the faster you run, the less rest your partner gets, slowing him down, so you get more rest. Those built in incentives make you run every interval hard.
Why were you so successful as a distance runner?
Well, I wasn’t really. I think I ended up ranked something like 6th and 16th nationally in the indoor/outdoor mile that year, and was really not mentally disciplined enough to run 5000m competently, at least in high school. I will say that after the first year or two, when I only tried hard at meets, I went after it at our workouts. My mom is tougher’n tough, and my dad is an eternal optimist so I’ll credit my parents on that one.
Did you do anything different than the rest of your competitors? I do remember we would lift free weights 2 or 3x a week in the Duke's Weight Room. Did that help?
In those days people talked a lot about hundred-mile weeks. We didn’t do any of that. Maybe 30-40 for me? We focussed on quality, intervals, and weight training. When I started I could run all day and not run out of air, but I couldn’t run a 220 under 30 seconds. Informally, Andy Gamble (later, Lebanon HS track coach), Van Preston, Nord, Eric Stewart, Scott Eaton and I got busy with weights. Andy and Van, football players with actual muscles, were a couple of good natured guys willing to tolerate and advise a few scrawny runners. So yes, the weights helped. That said, we turned a distance runner into a miler with that regimen. I kind of faked it through cross country.
When you first started to compete in high school, you could not break 30 seconds in the 200. Besides maturing, what helped you get faster, because you were known for a great finish? In fact, if I recall, you waited too long at the New Englands to start your "kick"!!
I have two theories on my finishing speed: Intervals, and, umm, maybe I was a sandbagger. You could say I did the bare minimum every week. I never, ever, paid attention to my pace over the first couple of miles, following a two step strategy: Keep the leaders in sight, then serve lights out. I would encourage myself “okay, half mile to go, that’ll take two minutes (not kidding), and I can take anything for two minutes.” The problem with this strategy is you never end up going any faster than the next guy, minus a couple of seconds.
In track senior year I skipped New Englands and raced outside of the region. I had zero kick in those races where I had to run honestly end-to-end. So I guess there’s your answer. Ahem. Intervals: that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Speaking of the competition/competitors. Do you remember if you did anything to prepare for those championship races? Did you employ any strategy to best the likes of Dan Godin/Londonderry, Pat Piper/Hopkinton, Monty Davis/FM, Scott Clark/Gilford and of course Billy or did you not worry much about the competition?
Strategy? I just got nervous. Sophomore year there was Dave Westover (Stevens) and Rob Edson (Keene), but they were so much stronger it was ridiculous. I floated through XC junior year, happy to be running again. I might’ve done okay at New Englands – You and Billy were very happy afterwards, I remember that. Facing a few weeks off from me, probably that was why. By the end of track that year I was on my own, so I didn’t think much about it. In those pre-Internet days it was easy to be oblivious.
New Englands. Simple strategy, yet I forgot step one. I think I was in like 35th with half a mile to go. Pat Piper, who prevailed, would count as a rival. I had treated Pat like my personal pacer the year before (in track), dusting him in the final 200m week after week, and in XC the week before as well. Not nice. After New Englands, he said something like “Nice of you to share.” With a smile, though. That was a fun rivalry. Pat would drive halfway across to state to cheer for / tease me at meets he wasn’t even competing in. He really loved running. And maybe one or two of the Hanover girls, I’m not sure.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners? You mentioned your son was beginning to run cross country, how much are you involved with his running?
Enjoy it. There’s nothing more fun than taking a couple of hours a day to clear out your pipes and enjoy your friends in a beautiful place.
My Son? He’s a freshman and I think he had a good time. He had grown about a foot and a half the prior two years, so we were happy he ran all season without injury. He’s probably good and tired of hearing about how great he’s supposed to be because of who his dad was. I’m trying to stay out of it. I sneak off to his meets, though. One day, with about 800m to go, I see he’s loping along with a pack of about 30 guys in front of him, and they’re all just dying. He looks fine. I start shouting stuff like “Holy ___ there’s 30 easy points for the taking if you put the hammer down NOW!” I’m jumping up and down, having a heart attack, and he comes trotting by and waves…”Hi Daddy”. Why coach that out of him? I’d take either of my friendly boys over me, any day.
Hanover XC 1983
Interviewed by retired Hanover XC Coach (1981-2012) Jim Eakin (12/31/2014)
Rolf was the first big time runner that Hanover cross country later became known for. Rolf was not only dominant his senior year at the conference level (CVC Champion), but went on to win both the Class I and and Meet of Champions title, as well as placing 3rd at the New England Championships. His time of 16:09 at Derryfield Park still ranks 2nd (tied with Russell Brown) on the All-time Derryfield times for Hanover runners. He, along with his training partner and friend, Nord Samuelson, played a vital role in Hanover High School winning its first Class I State Championship in 1982. When it came to dedication, consistency, training, toughness, humility, humor, and strength, Rolf set the standard for future Hanover harriers.
His track accomplishments were also impressive, culminating in a New England 1600 meter title. His personal track bests were: 9:16.2 (3200), 4:13.64 (mile), 1:56.8 (800), and 52.2 (400). Rolf went on to Princeton University, but unfortunately his college career was cut short by a knee injury. Because of his record, The Sonnerup Trophy was named after him and presented to the top male Hanover runner at the annual end-of-season cross country banquet.
In 1993, Rolf faced his biggest challenge when he was involved in a climbing accident suffering a severed leg.
I came to teach and coach cross country and track at Hanover in the fall of 1981. When I accepted the position as a Learning Specialist at the high school, I thought I was done with coaching, however, I was asked by the athletic director if I would consider coaching again because he had just fired the coach. I was not sure what I was getting into. You were a junior then, what was your reaction to having a new coach?
I had taken the Class-I 3200 meter title in the spring, and Bill McGrath and Nord Samuelson organized training in August, so I wasn’t too worried. Probably my ego was already out of control. We were ready for you because the Hanover XC culture was changing from party sport to something more serious. By “we” I mean Nord and Billy, and Derek Eaton the year before – they were the real leaders. My contribution, I suppose, was helping bury the team’s partier reputation. Partiers have friends, charisma, girlfriends, and the like. Hard to associate me with any of those.
I remember vividly the bus ride home from the 1981 state (I) meet. We had placed, I think, three guys in the top ten, and yet failed to win the team title. You chewed us out for at least 10 minutes. That was new.
I like the grittier aspects of training and racing and I appreciated your willingness to bust my chops. A lot of coaches would’ve handled me like a prima donna but I wasn’t getting any free passes. You (and Tom Jennings: head track coach/ass't cross country coach) kept reminding me that I wasn’t faster than the other guys, I was less slow. Plus, I always had that one guy at practice that could kick my butt. I knew it.
What are you presently doing as a career? Did competing as a runner aid you in pursing your career?
I’m an oceanographer/climate scientist. I learned how to take myself and my activities seriously in track/XC, and I never would’ve gotten into any of the colleges I applied to without my running. Not a chance.
I never spoke to you about your climbing accident. If you wish, would you like to briefly describe what happened and the impact it has had on you?
That was devastating. I’m glad we’re not doing this in person. We were on an overhanging face when a good-sized rock broke loose above me. I just couldn’t get out of the way. The leg was one thing, I was helpless there with a collapsed lung and crushed shoulder, and somehow my left arm and other leg were trashed as well. Thankfully, my right hand was working. With coaching, I was able to lower my clear-thinking friend and he quickly arranged a rescue. That was a lonely time up there, waiting and wondering. I spent about six weeks mostly unconscious in an ICU, surgeries all over, and another 6 months in and out of rehab. What followed were some dark days. I’m amazed and grateful that my wife, friends, and family stuck with me. I lost touch with almost everybody during that time. It was just too much.
After about a decade feeling sorry for myself (and kayaking), I discovered that I can cross country ski with very little handicap. Some buddies urged me to enter a race with them…”c’mon Rolf, we’ll help you!” “Help me? You guys are totaled,” was my thinking. I crushed ‘em (by a little), but I made a great discovery: Training and prepping for a race, giving it your all, and finishing in the middle of the pack yields exactly the same feeling you get when doing the same, but winning by a ton. I do as much XC skiing as I can, and “race” from time to time. I cycle a fair amount, and can hike a bit. I have loved being outside as long as I can remember so getting that back was a treasure.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
I don’t remember anything unique about it, although my both my highs/lows were at that venue. Our ragtag little band, we were usually amazed to have made it that far.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
Junior year, all year, was a highlight for me. Nobody expected much, so it was easy to be happy. And hey, we finally won states in 1982.
A great memory for me was the Class I meet my junior year - 1981. Jim’s first year coaching. It was the only race I won that season. The last week of summer vacation I had badly sprained my ankle playing ultimate frisbee. Jim had me train by cycling: We would tape my ankle and I would go out alone and hammer. I really liked that. Towards the end of the season, like at CVCs, I ran, taped, as Hanover’s #5 – the most important guy on the team, after all. I did what I could. At state I knew we had a chance of doing well, and this being the last race of the year and all, I decided to skip the tape: Nothing to lose. I figured I’d score okay if I watched my footing and could keep Billy (McGrath) in sight for at least a little while. Managed to keep in touch and I remember coming out of the woods, maybe about a mile to go, and you (Jim) waiting there with the first racing advice I ever got from you: “ah Rolf, just TAKE this thing”. I suppose you were joking – I had no business running with those guys – but I had this 16 yr old boy’s brain and I loved going to the basement, as they say. Managed to eke it out and FINALLY put a full year of razzing to rest: In my least memorable moment, I had banged up my shin the night before the 1980 state meet (again, playing frisbee) and let the team down badly. Some of the guys were still pretty sore about that. I managed to hang on to the disc both times, by the way.
You were close to more than several teammates from the cross country team. Can you describe some of those friendships and how they helped you succeed?
Nord Samuelson (later became brother-in- law to Olympic Champion Joan Benoit Samuleson) convinced me to come out for track in the spring of freshman year. Growing up, Nord and I had run in different circles – good/bad grades never/usually in trouble, respectively. My sisters had been great runners at HHS, so I suppose he was working me as part of his not-so-secret plan to turn Hanover into an XC/track powerhouse. I goofed around at practice, and at meets Nord and I would try to qualify for the Class-I 3200m. In the end we both made it, barely, and our results showed just how barely. He and I took 1st and 2nd in that event our senior year. That was my proudest moment at Hanover High. We had come a long way.
Sophomore year I went out for XC. I would try to run out near the front with (Senior) Derek Eaton and (Junior) Bill McGrath. Sometimes I’d keep up, sometimes I’d blow up. I didn’t take the workouts all that seriously, I just liked tearing around in the hills around Hanover after school, BSing with the guys. Plus, all the cross country girls were super smart and so pretty. Everybody knows that.
This was the first time in my life I’d been noticeably good at anything. Even though it’s such a simple little thing - when the gun goes off, run hard until somebody tells you you can stop – running success affected me academically and socially. Most of the guys were good students, and all of a sudden I had these coaches, parents, and even teachers taking me seriously, expecting me to do well. I was just an insecure kid, jumping the bars people put in front of me.
I owe a lot of my personal resources to having great training partners and academic examples in high school. In those days it seemed like everything Nord Samuelson touched turned to gold. It worked on me.
What was your favorite high school workout?
Intervals, man. Bring ‘em.
At HHS my favorite was a two-person 20x400. You run a 400, hand off, and rest while your partner runs his. Repeat until you’ve each run 10. The thing is, the faster you run, the less rest your partner gets, slowing him down, so you get more rest. Those built in incentives make you run every interval hard.
Why were you so successful as a distance runner?
Well, I wasn’t really. I think I ended up ranked something like 6th and 16th nationally in the indoor/outdoor mile that year, and was really not mentally disciplined enough to run 5000m competently, at least in high school. I will say that after the first year or two, when I only tried hard at meets, I went after it at our workouts. My mom is tougher’n tough, and my dad is an eternal optimist so I’ll credit my parents on that one.
Did you do anything different than the rest of your competitors? I do remember we would lift free weights 2 or 3x a week in the Duke's Weight Room. Did that help?
In those days people talked a lot about hundred-mile weeks. We didn’t do any of that. Maybe 30-40 for me? We focussed on quality, intervals, and weight training. When I started I could run all day and not run out of air, but I couldn’t run a 220 under 30 seconds. Informally, Andy Gamble (later, Lebanon HS track coach), Van Preston, Nord, Eric Stewart, Scott Eaton and I got busy with weights. Andy and Van, football players with actual muscles, were a couple of good natured guys willing to tolerate and advise a few scrawny runners. So yes, the weights helped. That said, we turned a distance runner into a miler with that regimen. I kind of faked it through cross country.
When you first started to compete in high school, you could not break 30 seconds in the 200. Besides maturing, what helped you get faster, because you were known for a great finish? In fact, if I recall, you waited too long at the New Englands to start your "kick"!!
I have two theories on my finishing speed: Intervals, and, umm, maybe I was a sandbagger. You could say I did the bare minimum every week. I never, ever, paid attention to my pace over the first couple of miles, following a two step strategy: Keep the leaders in sight, then serve lights out. I would encourage myself “okay, half mile to go, that’ll take two minutes (not kidding), and I can take anything for two minutes.” The problem with this strategy is you never end up going any faster than the next guy, minus a couple of seconds.
In track senior year I skipped New Englands and raced outside of the region. I had zero kick in those races where I had to run honestly end-to-end. So I guess there’s your answer. Ahem. Intervals: that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Speaking of the competition/competitors. Do you remember if you did anything to prepare for those championship races? Did you employ any strategy to best the likes of Dan Godin/Londonderry, Pat Piper/Hopkinton, Monty Davis/FM, Scott Clark/Gilford and of course Billy or did you not worry much about the competition?
Strategy? I just got nervous. Sophomore year there was Dave Westover (Stevens) and Rob Edson (Keene), but they were so much stronger it was ridiculous. I floated through XC junior year, happy to be running again. I might’ve done okay at New Englands – You and Billy were very happy afterwards, I remember that. Facing a few weeks off from me, probably that was why. By the end of track that year I was on my own, so I didn’t think much about it. In those pre-Internet days it was easy to be oblivious.
New Englands. Simple strategy, yet I forgot step one. I think I was in like 35th with half a mile to go. Pat Piper, who prevailed, would count as a rival. I had treated Pat like my personal pacer the year before (in track), dusting him in the final 200m week after week, and in XC the week before as well. Not nice. After New Englands, he said something like “Nice of you to share.” With a smile, though. That was a fun rivalry. Pat would drive halfway across to state to cheer for / tease me at meets he wasn’t even competing in. He really loved running. And maybe one or two of the Hanover girls, I’m not sure.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners? You mentioned your son was beginning to run cross country, how much are you involved with his running?
Enjoy it. There’s nothing more fun than taking a couple of hours a day to clear out your pipes and enjoy your friends in a beautiful place.
My Son? He’s a freshman and I think he had a good time. He had grown about a foot and a half the prior two years, so we were happy he ran all season without injury. He’s probably good and tired of hearing about how great he’s supposed to be because of who his dad was. I’m trying to stay out of it. I sneak off to his meets, though. One day, with about 800m to go, I see he’s loping along with a pack of about 30 guys in front of him, and they’re all just dying. He looks fine. I start shouting stuff like “Holy ___ there’s 30 easy points for the taking if you put the hammer down NOW!” I’m jumping up and down, having a heart attack, and he comes trotting by and waves…”Hi Daddy”. Why coach that out of him? I’d take either of my friendly boys over me, any day.
Alais Griffin
Hanover XC 1989
Alais' high school XC career was nothing short of spectacular. She continued her running career for Harvard University earning Academic All-America and First Team All-Ivy status. Alais ran cross country at Hanover High for three years. She competed in the 800 meters in track and led the Marauders to four straight team championships. She was the NH State Champion in the 800 clocking a 2:15.7 Her cross country career was marked by spectacular success and consistency. She was named the Boston Globe NH cross country runner of the year, 2x Most Valuable Hanover Runner, 2x Class I Champion (1988 & 1989), 1988 individual Meet of Champion winner and runner-up in 1989, placed 3rd 2x in the New Englands, and helped the Marauders to a runner-up team place in the 1988 New Englands.
You did not go out for cross country until your sophomore year. However, I coached you in track your freshman year, and still remember our 1st practice. We ran 200 meters in 45 seconds, and you were in disbelief, when I said that you would easily run that time and much faster by the end of the season. How confident were you when you first starting running?
I had no idea what to expect or whether I'd have any talent. The only sports I had done before were swimming and soccer, and I was terrible at both of them. But I do remember finding the three mile run in the beginning of the soccer season much more fun than all the other parts of soccer practice. I don't think I understood that not everyone finds running three miles as easy as it felt but I really enjoyed it and hadn't experienced that in athletics before. I think I was pretty excited about how much I enjoyed it.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My most memorable moment was something I wrote my college application essay about. My teammate, Zephyr Teachout, was a year ahead of me and a very close friend. She always beat me in races and I was pretty happy just to be near her at the finish line. We usually ran very close to each other for most races but I always expected her to win. Then one day - I think it was her senior year - we were running at Derryfield Park together in one of the important races. We were running in the leading group with a couple of girls from Oyster River or one of our competitors. I was feeling really strong and we probably had about a mile to go. But it never occurred to me to take the lead from Zephyr or to try to win the race. Then I suddenly saw Zephyr gesturing to me and telling me to pass her. She somehow knew that I was ready to go and she was tired. And, in an incredibly selfless move, she gave me the go ahead and the encouragement to try to win. I honestly can't remember if I won that race - I think I did - but it was her act of support and sportsmanship that I remember way more than the outcome. It taught me what leaders and teammates do for each other.
I really loved my time running at Hanover so it's hard for me to think of a least favorite moment. I suppose the one thing I do remember was when a runner on our team stopped in the middle of a race to tie her shoe in front of her father, because they had had an argument and she was angry at him. She lost valuable places in doing that, and our team ended up losing the championship that year. It was sort of the opposite of what Zephyr did for her team and was pretty disappointing. But we were young and we all do dumb things at that age. Oh, and speaking of dumb things - there was also the time we got one of the freshman to stand up on the counter at McDonalds as an initiation ritual and you got really, really angry. We behaved like self-centered idiots and you were right to discipline us. It was a good life lesson to realize that we were being obnoxious and not thinking about our behavior. When I see how entitled some kids seem to be these days, I think we could use more of that discipline now.
What was your favorite high school workout?
I know it wasn't the hill workouts we did. I really did not enjoy those. I always loved workouts on the track - I loved running fast. But I also loved doing mile repeats in pine park. It was always so pretty down there. Mostly I just enjoyed the chance to go on a run somewhere beautiful in the upper valley, with the team - whether it was the Lyme Road loop, the Etna loop, or the Norwich loop. They all feel like they'd be pretty great now that I'm old and creaky and can't imagine running those distances with such ease.
Describe the atmosphere running XC at Hanover. What were the factors that helped you become such a successful runner?
It was so supportive and so relaxed. I never felt pressure about running - you pushed us to do our best and to exceed our expectations but somehow did so without making us anxious. You got us to push ourselves. And I loved my teammates - we always talked about being a family and it very much felt like that. I keep in touch with several people from the team still and wish I kept up with more of them. We all really cheered each other on and genuinely cared about each other. I think that atmosphere helped me run without over thinking it and that helped me be successful.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
I still get a little twinge of nerves when I drive past that exit on the highway. I remember feeling fine on the bus ride but then we'd hit that exit, and you'd start seeing all the other school buses and the nerves and excitement hit. It always seemed sunny on race days - brisk and autumnal, but generally sunny and crisply beautiful. I remember seeing the flags that outlined the seemingly endless home stretch up the hill and across the field to the finish line and wondering how I would end up that particular day. And when we finally got to the starting line, it was pretty stressful. I learned to hang back on the first long hill from the starting line - I got boxed in once and ended up doing well that race, so I always took it a little easy up that first part after that. A lot of other girls would go out too hard and then quickly get tired so you could get in position once you hit the flat road. I will always remember the hill in the woods with the first little hurdle and then the really awful hurdle halfway up the back of the ski hill. Having to jump that was the last thing you needed in mile 2 as you were pumping up a steep hill. And then there was the final stretch up the hill towards the finish line where you just hung in there and fought every instinct you had not to just let the girl behind you or in front of you beat you. It was a tough course, but I loved racing there. The atmosphere was always so electric for me.
How did you handle the pressure to do well as you became the top runner in NH and one of the top runners in New England?
I remember Tris Wykes did an article in the Valley News about me at some point and you were quoted as saying something like - "Alais acts like she doesn't know what's going on half the time, which helps her." And I think that was dead on. I just didn't think about it too much and just enjoyed myself. You were key to that, as was the rest of the team. We spent a lot of time singing and laughing while we ran and that made it fun. I even liked my competitors on the other teams so it was pretty pressure-free.
Describe the differences and similarities between high school and college cross country: training, competing, relationships with teammates/coaches, balancing running with college course work, etc.
College cross country definitely felt more stressful because it was a big step. I didn't know how well I would do or what I could expect from myself. I ended up doing really well freshman year which made me feel pressure for probably the first time when I came back in my sophomore year. The coach who recruited me in college was very intense but I really liked him and had great support and coaching from him. But he left halfway through my college career and I didn't have the same kind of relationship with the other coach. And I missed running on the trails in the Upper Valley; we had to do quite a bit of running on the pavement. I really enjoyed my teammates and still loved the sport. It was just a more intense experience with more ups and downs - more injuries but some really great moments where I ran better than I ever thought I could. And it was definitely harder to balance college courses with running. Practices usually went longer and I often had to spend time with the trainers, icing injuries, so I usually got back to the dorm pretty late. There were a lot of evenings when the last thing you wanted to do at 8pm was start an assignment. But that was all part of learning how to juggle competing demands and how to be disciplined.
What type of work are you now involved in?
I'm now an attorney. I have worked in law firms primarily but also spent three years as a political appointee in the Obama Administration at the Department of Transportation. I got to do a lot of strategy and policy work and loved it. I'm now a litigation partner in the Chicago office of an international law firm. I still do some transportation-related work but also spent much of last year in South Africa helping a client put in place an anti-corruption compliance program, which was amazing.
Did competing and training as a runner have an effect on your life?
Absolutely. Running and training, as well as being part of a team, really prepared me for my education and career. I learned how to push through when I was tired or didn't feel like working out or doing the extra mile. It gave me a lot of mental toughness and discipline that has helped me to this day when I'm working on a significant or challenging project or case. The teams that I have been on were so important to me as well, and the reliance we all had on each other is something that I always valued. I've continued to seek out team opportunities in my career - whether it's working with a team on a matter, managing a team when I was in the government, mentoring people, or seeking mentors. Not everyone understands how important it is in life to be a team player and being on the X-C and track teams definitely taught me that. People may think of running as an individual sport, and it can be, but it's actually one of the most team-oriented things I've ever done.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
Have fun with it and be a good teammate. Support each other and enjoy the chance to run in such a beautiful place. Push yourself when you're tired, but try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Sports should be fun and should leave you with the great memories I have.
Hanover XC 1989
Alais' high school XC career was nothing short of spectacular. She continued her running career for Harvard University earning Academic All-America and First Team All-Ivy status. Alais ran cross country at Hanover High for three years. She competed in the 800 meters in track and led the Marauders to four straight team championships. She was the NH State Champion in the 800 clocking a 2:15.7 Her cross country career was marked by spectacular success and consistency. She was named the Boston Globe NH cross country runner of the year, 2x Most Valuable Hanover Runner, 2x Class I Champion (1988 & 1989), 1988 individual Meet of Champion winner and runner-up in 1989, placed 3rd 2x in the New Englands, and helped the Marauders to a runner-up team place in the 1988 New Englands.
You did not go out for cross country until your sophomore year. However, I coached you in track your freshman year, and still remember our 1st practice. We ran 200 meters in 45 seconds, and you were in disbelief, when I said that you would easily run that time and much faster by the end of the season. How confident were you when you first starting running?
I had no idea what to expect or whether I'd have any talent. The only sports I had done before were swimming and soccer, and I was terrible at both of them. But I do remember finding the three mile run in the beginning of the soccer season much more fun than all the other parts of soccer practice. I don't think I understood that not everyone finds running three miles as easy as it felt but I really enjoyed it and hadn't experienced that in athletics before. I think I was pretty excited about how much I enjoyed it.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My most memorable moment was something I wrote my college application essay about. My teammate, Zephyr Teachout, was a year ahead of me and a very close friend. She always beat me in races and I was pretty happy just to be near her at the finish line. We usually ran very close to each other for most races but I always expected her to win. Then one day - I think it was her senior year - we were running at Derryfield Park together in one of the important races. We were running in the leading group with a couple of girls from Oyster River or one of our competitors. I was feeling really strong and we probably had about a mile to go. But it never occurred to me to take the lead from Zephyr or to try to win the race. Then I suddenly saw Zephyr gesturing to me and telling me to pass her. She somehow knew that I was ready to go and she was tired. And, in an incredibly selfless move, she gave me the go ahead and the encouragement to try to win. I honestly can't remember if I won that race - I think I did - but it was her act of support and sportsmanship that I remember way more than the outcome. It taught me what leaders and teammates do for each other.
I really loved my time running at Hanover so it's hard for me to think of a least favorite moment. I suppose the one thing I do remember was when a runner on our team stopped in the middle of a race to tie her shoe in front of her father, because they had had an argument and she was angry at him. She lost valuable places in doing that, and our team ended up losing the championship that year. It was sort of the opposite of what Zephyr did for her team and was pretty disappointing. But we were young and we all do dumb things at that age. Oh, and speaking of dumb things - there was also the time we got one of the freshman to stand up on the counter at McDonalds as an initiation ritual and you got really, really angry. We behaved like self-centered idiots and you were right to discipline us. It was a good life lesson to realize that we were being obnoxious and not thinking about our behavior. When I see how entitled some kids seem to be these days, I think we could use more of that discipline now.
What was your favorite high school workout?
I know it wasn't the hill workouts we did. I really did not enjoy those. I always loved workouts on the track - I loved running fast. But I also loved doing mile repeats in pine park. It was always so pretty down there. Mostly I just enjoyed the chance to go on a run somewhere beautiful in the upper valley, with the team - whether it was the Lyme Road loop, the Etna loop, or the Norwich loop. They all feel like they'd be pretty great now that I'm old and creaky and can't imagine running those distances with such ease.
Describe the atmosphere running XC at Hanover. What were the factors that helped you become such a successful runner?
It was so supportive and so relaxed. I never felt pressure about running - you pushed us to do our best and to exceed our expectations but somehow did so without making us anxious. You got us to push ourselves. And I loved my teammates - we always talked about being a family and it very much felt like that. I keep in touch with several people from the team still and wish I kept up with more of them. We all really cheered each other on and genuinely cared about each other. I think that atmosphere helped me run without over thinking it and that helped me be successful.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
I still get a little twinge of nerves when I drive past that exit on the highway. I remember feeling fine on the bus ride but then we'd hit that exit, and you'd start seeing all the other school buses and the nerves and excitement hit. It always seemed sunny on race days - brisk and autumnal, but generally sunny and crisply beautiful. I remember seeing the flags that outlined the seemingly endless home stretch up the hill and across the field to the finish line and wondering how I would end up that particular day. And when we finally got to the starting line, it was pretty stressful. I learned to hang back on the first long hill from the starting line - I got boxed in once and ended up doing well that race, so I always took it a little easy up that first part after that. A lot of other girls would go out too hard and then quickly get tired so you could get in position once you hit the flat road. I will always remember the hill in the woods with the first little hurdle and then the really awful hurdle halfway up the back of the ski hill. Having to jump that was the last thing you needed in mile 2 as you were pumping up a steep hill. And then there was the final stretch up the hill towards the finish line where you just hung in there and fought every instinct you had not to just let the girl behind you or in front of you beat you. It was a tough course, but I loved racing there. The atmosphere was always so electric for me.
How did you handle the pressure to do well as you became the top runner in NH and one of the top runners in New England?
I remember Tris Wykes did an article in the Valley News about me at some point and you were quoted as saying something like - "Alais acts like she doesn't know what's going on half the time, which helps her." And I think that was dead on. I just didn't think about it too much and just enjoyed myself. You were key to that, as was the rest of the team. We spent a lot of time singing and laughing while we ran and that made it fun. I even liked my competitors on the other teams so it was pretty pressure-free.
Describe the differences and similarities between high school and college cross country: training, competing, relationships with teammates/coaches, balancing running with college course work, etc.
College cross country definitely felt more stressful because it was a big step. I didn't know how well I would do or what I could expect from myself. I ended up doing really well freshman year which made me feel pressure for probably the first time when I came back in my sophomore year. The coach who recruited me in college was very intense but I really liked him and had great support and coaching from him. But he left halfway through my college career and I didn't have the same kind of relationship with the other coach. And I missed running on the trails in the Upper Valley; we had to do quite a bit of running on the pavement. I really enjoyed my teammates and still loved the sport. It was just a more intense experience with more ups and downs - more injuries but some really great moments where I ran better than I ever thought I could. And it was definitely harder to balance college courses with running. Practices usually went longer and I often had to spend time with the trainers, icing injuries, so I usually got back to the dorm pretty late. There were a lot of evenings when the last thing you wanted to do at 8pm was start an assignment. But that was all part of learning how to juggle competing demands and how to be disciplined.
What type of work are you now involved in?
I'm now an attorney. I have worked in law firms primarily but also spent three years as a political appointee in the Obama Administration at the Department of Transportation. I got to do a lot of strategy and policy work and loved it. I'm now a litigation partner in the Chicago office of an international law firm. I still do some transportation-related work but also spent much of last year in South Africa helping a client put in place an anti-corruption compliance program, which was amazing.
Did competing and training as a runner have an effect on your life?
Absolutely. Running and training, as well as being part of a team, really prepared me for my education and career. I learned how to push through when I was tired or didn't feel like working out or doing the extra mile. It gave me a lot of mental toughness and discipline that has helped me to this day when I'm working on a significant or challenging project or case. The teams that I have been on were so important to me as well, and the reliance we all had on each other is something that I always valued. I've continued to seek out team opportunities in my career - whether it's working with a team on a matter, managing a team when I was in the government, mentoring people, or seeking mentors. Not everyone understands how important it is in life to be a team player and being on the X-C and track teams definitely taught me that. People may think of running as an individual sport, and it can be, but it's actually one of the most team-oriented things I've ever done.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
Have fun with it and be a good teammate. Support each other and enjoy the chance to run in such a beautiful place. Push yourself when you're tired, but try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Sports should be fun and should leave you with the great memories I have.
Kari Van Winkle
Always look around at the start of every single race and smile. You are one of the lucky ones. You are healthy, a fast runner, and endowed with great fortune to be there. Thinking good thoughts about how lucky you are at the start will put you in the right relaxed mental state to have a good race. When you smile you will be less nervous too.
Eat to be healthy and strong. Your food is your fuel. And you need lots of good fuel to train hard, recover, and race. This is when your body does its growing – of the lungs, the heart, the muscles. It’s imperative that you fuel your body for that growth while it’s also in hard training mode.
Thank your coach. Thank your parents. Thank the volunteers helping at the races. You are given a gift to be able to run and there are so many people out there helping you and helping our sport.
Hanover XC 1983-86
The Hanover girls' cross country program of the late 70's and early 80's had met with limited numbers (5-10) and team success, but with the addition of Kari VanWinkle and her teammates: Woden Teachout and Zephyr Teachout, a foundation was being set that would see the program in the coming decades reach beyond the local and state scene to eventually the regional and national scene. Kari joined the team her 9th grade year and immediately became a force and was named “Rookie of the Year”. Though the Hanover High girls' team did not win a state championship until 1988, Kari played a vital role by twice making the All-Class I team (she was prevented for making the team her junior year because of an appendectomy) and helping the team to Class I runner-up in '85 and '86. In 1986, the girls were the Connecticut Valley Champions beating powerhouse Bellows Falls 46-47 and going on to place 9th in the New England Regionals. Kari was also a noted musician, honor student, and top cross country skier. She was a graduate of Williams College where she was the Captain of the ski team. She has moved from her beloved Norwich, VT to northern California. In 2006, she made the World Amateur US Olympic Distance Triathlon team, racing across the US and in Switzerland in world championships. Presently, Kari is one of the top masters runners in the country and is training for the Olympic Trials in the marathon. She joined the West Valley Track Club in the Bay Area. It’s comprised of runners of all ages from competitive to recreational, with coach Bill Clark, who finished second in the Boston Marathon to Amby Burfoot back in the ‘60s
After high school you continued competing in XC skiing at Williams, but stopped competing in cross country. When did you start transitioning back to competitive running and why?
After college I continued to dabble in Nordic ski racing for a couple of years and then headed to Southern California where I joined a running club for fun and ended up racing competitively again for the two years we were there. I remembered how much I loved competitive running and how much I missed the training from my high school days. We had a coach who had been Deena Kastor’s high school coach, in Agoura Hills. He gave me the appreciation for and love of track workouts (which I never loved in high school) and helped me race my first sub-40:00 10km.
Having a busy family life (three children), how does that impact your training? Do any other family members run with you?
Then there were a bunch of years after that of no racing at all while we moved around and started a family. I picked up competitive triathlon in 2005 after my third kid as a way to get back in shape and be able to run without having recurring knee problems, which was a problem for me at that time. I had success with that sport and really loved the cross-training and especially the training for the 10 km running portion, but found training for triathlons far too time consuming for a mom with three kids.
With the advent of more minimalist running shoes around that same time, I was finally able to run long distances and be completely injury-free. Turns out those super supportive running shoes weren’t all that great for me! So, without any regret, I decided to skip the swimming and biking and just concentrate on competitive running again. I found an amazing coach 3 years ago who helped train me for the shorter distances first – 5 kms and cross country races – and then my first half-marathons, and now my first marathon.
Briefly describe your training regimen. Do you train with a club? Do you have a coach or advisor to help with your training? Describe your diet and sleep habits.
I have a coach who prescribes workouts via email. I train mostly on my own in order to follow his program and maximize my training. For my xc and shorter distance training, he has me running 5 days per week with 3 days of speed and 2 real recovery days (about 40-50 miles per week). The speed is incorporated into longer runs of 8-11 miles, with one of the workouts usually being on the track or flat paved roads. The recovery days are supposed to be pretty slow to actually recuperate the legs. It’s actually better, I’ve learned, to go on a slow run to recover your legs than to just lie around on the couch. It’s called “active recovery” and it works!
Right now for marathon training I’m running 6 days a week and building a foundation of big mileage at “steady state” pace. No speed, just lots of long runs. Eventually before the marathon in December I’ll get up to 70 miles a week.
I am part of a great club that I can meet up with on the weekends for speed or long runs. I love having those group runs every so often, for the companionship with other competitive runners and also to share training secrets. When we go to races it’s just like high school again! We compete as a team. We all wear our team uniforms, we have a team tent, we warm up and cool down together, cheer each other on, and actually really work off each other in the races. It’s a positive group – just like HHS was!
Diet: lots and lots of vegetables, dark fruit, quinoa, potatoes, yogurt, eggs, lean meat, pretzels, bagels, energy bars for on the go, and lots of water. And chocolate and coffee – it’s our weakness as runners!
Sleep: I sleep 8-10 hours a night. My high school freshman is up later than I am now. She is supposed to finish her homework by 9:30 and get to bed like we tell her because sleep is everything, especially when you’re in high school and training hard for xc season. Competitive runners go to bed early and love their sleep!
What do you contribute your success as an athlete to? What motivates you to keep challenging yourself?
I love racing. I’ve always loved racing and trying to test myself against others. I also love the feeling of going fast. And I find the motivation to improve and go faster is just there, like it was there when I was a little kid and I raced everyone all the time. I’m lucky that I don’t have to dig for the motivation, because I love the competition and also the training. I really do think that some of us have a passion for training and competing, so some of it just comes naturally.
For others, the love of competition can come from a little taste of success. Or from the positive reinforcement of a coach or teammate. Or from being part of an amazing championship team like your Marauder teams. My daughter is learning to like racing now because she feels part of a team and she is motivated by team pride as well as school pride to run fast even when it hurts!
In terms of success, the foundation that Jim gave us at HHS has given me a lifetime of success in endurance sports. I started young, I was part of the HHS program that kept us injury-free and getting stronger every year, and I developed a love of the sport (as well as Nordic skiing) right there at Hanover High School.
Love of being out there running goes a long way. Also the ability to deal with and process pain is something that is key too. You can all agree on that one! The mental challenges of racing – managing the pain, watching a competitor have a better day and still racing hard yourself, chasing from behind and staying focused, and of course getting to the finish line even when you feel like your legs have nothing left – are a very important component. And the key to that? Race a lot. Experience, experience, experience. I have the experience of so many races behind me at this point that I have developed certain strategies to help me mentally every step of the way. The fallback strategy that always helps? Remember your running form!
The final component would be setting goals. I enjoy being a master now and having new goals in my new age category. I give myself PR goals. I keep trying new race distances and seeing what I can accomplish. I keep it focused so I’m always training for a reason. Sometimes that reason is recovery/down time! But my goals help me stay motivated, give me new challenges, keep it interesting, and get me excited to get out there for every workout (8 x 1000 at 5:30 pace is one that I have to get especially psyched up for. I know it hurts!).
In high school, your times for the 5k ranged from 19:50 to mid 20:30's, with your best time at
Derryfield Park being 20:38. I know today, you concentrate on longer races than a 5k, but what is your best 5k time? What about your other results in racing?
I love the 5 km distance. It’s still a favorite of mine, and I’ve done a lot of 5 kms both on the road and on the trails. On the road, I ran a PR of 18:15 in San Francisco last year, finishing second to a young girl who had run at Stanford. We ran the whole race together and worked off each other. She had the finishing speed at the end though with her young legs!
My other PRs include 38:20 at 10 km, 1:08 for 10 miles, and 1:24 for a half marathon. While I really enjoy the all out speed of the 5 km or 4 mile (xc race distance for adults), I seem to do better the longer the race. That’s why I’m moving to the marathon this year, to test myself at that long distance and see if that might be where I actually peak against the other women.
What do you contribute your success as an athlete to and what motivates you to keep challenging yourself?
Going back in time now.... what do you remember about running xc at Hanover High?
Those were good, good times. Some of my best times at HHS. I remember my first run with the team as a freshman - the Rip Road loop. I fondly remember running on the golf course and down along the river, running around Storrs Pond, running down behind Tuck to the docks and jumping into the river, doing long runs out into Etna with Jim running back and forth between the boys team and girls team, and running all over the Dartmouth campus. I remember the pain of scrabbling up the sand dunes, fartleks and intervals all over Hanover, especially Cardiac Hill, and bleachers at the Dartmouth stadium. I fondly remember all the bus rides and team pizza parties at the home of the founders of King Arthur Flour (they had two sons on the team). We had a small small team, but we were close knit. We wore funny outfits to school on days of meets and wrote hysterical ditties to each other. Jim’s family was part of the team. It was a special group and a very special time.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Derryfield Park in Manchester has its own memories. I promise you, you will still remember that course when you are older like I am. The mass start up that grassy field, every loop and turn, that darn uphill with the obstacles in it, the flying-fast downhill with all the roots, followed by the death march up that last hill AGAIN (was it the second or third time you had climbed it that day?), and then the frantic sprint to the finish up that chute that somehow gave everyone last minute wings.
I remember really freezing days when it was States time – you could see your breath and you still had to strip down to those skimpy little maroon uniforms. I remember desperately hot temperatures early in the season, and the course when it was strewn with fallen leaves. Made those roots extra interesting. We had one of the fastest gals in the nation running with us on that course when I was in high school. Cathy Schiro. She was running 17 minutes on that course and was a phenom. I definitely remember her.
I remember always being nervous at Derryfield because the stakes seemed to always be high. We finally became comfortable with knowing we would win the Class I race, but by then we were chasing down PRs. Stakes remained high. There was just an aura about that venue that made everyone get the jitters.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My most memorable running memory? Probably my very first high school xc race. It was at Kearsarge and I had never done a xc race before. It was a small dual meet and I think our girls’ team just cleaned up all the first spots. Therese Linnehan was a junior and she and I ran the whole race together; she was so incredibly supportive. All the guys were out there cheering us on. And I distinctly remember Jim’s voice, rooting for one of his brand new runners. I realized that it had been such fun and that I could do this sport.
My least memorable running memory? When the bee flew up my nose and stung me during a race. It was a dual meet at the old racecourse out at the Ray School. He stung me right as I entered the playground to do my final loop around the school. It was so bold of him to sting me at that moment and I was dazed and confused and then just upset at the bee. Maybe it was like Ferdinand and I actually raced faster too!
What was your favorite high school workout?
I loved the fartleks down below the golf course in Pine Park. Those were always a favorite. It was intimidating when it was all these senior guys in the line and we were brand new freshmen, but it always inspired me. It was a unique way to bond as a team, you always ran harder than you thought possible because you had to stay in that line or even lead the line, the sprints weren’t too long to get to the front and I enjoy short speed bursts, and it was so beautiful down there. We’d take that line all along that trail all the way over to the big bridge.
Do you have any running advice to share with present high school xc runners or their parents?
Enjoy these years, young runners. You have a wonderful opportunity to be part of an incredible team that has become a dynasty in NH. These are lifelong memories you are creating. And hopefully you develop a passion for running and become a runner for life.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Enjoy the experience and let the results take care of themselves.
Learn very efficient running form. Find someone to analyze your stride and watch your upper body when you run. The top runners in the world waste no extra energy on bad form. And they avoid injuries by having good running form. You will gain valuable speed just by learning and focusing on your form out there.
The Hanover girls' cross country program of the late 70's and early 80's had met with limited numbers (5-10) and team success, but with the addition of Kari VanWinkle and her teammates: Woden Teachout and Zephyr Teachout, a foundation was being set that would see the program in the coming decades reach beyond the local and state scene to eventually the regional and national scene. Kari joined the team her 9th grade year and immediately became a force and was named “Rookie of the Year”. Though the Hanover High girls' team did not win a state championship until 1988, Kari played a vital role by twice making the All-Class I team (she was prevented for making the team her junior year because of an appendectomy) and helping the team to Class I runner-up in '85 and '86. In 1986, the girls were the Connecticut Valley Champions beating powerhouse Bellows Falls 46-47 and going on to place 9th in the New England Regionals. Kari was also a noted musician, honor student, and top cross country skier. She was a graduate of Williams College where she was the Captain of the ski team. She has moved from her beloved Norwich, VT to northern California. In 2006, she made the World Amateur US Olympic Distance Triathlon team, racing across the US and in Switzerland in world championships. Presently, Kari is one of the top masters runners in the country and is training for the Olympic Trials in the marathon. She joined the West Valley Track Club in the Bay Area. It’s comprised of runners of all ages from competitive to recreational, with coach Bill Clark, who finished second in the Boston Marathon to Amby Burfoot back in the ‘60s
After high school you continued competing in XC skiing at Williams, but stopped competing in cross country. When did you start transitioning back to competitive running and why?
After college I continued to dabble in Nordic ski racing for a couple of years and then headed to Southern California where I joined a running club for fun and ended up racing competitively again for the two years we were there. I remembered how much I loved competitive running and how much I missed the training from my high school days. We had a coach who had been Deena Kastor’s high school coach, in Agoura Hills. He gave me the appreciation for and love of track workouts (which I never loved in high school) and helped me race my first sub-40:00 10km.
Having a busy family life (three children), how does that impact your training? Do any other family members run with you?
Then there were a bunch of years after that of no racing at all while we moved around and started a family. I picked up competitive triathlon in 2005 after my third kid as a way to get back in shape and be able to run without having recurring knee problems, which was a problem for me at that time. I had success with that sport and really loved the cross-training and especially the training for the 10 km running portion, but found training for triathlons far too time consuming for a mom with three kids.
With the advent of more minimalist running shoes around that same time, I was finally able to run long distances and be completely injury-free. Turns out those super supportive running shoes weren’t all that great for me! So, without any regret, I decided to skip the swimming and biking and just concentrate on competitive running again. I found an amazing coach 3 years ago who helped train me for the shorter distances first – 5 kms and cross country races – and then my first half-marathons, and now my first marathon.
Briefly describe your training regimen. Do you train with a club? Do you have a coach or advisor to help with your training? Describe your diet and sleep habits.
I have a coach who prescribes workouts via email. I train mostly on my own in order to follow his program and maximize my training. For my xc and shorter distance training, he has me running 5 days per week with 3 days of speed and 2 real recovery days (about 40-50 miles per week). The speed is incorporated into longer runs of 8-11 miles, with one of the workouts usually being on the track or flat paved roads. The recovery days are supposed to be pretty slow to actually recuperate the legs. It’s actually better, I’ve learned, to go on a slow run to recover your legs than to just lie around on the couch. It’s called “active recovery” and it works!
Right now for marathon training I’m running 6 days a week and building a foundation of big mileage at “steady state” pace. No speed, just lots of long runs. Eventually before the marathon in December I’ll get up to 70 miles a week.
I am part of a great club that I can meet up with on the weekends for speed or long runs. I love having those group runs every so often, for the companionship with other competitive runners and also to share training secrets. When we go to races it’s just like high school again! We compete as a team. We all wear our team uniforms, we have a team tent, we warm up and cool down together, cheer each other on, and actually really work off each other in the races. It’s a positive group – just like HHS was!
Diet: lots and lots of vegetables, dark fruit, quinoa, potatoes, yogurt, eggs, lean meat, pretzels, bagels, energy bars for on the go, and lots of water. And chocolate and coffee – it’s our weakness as runners!
Sleep: I sleep 8-10 hours a night. My high school freshman is up later than I am now. She is supposed to finish her homework by 9:30 and get to bed like we tell her because sleep is everything, especially when you’re in high school and training hard for xc season. Competitive runners go to bed early and love their sleep!
What do you contribute your success as an athlete to? What motivates you to keep challenging yourself?
I love racing. I’ve always loved racing and trying to test myself against others. I also love the feeling of going fast. And I find the motivation to improve and go faster is just there, like it was there when I was a little kid and I raced everyone all the time. I’m lucky that I don’t have to dig for the motivation, because I love the competition and also the training. I really do think that some of us have a passion for training and competing, so some of it just comes naturally.
For others, the love of competition can come from a little taste of success. Or from the positive reinforcement of a coach or teammate. Or from being part of an amazing championship team like your Marauder teams. My daughter is learning to like racing now because she feels part of a team and she is motivated by team pride as well as school pride to run fast even when it hurts!
In terms of success, the foundation that Jim gave us at HHS has given me a lifetime of success in endurance sports. I started young, I was part of the HHS program that kept us injury-free and getting stronger every year, and I developed a love of the sport (as well as Nordic skiing) right there at Hanover High School.
Love of being out there running goes a long way. Also the ability to deal with and process pain is something that is key too. You can all agree on that one! The mental challenges of racing – managing the pain, watching a competitor have a better day and still racing hard yourself, chasing from behind and staying focused, and of course getting to the finish line even when you feel like your legs have nothing left – are a very important component. And the key to that? Race a lot. Experience, experience, experience. I have the experience of so many races behind me at this point that I have developed certain strategies to help me mentally every step of the way. The fallback strategy that always helps? Remember your running form!
The final component would be setting goals. I enjoy being a master now and having new goals in my new age category. I give myself PR goals. I keep trying new race distances and seeing what I can accomplish. I keep it focused so I’m always training for a reason. Sometimes that reason is recovery/down time! But my goals help me stay motivated, give me new challenges, keep it interesting, and get me excited to get out there for every workout (8 x 1000 at 5:30 pace is one that I have to get especially psyched up for. I know it hurts!).
In high school, your times for the 5k ranged from 19:50 to mid 20:30's, with your best time at
Derryfield Park being 20:38. I know today, you concentrate on longer races than a 5k, but what is your best 5k time? What about your other results in racing?
I love the 5 km distance. It’s still a favorite of mine, and I’ve done a lot of 5 kms both on the road and on the trails. On the road, I ran a PR of 18:15 in San Francisco last year, finishing second to a young girl who had run at Stanford. We ran the whole race together and worked off each other. She had the finishing speed at the end though with her young legs!
My other PRs include 38:20 at 10 km, 1:08 for 10 miles, and 1:24 for a half marathon. While I really enjoy the all out speed of the 5 km or 4 mile (xc race distance for adults), I seem to do better the longer the race. That’s why I’m moving to the marathon this year, to test myself at that long distance and see if that might be where I actually peak against the other women.
What do you contribute your success as an athlete to and what motivates you to keep challenging yourself?
Going back in time now.... what do you remember about running xc at Hanover High?
Those were good, good times. Some of my best times at HHS. I remember my first run with the team as a freshman - the Rip Road loop. I fondly remember running on the golf course and down along the river, running around Storrs Pond, running down behind Tuck to the docks and jumping into the river, doing long runs out into Etna with Jim running back and forth between the boys team and girls team, and running all over the Dartmouth campus. I remember the pain of scrabbling up the sand dunes, fartleks and intervals all over Hanover, especially Cardiac Hill, and bleachers at the Dartmouth stadium. I fondly remember all the bus rides and team pizza parties at the home of the founders of King Arthur Flour (they had two sons on the team). We had a small small team, but we were close knit. We wore funny outfits to school on days of meets and wrote hysterical ditties to each other. Jim’s family was part of the team. It was a special group and a very special time.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Derryfield Park in Manchester has its own memories. I promise you, you will still remember that course when you are older like I am. The mass start up that grassy field, every loop and turn, that darn uphill with the obstacles in it, the flying-fast downhill with all the roots, followed by the death march up that last hill AGAIN (was it the second or third time you had climbed it that day?), and then the frantic sprint to the finish up that chute that somehow gave everyone last minute wings.
I remember really freezing days when it was States time – you could see your breath and you still had to strip down to those skimpy little maroon uniforms. I remember desperately hot temperatures early in the season, and the course when it was strewn with fallen leaves. Made those roots extra interesting. We had one of the fastest gals in the nation running with us on that course when I was in high school. Cathy Schiro. She was running 17 minutes on that course and was a phenom. I definitely remember her.
I remember always being nervous at Derryfield because the stakes seemed to always be high. We finally became comfortable with knowing we would win the Class I race, but by then we were chasing down PRs. Stakes remained high. There was just an aura about that venue that made everyone get the jitters.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My most memorable running memory? Probably my very first high school xc race. It was at Kearsarge and I had never done a xc race before. It was a small dual meet and I think our girls’ team just cleaned up all the first spots. Therese Linnehan was a junior and she and I ran the whole race together; she was so incredibly supportive. All the guys were out there cheering us on. And I distinctly remember Jim’s voice, rooting for one of his brand new runners. I realized that it had been such fun and that I could do this sport.
My least memorable running memory? When the bee flew up my nose and stung me during a race. It was a dual meet at the old racecourse out at the Ray School. He stung me right as I entered the playground to do my final loop around the school. It was so bold of him to sting me at that moment and I was dazed and confused and then just upset at the bee. Maybe it was like Ferdinand and I actually raced faster too!
What was your favorite high school workout?
I loved the fartleks down below the golf course in Pine Park. Those were always a favorite. It was intimidating when it was all these senior guys in the line and we were brand new freshmen, but it always inspired me. It was a unique way to bond as a team, you always ran harder than you thought possible because you had to stay in that line or even lead the line, the sprints weren’t too long to get to the front and I enjoy short speed bursts, and it was so beautiful down there. We’d take that line all along that trail all the way over to the big bridge.
Do you have any running advice to share with present high school xc runners or their parents?
Enjoy these years, young runners. You have a wonderful opportunity to be part of an incredible team that has become a dynasty in NH. These are lifelong memories you are creating. And hopefully you develop a passion for running and become a runner for life.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Enjoy the experience and let the results take care of themselves.
Learn very efficient running form. Find someone to analyze your stride and watch your upper body when you run. The top runners in the world waste no extra energy on bad form. And they avoid injuries by having good running form. You will gain valuable speed just by learning and focusing on your form out there.
Always look around at the start of every single race and smile. You are one of the lucky ones. You are healthy, a fast runner, and endowed with great fortune to be there. Thinking good thoughts about how lucky you are at the start will put you in the right relaxed mental state to have a good race. When you smile you will be less nervous too.
Eat to be healthy and strong. Your food is your fuel. And you need lots of good fuel to train hard, recover, and race. This is when your body does its growing – of the lungs, the heart, the muscles. It’s imperative that you fuel your body for that growth while it’s also in hard training mode.
Thank your coach. Thank your parents. Thank the volunteers helping at the races. You are given a gift to be able to run and there are so many people out there helping you and helping our sport.
Alex Strenta, Hanover XC 2010
Alex is presently a senior at Dickinson College majoring in Music Composition. Alex was one of Hanover's all-time “greats” running a sizzling time of 16:29 at Derryfield Park. At the 2009 Class I meet, he was Hanover's #2 man, leading the team to successive state championships. As a junior, he was a valuable member of the historic 2008 Hanover team. Alex was also named one of the co-captains his senior year and earned numerous honors at the annual cross country banquet. Alex was and continues to be a class act. Alex (co-captain) and his Dickinson College team just placed 8th at the NCAA DIII Championships this past weekend.
What got you into running cross country as a 9th grader? Had you competed in road racing before high school?
I initially tried out for the soccer team, but I found that I was getting tired of the people who were on that team. I had some very close friends, but there were others (people that, by the time we finished high school, quit the soccer team) who I really didn't care for. The coach forgot to put me in in a preseason game, and a few days later at extended tryouts I won the two-mile time trial. My sister was captain of the cross country team, and so I had experience with people on the team beforehand, and I had also been to the banquet and seen the way Mr. Eakin and Mr. Crane (and by the end of my tenure, Mr. Picconi) knew every runner by name and actually KNEW them. I decided to go with my gut and see what it was all about.
I had never competed in any sort of race besides the mile in elementary school and the two-mile time trial I mentioned before, so my first race at Thetford was a big shock to me. I think I ran 21:53 for 5k.
Baseball was perhaps your favorite sport, thus, you did not run track. Were there benefits to not running year around, if so, what were they? What were the disadvantages?
There were definitely advantages and disadvantages. One main advantage was that there was almost no chance of me burning out, and taking so much time off of running really limited my risk of injury. The disadvantage was frankly that I wasn't running as much as the competition around the state. I had to run home from baseball practice as much as I could (which was not that much) to try to stay in shape. I found that it then took me a longer time to get into shape, and that I had to almost shock myself into shape. 90 feet home to first just isn't the same as a loop around Storrs Pond. It also made transitioning to college running hard. It's taken me a long time to get acclimated to the track, and then the actual running year round really took a toll on my body the first time around.
The 2008 Hanover boys' team set a very high bar by having their top 7 runners run under 17:00 minutes at the Class I Championships at Derryfield Park averaging 16:19. What was so special about that team? The team was ranked very high in the Northeast Regionals that year, but the team did not go on to compete in the Regionals. Why didn't they go on? Do you regret not continuing to compete?
That team was special for a number of reasons, it's hard to put it all into words. A lot of it has to do with what happened the year before, in 2007. A Hanover boy's team had not won Class I's since 2001 I think, but if you had taken our times from that year (2007), we also would have beaten that team from 2001. So we really wanted there to be no doubt about us winning, as we were returning 7 of 8 runners. Being around the girls team of 2007, at least for me, was inspiring. Knowing such great athletes personally made me think that having a great guys team was not out of the question.
We opted not to go on that year. Sometimes a few of us still wonder if we should have. The fact was that many of us were very tired from that season, and in fact we felt as though we had let the New England title slip away from us. The regional meet was still a few weeks away, and I remember Luc and I were both just exhausted. Paco and Paddy and Phil all had skiing seasons they really wanted to excel in, and the fact was that if they had kept running, their skiing would have been compensated. I think part of us believing we could have pulled out a miracle had to do with Aaron seemingly shocking everyone at that race as an individual. There was this idea that, "Well, if we finished in relation to Aaron how we usually do, we would have qualified for Nike Cross Nationals." That's easy to say, and very hard to do, especially when we already felt so depleted. We decided to cut our loses and take the third place in New England as our final accomplishment for that season, which might be the highest a Hanover team finishes for a long time.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
I think I wrote an essay about Derryfield Park for my senior English class. I've raced and run at a lot of places, and some great venues. Thetford, Vermont; Wickham Park, Connecticut; Cumberland, Maine; Van Cortland Park, NYC; Holmdel Park, New Jersey; Lehigh University, Pennsylvania; Terre Haute, Indiana…There's still something about Derryfield that separates it from all of those places.
The first mile is sneaky-hard. It's not hard to run, but very difficult to race. There's a very fine line between being confident and being humble. If you go out too fast, the next two miles will be very long. If you go out too slow, the ground will simply be too hard to make up. The second mile has the dreaded ski hill, and requires as much focus as you have. The third mile is also mentally taxing, and really shows who has heart. You run past the finishing stretch still with about a kilometer left, and it can be very long if you're not emotionally invested. The final stretch is still the best one I've run, though Lehigh and Terre Haute come close. For me at least, everything sound got muffled when I turned the tree. The finishing gate there is great. It really makes it seem like cross country is the only thing that park is used for.
I had a rough couple of races at Derryfield my junior year, and I remember leaving them thinking I was glad I didn't have to come back until the next cross country season. That winter, I hitched a ride down to watch the boys Hockey team play in the state final. I was lying down in the back seat when I saw the sign for Jerome's Deli, and I think I almost went into cardiac arrest. We pulled over and I ran the first snow-covered 800 meters in the dark, wearing my jeans and nice shoes. There's just something about that place…it's a level past magical. It keeps a lot of stories with it.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My most memorable racing experience is a tie between Class I's my senior year and New England's my senior year. At Class I's, I ran a really tough race, even though I wasn't feeling good, and I kicked as hard as I ever have, then or since. I actually met someone a few years later who, that day, had run Class L's and watched our race. He said he couldn't believe anyone could move that fast at the end of a 5k. I still have people who come up to me and say they remember it. I don't remember much, other than that it hurt so deep I've been afraid to get back there.
New England's that year was a mess. It was pouring rain, and there was no chance of running a pr. I was so nervous for my last race I started dry heaving a few minutes beforehand. The gun went off, and in the middle of the field about 150 meters out there was a huge puddle that spanned the width of the start at Wickham. As soon as we ran through it, I immediately lost my nervousness and had so much fun. It was also the best race I ran in terms of place. I came in 50th, and was 12th overall from New Hampshire. Before that, I had never finished better than 28th in New Hampshire. It was so much fun, we were sliding in the mud after the race. We had a great day as a team and finished fourth (New Hampshire took 3 of the top 4 spots teamwise), and the girls also finished fourth.
Least memorable…Coming in third at New England's my junior year was pretty tough to swallow. That year it was at Derryfield, and I was only one of a handful of people to run the same time or faster at New England's than Class I's two weeks before. Even though we came in third, which will be the best a Hanover team finishes for some time, you can ask any guy on that team and he will tell you that we underperformed that day. Had you taken our times from Class I's two weeks before, we would have won easily. It was also so close that a few guys having subpar days (Marc and me) and a few guys having abysmal days (Luc and Jeff) was the difference between being New England champs and being third. It was frustrating to know we were capable but didn't do.
What was your favorite high school workout?
My favorite workout was definitely the sand hill. My junior year it was pouring rain, and everyone got so into it. We were literally screaming at each other to keep pushing the intensity, and we were all covered in dirt and sand by the end. On the run back we were all on such a runners high, it felt like we were sprinting. Jake Kornfeld, a freshman, was so hyped up that he flat out dropped me on route ten. I literally could not catch him, and I was running hard. The sand hill does things to people.
You have continued to excel as a cross country runner in college. How would you compare running for a highly competitive college program like Dickinson College and running for a highly competitive high school program like Hanover High?
There are some differences. For one thing, all of my teammates are from different places, and so our experiences running aren't the same. One thing that helped me a lot in the transition was the fact that I had never been, and was never close to being, the best runner at Hanover. So transitioning from being middle of the pack at Hanover to middle of the pack at Dickinson wasn't a hard transition. Some of my teammates left high school never having been around anyone who could break 16:00 in the 5k or 9:30 in the two-mile, let alone 15:00 and 9:00 (Aaron). They were the only people they knew who could break 17:00 for the 5k, let alone have a team of guys who can break 17:00. You also know what is expected of you, coming from a program as humbling as Hanover's was when I was there. There has to be a mature attitude, especially during workouts where it's so easy for tempers to flare, in order to really improve and bond together.
I will say that the major change I had to deal with transitioning specifically from Hanover to Dickinson was that in high school, we were much more based around utilizing the hills around us and going for quality. Carlisle is much flatter, and so we focus more on quantity, a mileage based plan. At Hanover I was running 45 miles a week tops, but with a lot of hills and very fast. This season at Dickinson, I had a string of weeks where I ran no less than 90 miles each week. We had hard and fast workouts, but there just weren't as many hills, and regular runs had to be slower in order not to burn out.
What are your future career plans? Will running continue to be a part of your life after college?
As of now, I am not so sure. In the middle of the process of composing a piece of music and putting it on in a performance, I can honestly say I want nothing to do with it. I'm glad I am doing it now, but as a job, definitely no. I might take a year and study the GRE and maybe see if there's a graduate program to get into to study exercise science or something along those lines. Being a coach is something I think I can see myself doing and enjoying. That's one way I hope running will continue to be a part of my life. I definitely hope to continue running the road race circuit, though I won't run nearly as much as I am now.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
Enjoy it! Every day you run is a gift. Every race is an opportunity to do something that is truly indescribable, and trust me, I've tried to describe it in many mediums.
Coach used to tell us, "you're in the best shape of your life right now." Even though I'm technically running faster now, I certainly feel old some days.
Alex is presently a senior at Dickinson College majoring in Music Composition. Alex was one of Hanover's all-time “greats” running a sizzling time of 16:29 at Derryfield Park. At the 2009 Class I meet, he was Hanover's #2 man, leading the team to successive state championships. As a junior, he was a valuable member of the historic 2008 Hanover team. Alex was also named one of the co-captains his senior year and earned numerous honors at the annual cross country banquet. Alex was and continues to be a class act. Alex (co-captain) and his Dickinson College team just placed 8th at the NCAA DIII Championships this past weekend.
What got you into running cross country as a 9th grader? Had you competed in road racing before high school?
I initially tried out for the soccer team, but I found that I was getting tired of the people who were on that team. I had some very close friends, but there were others (people that, by the time we finished high school, quit the soccer team) who I really didn't care for. The coach forgot to put me in in a preseason game, and a few days later at extended tryouts I won the two-mile time trial. My sister was captain of the cross country team, and so I had experience with people on the team beforehand, and I had also been to the banquet and seen the way Mr. Eakin and Mr. Crane (and by the end of my tenure, Mr. Picconi) knew every runner by name and actually KNEW them. I decided to go with my gut and see what it was all about.
I had never competed in any sort of race besides the mile in elementary school and the two-mile time trial I mentioned before, so my first race at Thetford was a big shock to me. I think I ran 21:53 for 5k.
Baseball was perhaps your favorite sport, thus, you did not run track. Were there benefits to not running year around, if so, what were they? What were the disadvantages?
There were definitely advantages and disadvantages. One main advantage was that there was almost no chance of me burning out, and taking so much time off of running really limited my risk of injury. The disadvantage was frankly that I wasn't running as much as the competition around the state. I had to run home from baseball practice as much as I could (which was not that much) to try to stay in shape. I found that it then took me a longer time to get into shape, and that I had to almost shock myself into shape. 90 feet home to first just isn't the same as a loop around Storrs Pond. It also made transitioning to college running hard. It's taken me a long time to get acclimated to the track, and then the actual running year round really took a toll on my body the first time around.
The 2008 Hanover boys' team set a very high bar by having their top 7 runners run under 17:00 minutes at the Class I Championships at Derryfield Park averaging 16:19. What was so special about that team? The team was ranked very high in the Northeast Regionals that year, but the team did not go on to compete in the Regionals. Why didn't they go on? Do you regret not continuing to compete?
That team was special for a number of reasons, it's hard to put it all into words. A lot of it has to do with what happened the year before, in 2007. A Hanover boy's team had not won Class I's since 2001 I think, but if you had taken our times from that year (2007), we also would have beaten that team from 2001. So we really wanted there to be no doubt about us winning, as we were returning 7 of 8 runners. Being around the girls team of 2007, at least for me, was inspiring. Knowing such great athletes personally made me think that having a great guys team was not out of the question.
We opted not to go on that year. Sometimes a few of us still wonder if we should have. The fact was that many of us were very tired from that season, and in fact we felt as though we had let the New England title slip away from us. The regional meet was still a few weeks away, and I remember Luc and I were both just exhausted. Paco and Paddy and Phil all had skiing seasons they really wanted to excel in, and the fact was that if they had kept running, their skiing would have been compensated. I think part of us believing we could have pulled out a miracle had to do with Aaron seemingly shocking everyone at that race as an individual. There was this idea that, "Well, if we finished in relation to Aaron how we usually do, we would have qualified for Nike Cross Nationals." That's easy to say, and very hard to do, especially when we already felt so depleted. We decided to cut our loses and take the third place in New England as our final accomplishment for that season, which might be the highest a Hanover team finishes for a long time.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
I think I wrote an essay about Derryfield Park for my senior English class. I've raced and run at a lot of places, and some great venues. Thetford, Vermont; Wickham Park, Connecticut; Cumberland, Maine; Van Cortland Park, NYC; Holmdel Park, New Jersey; Lehigh University, Pennsylvania; Terre Haute, Indiana…There's still something about Derryfield that separates it from all of those places.
The first mile is sneaky-hard. It's not hard to run, but very difficult to race. There's a very fine line between being confident and being humble. If you go out too fast, the next two miles will be very long. If you go out too slow, the ground will simply be too hard to make up. The second mile has the dreaded ski hill, and requires as much focus as you have. The third mile is also mentally taxing, and really shows who has heart. You run past the finishing stretch still with about a kilometer left, and it can be very long if you're not emotionally invested. The final stretch is still the best one I've run, though Lehigh and Terre Haute come close. For me at least, everything sound got muffled when I turned the tree. The finishing gate there is great. It really makes it seem like cross country is the only thing that park is used for.
I had a rough couple of races at Derryfield my junior year, and I remember leaving them thinking I was glad I didn't have to come back until the next cross country season. That winter, I hitched a ride down to watch the boys Hockey team play in the state final. I was lying down in the back seat when I saw the sign for Jerome's Deli, and I think I almost went into cardiac arrest. We pulled over and I ran the first snow-covered 800 meters in the dark, wearing my jeans and nice shoes. There's just something about that place…it's a level past magical. It keeps a lot of stories with it.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My most memorable racing experience is a tie between Class I's my senior year and New England's my senior year. At Class I's, I ran a really tough race, even though I wasn't feeling good, and I kicked as hard as I ever have, then or since. I actually met someone a few years later who, that day, had run Class L's and watched our race. He said he couldn't believe anyone could move that fast at the end of a 5k. I still have people who come up to me and say they remember it. I don't remember much, other than that it hurt so deep I've been afraid to get back there.
New England's that year was a mess. It was pouring rain, and there was no chance of running a pr. I was so nervous for my last race I started dry heaving a few minutes beforehand. The gun went off, and in the middle of the field about 150 meters out there was a huge puddle that spanned the width of the start at Wickham. As soon as we ran through it, I immediately lost my nervousness and had so much fun. It was also the best race I ran in terms of place. I came in 50th, and was 12th overall from New Hampshire. Before that, I had never finished better than 28th in New Hampshire. It was so much fun, we were sliding in the mud after the race. We had a great day as a team and finished fourth (New Hampshire took 3 of the top 4 spots teamwise), and the girls also finished fourth.
Least memorable…Coming in third at New England's my junior year was pretty tough to swallow. That year it was at Derryfield, and I was only one of a handful of people to run the same time or faster at New England's than Class I's two weeks before. Even though we came in third, which will be the best a Hanover team finishes for some time, you can ask any guy on that team and he will tell you that we underperformed that day. Had you taken our times from Class I's two weeks before, we would have won easily. It was also so close that a few guys having subpar days (Marc and me) and a few guys having abysmal days (Luc and Jeff) was the difference between being New England champs and being third. It was frustrating to know we were capable but didn't do.
What was your favorite high school workout?
My favorite workout was definitely the sand hill. My junior year it was pouring rain, and everyone got so into it. We were literally screaming at each other to keep pushing the intensity, and we were all covered in dirt and sand by the end. On the run back we were all on such a runners high, it felt like we were sprinting. Jake Kornfeld, a freshman, was so hyped up that he flat out dropped me on route ten. I literally could not catch him, and I was running hard. The sand hill does things to people.
You have continued to excel as a cross country runner in college. How would you compare running for a highly competitive college program like Dickinson College and running for a highly competitive high school program like Hanover High?
There are some differences. For one thing, all of my teammates are from different places, and so our experiences running aren't the same. One thing that helped me a lot in the transition was the fact that I had never been, and was never close to being, the best runner at Hanover. So transitioning from being middle of the pack at Hanover to middle of the pack at Dickinson wasn't a hard transition. Some of my teammates left high school never having been around anyone who could break 16:00 in the 5k or 9:30 in the two-mile, let alone 15:00 and 9:00 (Aaron). They were the only people they knew who could break 17:00 for the 5k, let alone have a team of guys who can break 17:00. You also know what is expected of you, coming from a program as humbling as Hanover's was when I was there. There has to be a mature attitude, especially during workouts where it's so easy for tempers to flare, in order to really improve and bond together.
I will say that the major change I had to deal with transitioning specifically from Hanover to Dickinson was that in high school, we were much more based around utilizing the hills around us and going for quality. Carlisle is much flatter, and so we focus more on quantity, a mileage based plan. At Hanover I was running 45 miles a week tops, but with a lot of hills and very fast. This season at Dickinson, I had a string of weeks where I ran no less than 90 miles each week. We had hard and fast workouts, but there just weren't as many hills, and regular runs had to be slower in order not to burn out.
What are your future career plans? Will running continue to be a part of your life after college?
As of now, I am not so sure. In the middle of the process of composing a piece of music and putting it on in a performance, I can honestly say I want nothing to do with it. I'm glad I am doing it now, but as a job, definitely no. I might take a year and study the GRE and maybe see if there's a graduate program to get into to study exercise science or something along those lines. Being a coach is something I think I can see myself doing and enjoying. That's one way I hope running will continue to be a part of my life. I definitely hope to continue running the road race circuit, though I won't run nearly as much as I am now.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
Enjoy it! Every day you run is a gift. Every race is an opportunity to do something that is truly indescribable, and trust me, I've tried to describe it in many mediums.
Coach used to tell us, "you're in the best shape of your life right now." Even though I'm technically running faster now, I certainly feel old some days.
Jeff Colt, Hanover XC 2009
Jeff is presently a senior at Middlebury College majoring in Geology and English. Jeff was not only a valuable contributor to the team (9th place 2008 Class I 's 16:25 and #3 Hanover runner), but an enthusiastic team leader. The Colt Award is annually presented at the Hanover Cross Country Banquet for the contribution that Jeff and his brother Willie gave to the Hanover Cross Country program. Jeff ran also ran an impressive 16:20 at the MOC in 2008. He ran two seasons of XC for Middlebury College.
You started running competitively at an early age. What were the benefits and disadvantages to starting so early?
I began running for fun and competitively when I was 7 years old. My older brother Willie was beginning to compete in Hershey Track and Field and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Eventually, we were approached by Nashua PALS USAFT junior cross country team. From fourth grade through seventh grade I was running 30 to 35 mile weeks and racing about 25 times a year. I remember loving it and having so much fun, partially because I was successful at it. In 2000, I placed 6th at the junior olympics for cross country and in 2001 I placed 2nd (that same year, 5th grade, I ran a 5:34 mile). I hoped that the success would continue but in middle school, all of my competitors grew and I stayed the same 4' 10", 85lbs frame. When my growth spurt finally did hit freshman and sophomore year of high school, my knees took a serious toll. I attribute a lot of the pains and injuries that I had throughout my high school running career to having started running competitively at such an early age. Whereas a lot of runners don't start shaping their body to be efficient at running until after they are fully grown, I had conditioned my body to be efficient at running before I grew and my growth really derailed all of efforts I'd put toward attaining running shape.
On the up side, running has always been with me and I'm sure it always will be. High school and college cross country is so competitive, it really changed my approach toward running. As a kid, racing didn't feel competitive at all. I am not racing competitively anymore but I still love running. Because I started running at such an early age, I discovered that through running, I could find a lot of strength for other challenges I've faced and will continue to face. I'll do the occasional 10K and half marathon and now there is no stress related with it. It's that same love of running that I had as a 10 year old (just that 10 year old Jeff would beat me now).
The 2008 Hanover boys' team set a very high bar by having their top 7 runners run under 17:00 minutes at the Class I Championships at Derryfield Park averaging 16:19. What was so special about that team? The team was ranked very high in the Northeast Regionals that year, but the team did not go on to compete in the Regionals. Why didn't they go on? Do you regret not continuing to compete?
That team was great. The inspirations came from everyone. I'd like to think that my co-captains, Marc Whittington and Phil Tosteson, and I were great leaders but there was so much more than that. Alex Strenta and Luke Amdahl both showed so much dedication throughout the season and really provided a sound foundation for the team to always place well. Paco DeFrancis and Paddy Caldwell were nordic skiers and were both so strong that they never really had "off" days. and then there was Aaron Watanabe. He led by example, through determined training and a fierce competitive side he climbed from being a non-factor on the team his freshman year to winning states his junior year.I remember him telling me on the way back from Manhattan Invitational that he intended to win states. I was thinking "sure, Aaron."
We didn't win a race until states that season. Con-val, Pinkerton or BG always won and we felt like the underdog. Winning states over Con-val was great. Getting second to BG at MOC was what we wanted because we had our eye on the next weekend. We wanted to take down Danbury, CT at New Englands and make a national name for ourselves. So much of that season was trying to prove that Hanover MEN'S Cross Country also means business. When it came time for regionals, we were only going to continue on and give our best shot at NXN if every member of the team wanted to. Not everyone wanted to so we stuck by that decision. I think my best race was still ahead of me and I think some of the other guys would say the same but there is no doubt that the season was very long. I regret not getting another chance at beating Danbury but that might reflect that I had an off day at New Englands. I wanted to close out the season on top.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
There is nothing like it. Thetford,VT may be a hard course and it may attract big crowds but Derryfield has such a momentous build-up when you pass the ski lift, take the hard right turn and power through to the light house. It's like a roller coaster working the cogs and gears so intensely to pull up the hill and then it reaches the crest and gravity rules all, you just need to make sure you can keep up with your legs.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
Turning the final corner around the tree at Derryfield and knowing that Noah Fournier, a runner who had bested me in every race that season, was right on my tail. I still see that photo of my finish every once and a while and I look possessed. That last 200m stretch was everything from burning pain to ecstasy when my foot crossed the line and I knew Hanover had 3 in front of Con-Val's three.
Another moment I remember well and wish I didn't was two weeks later at New Englands, 800m into the race I looked right and saw Andrew Springer and Francis Hernandez and thought, well darn, I really miscalculated something here. The rest of that race was holding on. I'd like to think I was the New England cross country 800m champion but in reality I felt like I'd let down myself and team. Cross country is a beautiful sport though, another runner on our team had a breakout day.
What was your favorite high school workout?
We had this workout called "the marker game" in which there were 5 or 6 teams and 8 cones spread across the Dartmouth golf course. Standing at each cone would be a coach, injured athlete, or JV athlete with a colored marker. Every member of your team would need the required markings for that round so first round would be "orange on left knee, green right hand, and blue left arm." It was then a chaotic set of intervals, sprinting between cones looking for the right color and trying to get your team to keep up with you. Once the whole team was marked, you would sit back in the center of the golf course and wait until next round to do it all again. It translated to be a very fun 5 x800 or so at race pace but everyone would leave that day being more sore than any other day.
You ended competing in cross country after running for two years at Middlebury. Why did you stop competing at the college level?
Middlebury has a great running program and the team was a lot of fun. Competing at the college level, especially DIII in the NESCAC division is both challenging competition wise but also with academics. Both seasons I ended up getting sick or injured from overworking myself in school and trying to maintain 60-80 mile weeks depending on our schedule. In the end, I left the team in good spirits. Not running at college is healthier for me, I have more time to work on my school work, and I am no longer spread too thin across classes, activities, and sports.
What are your future career plans? Will running be a part of your life again?
I am studying Geology and hope to one day work with land conservation organizations and mining companies to minimize the environmental impact of mineral extraction as much as possible. We rely daily on minerals such as Copper and Iron Ore, but the mining processes are very crude. As for running, running will always be a part of my life. I have taken to hill running and longer runs through the White, Green, and Adirondack Mountains. I will still do half marathons and the like for as long as I can, I have just had to seek alternative training to solely running.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
Cross train! Take up road biking, mountain biking, swimming, hiking. Consider reducing your actual mileage of running, but increase the amount of cardiovascular work you are doing. Substitute longer runs with even longer bike rides. Your knees might thank you further down the line.
Jeff is presently a senior at Middlebury College majoring in Geology and English. Jeff was not only a valuable contributor to the team (9th place 2008 Class I 's 16:25 and #3 Hanover runner), but an enthusiastic team leader. The Colt Award is annually presented at the Hanover Cross Country Banquet for the contribution that Jeff and his brother Willie gave to the Hanover Cross Country program. Jeff ran also ran an impressive 16:20 at the MOC in 2008. He ran two seasons of XC for Middlebury College.
You started running competitively at an early age. What were the benefits and disadvantages to starting so early?
I began running for fun and competitively when I was 7 years old. My older brother Willie was beginning to compete in Hershey Track and Field and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Eventually, we were approached by Nashua PALS USAFT junior cross country team. From fourth grade through seventh grade I was running 30 to 35 mile weeks and racing about 25 times a year. I remember loving it and having so much fun, partially because I was successful at it. In 2000, I placed 6th at the junior olympics for cross country and in 2001 I placed 2nd (that same year, 5th grade, I ran a 5:34 mile). I hoped that the success would continue but in middle school, all of my competitors grew and I stayed the same 4' 10", 85lbs frame. When my growth spurt finally did hit freshman and sophomore year of high school, my knees took a serious toll. I attribute a lot of the pains and injuries that I had throughout my high school running career to having started running competitively at such an early age. Whereas a lot of runners don't start shaping their body to be efficient at running until after they are fully grown, I had conditioned my body to be efficient at running before I grew and my growth really derailed all of efforts I'd put toward attaining running shape.
On the up side, running has always been with me and I'm sure it always will be. High school and college cross country is so competitive, it really changed my approach toward running. As a kid, racing didn't feel competitive at all. I am not racing competitively anymore but I still love running. Because I started running at such an early age, I discovered that through running, I could find a lot of strength for other challenges I've faced and will continue to face. I'll do the occasional 10K and half marathon and now there is no stress related with it. It's that same love of running that I had as a 10 year old (just that 10 year old Jeff would beat me now).
The 2008 Hanover boys' team set a very high bar by having their top 7 runners run under 17:00 minutes at the Class I Championships at Derryfield Park averaging 16:19. What was so special about that team? The team was ranked very high in the Northeast Regionals that year, but the team did not go on to compete in the Regionals. Why didn't they go on? Do you regret not continuing to compete?
That team was great. The inspirations came from everyone. I'd like to think that my co-captains, Marc Whittington and Phil Tosteson, and I were great leaders but there was so much more than that. Alex Strenta and Luke Amdahl both showed so much dedication throughout the season and really provided a sound foundation for the team to always place well. Paco DeFrancis and Paddy Caldwell were nordic skiers and were both so strong that they never really had "off" days. and then there was Aaron Watanabe. He led by example, through determined training and a fierce competitive side he climbed from being a non-factor on the team his freshman year to winning states his junior year.I remember him telling me on the way back from Manhattan Invitational that he intended to win states. I was thinking "sure, Aaron."
We didn't win a race until states that season. Con-val, Pinkerton or BG always won and we felt like the underdog. Winning states over Con-val was great. Getting second to BG at MOC was what we wanted because we had our eye on the next weekend. We wanted to take down Danbury, CT at New Englands and make a national name for ourselves. So much of that season was trying to prove that Hanover MEN'S Cross Country also means business. When it came time for regionals, we were only going to continue on and give our best shot at NXN if every member of the team wanted to. Not everyone wanted to so we stuck by that decision. I think my best race was still ahead of me and I think some of the other guys would say the same but there is no doubt that the season was very long. I regret not getting another chance at beating Danbury but that might reflect that I had an off day at New Englands. I wanted to close out the season on top.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
There is nothing like it. Thetford,VT may be a hard course and it may attract big crowds but Derryfield has such a momentous build-up when you pass the ski lift, take the hard right turn and power through to the light house. It's like a roller coaster working the cogs and gears so intensely to pull up the hill and then it reaches the crest and gravity rules all, you just need to make sure you can keep up with your legs.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
Turning the final corner around the tree at Derryfield and knowing that Noah Fournier, a runner who had bested me in every race that season, was right on my tail. I still see that photo of my finish every once and a while and I look possessed. That last 200m stretch was everything from burning pain to ecstasy when my foot crossed the line and I knew Hanover had 3 in front of Con-Val's three.
Another moment I remember well and wish I didn't was two weeks later at New Englands, 800m into the race I looked right and saw Andrew Springer and Francis Hernandez and thought, well darn, I really miscalculated something here. The rest of that race was holding on. I'd like to think I was the New England cross country 800m champion but in reality I felt like I'd let down myself and team. Cross country is a beautiful sport though, another runner on our team had a breakout day.
What was your favorite high school workout?
We had this workout called "the marker game" in which there were 5 or 6 teams and 8 cones spread across the Dartmouth golf course. Standing at each cone would be a coach, injured athlete, or JV athlete with a colored marker. Every member of your team would need the required markings for that round so first round would be "orange on left knee, green right hand, and blue left arm." It was then a chaotic set of intervals, sprinting between cones looking for the right color and trying to get your team to keep up with you. Once the whole team was marked, you would sit back in the center of the golf course and wait until next round to do it all again. It translated to be a very fun 5 x800 or so at race pace but everyone would leave that day being more sore than any other day.
You ended competing in cross country after running for two years at Middlebury. Why did you stop competing at the college level?
Middlebury has a great running program and the team was a lot of fun. Competing at the college level, especially DIII in the NESCAC division is both challenging competition wise but also with academics. Both seasons I ended up getting sick or injured from overworking myself in school and trying to maintain 60-80 mile weeks depending on our schedule. In the end, I left the team in good spirits. Not running at college is healthier for me, I have more time to work on my school work, and I am no longer spread too thin across classes, activities, and sports.
What are your future career plans? Will running be a part of your life again?
I am studying Geology and hope to one day work with land conservation organizations and mining companies to minimize the environmental impact of mineral extraction as much as possible. We rely daily on minerals such as Copper and Iron Ore, but the mining processes are very crude. As for running, running will always be a part of my life. I have taken to hill running and longer runs through the White, Green, and Adirondack Mountains. I will still do half marathons and the like for as long as I can, I have just had to seek alternative training to solely running.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
Cross train! Take up road biking, mountain biking, swimming, hiking. Consider reducing your actual mileage of running, but increase the amount of cardiovascular work you are doing. Substitute longer runs with even longer bike rides. Your knees might thank you further down the line.
Where are they now?
Georgia Griffin, Hanover XC 2008
Georgia recently graduated from Stanford University with degree in Earth Systems. Georgia's high school XC career was nothing short of spectacular culminating in an athletic scholarship to Stanford. Georgia ran cross country at Hanover High for three years, leading her teammates to three consecutive #1 rankings in the state and eventually a 4th place at the Nike Cross Nationals. Her accolades are too numerous to mention, but some of the highlights were: 3-time Class I Champion, 2-time Meet of Champion victor, 2-time New England Champion, and Northeast Regional Champion. During her junior and senior year she was named Gatorade Runner of the Year for NH as well as NH Runner of the Year. Her personal best at Derryfield Park is 18:01 and a record breaking 17:28 at Mine Falls.
You played soccer as a 9th grader, why did you decide to run cross country the following year?
I realized that my favorite part of soccer practice and games was when I got to run a lot. I have always loved to run.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Just like every other race, the hours, minutes, seconds preceding the starting gun were a whirlwind of nerves—and routine. Maroon! Crush! As a pack we would do our final stride back to the starting line, tear off our sweats, exchange breathy good lucks and hand squeezes, and toe the line, shoulder to shoulder with teammates. In the mere seconds before the gun and the sea of runners broke loose, I focused my mind on what I needed to do. Moments later, it would just be running.
My strategy at Derryfield was the same every time I raced there. The first mile I envisioned myself floating comfortably along—ideally in the front pack or just behind. I loved the idea of music blasting as you run up the first hill. But once the race began, I never even heard “Girls Just Want to Have Fun!” or “Chariot’s of Fire” playing that people talked about afterwards. I would make a strong move heading into the woods and by the time the trail hung a left I hoped to be out of sight. In the winding section of wooded trail I felt like I could open up my stride and put in a stretch of hard effort while nobody could see me. I tried to create as large a gap as possible between myself and the next runners during this section. Then I would just relax and maintain up the steep ski hill, and start rolling as I hit the flat hilltop and ran down, relaxing as much as possible. The 5th kilometer of the Derrifield course is a grueling—albeit slight—incline that snakes back and forth so that you can see other runners at different points in the race. When I hit 4 kilometers, I just tried to “hold on,” encouraged by the cheers, the glimpses of teammates I caught while rounding a corner, and by knowing this would last less than four more minutes!
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My favorite memories of XC are the rituals. For me, they turned being part of the Marauder team into something sacred. Eating watermelon after preseason workouts; pre-race visualizations at the Bima; team dinners; yoga breaths led by Mr. Eakin of course mid-run; the Abanaki Warrior Hill Workout and the Marker Game; belting out “Build Me Up Buttercup” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” on the bus and while running; doing skips to “Sweet Caroline” while warming up; Mr. Eakin clamping his hand on each of our necks before the race; Maroon! Crush! These rituals were part of our identity. When other things got tough, like relaxing the night before a big race, little traditions fed me confidence.
What was your favorite high school workout?
I loved the surprises. For example, when Mr. Eakin would spontaneously tell us to sprint up a hill at the end of a workout, with very little forewarning. Since Mr. Eakin, I have never had a coach incorporate surprises into a workout without an explicit warning that there might be a hard addition at the end. I think it prepared us to be adaptable and not panic when the going gets tough and deviates from expectation.
As you developed into a champion runner, did you feel a pressure to be #1, and if so, how did you handle that pressure?
Honestly, it was a lot easier to deal with pressure in high school than in college. I think that one reason for this may be that in high school the pressure was internal and focused around trying my best, while in college I felt external pressure that was more results-oriented (whether or not that external pressure was real or perceived). In high school, I believed that I could be as tough as any of my competitors, and that gave me strength.
Describe the differences and similarities between high school and college cross country: training, competing, relationships with teammates/coaches, balancing running with college course work, etc.
Both my cross country team in high school and my team in college were like family. Some people might think of running as an individual sport, but cross country is all about the team. My teammates are some of my closest friends, and truly wonderful people.
One major difference between high school and college cross country is the support of one’s family while living at home. I have come to appreciate how much my parents and brother, and my friends’ families gave to me—everything from home-cooked meals and making daily life easy to providing unconditional love no matter what the result.
What are your future career plans and will you still compete as a runner after college or do other sports?
I will be spending this coming year in Cochabamba, Bolivia, volunteering in a children’s home. So I have been preparing myself for the challenge of not being able to run. In the future, my goal is to attend medical school, possibly become a pediatrician, and own a very large blueberry patch. After struggling with some injuries the past three years, I am finally healthy again and able to run care-free, and it has been a blast. When I return from Bolivia, I hope to run with friends, maybe join a club running team at some point, and definitely play lots of other sports!
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
I think one of the greatest things about running xc is that you learn things about yourself that nobody else can teach you. So my advice might not be so relevant to another high school runner! That said, if I could have given myself advice when I was a senior in high school, heading on to race in college, I would have told myself (1) being happy is a prerequisite for running well (2) it’s OK to be content even if not satisfied (3) often less is more in distance running, and (4) trust yourself—just because other people do things differently, you know yourself.
Georgia recently graduated from Stanford University with degree in Earth Systems. Georgia's high school XC career was nothing short of spectacular culminating in an athletic scholarship to Stanford. Georgia ran cross country at Hanover High for three years, leading her teammates to three consecutive #1 rankings in the state and eventually a 4th place at the Nike Cross Nationals. Her accolades are too numerous to mention, but some of the highlights were: 3-time Class I Champion, 2-time Meet of Champion victor, 2-time New England Champion, and Northeast Regional Champion. During her junior and senior year she was named Gatorade Runner of the Year for NH as well as NH Runner of the Year. Her personal best at Derryfield Park is 18:01 and a record breaking 17:28 at Mine Falls.
You played soccer as a 9th grader, why did you decide to run cross country the following year?
I realized that my favorite part of soccer practice and games was when I got to run a lot. I have always loved to run.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Just like every other race, the hours, minutes, seconds preceding the starting gun were a whirlwind of nerves—and routine. Maroon! Crush! As a pack we would do our final stride back to the starting line, tear off our sweats, exchange breathy good lucks and hand squeezes, and toe the line, shoulder to shoulder with teammates. In the mere seconds before the gun and the sea of runners broke loose, I focused my mind on what I needed to do. Moments later, it would just be running.
My strategy at Derryfield was the same every time I raced there. The first mile I envisioned myself floating comfortably along—ideally in the front pack or just behind. I loved the idea of music blasting as you run up the first hill. But once the race began, I never even heard “Girls Just Want to Have Fun!” or “Chariot’s of Fire” playing that people talked about afterwards. I would make a strong move heading into the woods and by the time the trail hung a left I hoped to be out of sight. In the winding section of wooded trail I felt like I could open up my stride and put in a stretch of hard effort while nobody could see me. I tried to create as large a gap as possible between myself and the next runners during this section. Then I would just relax and maintain up the steep ski hill, and start rolling as I hit the flat hilltop and ran down, relaxing as much as possible. The 5th kilometer of the Derrifield course is a grueling—albeit slight—incline that snakes back and forth so that you can see other runners at different points in the race. When I hit 4 kilometers, I just tried to “hold on,” encouraged by the cheers, the glimpses of teammates I caught while rounding a corner, and by knowing this would last less than four more minutes!
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
My favorite memories of XC are the rituals. For me, they turned being part of the Marauder team into something sacred. Eating watermelon after preseason workouts; pre-race visualizations at the Bima; team dinners; yoga breaths led by Mr. Eakin of course mid-run; the Abanaki Warrior Hill Workout and the Marker Game; belting out “Build Me Up Buttercup” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” on the bus and while running; doing skips to “Sweet Caroline” while warming up; Mr. Eakin clamping his hand on each of our necks before the race; Maroon! Crush! These rituals were part of our identity. When other things got tough, like relaxing the night before a big race, little traditions fed me confidence.
What was your favorite high school workout?
I loved the surprises. For example, when Mr. Eakin would spontaneously tell us to sprint up a hill at the end of a workout, with very little forewarning. Since Mr. Eakin, I have never had a coach incorporate surprises into a workout without an explicit warning that there might be a hard addition at the end. I think it prepared us to be adaptable and not panic when the going gets tough and deviates from expectation.
As you developed into a champion runner, did you feel a pressure to be #1, and if so, how did you handle that pressure?
Honestly, it was a lot easier to deal with pressure in high school than in college. I think that one reason for this may be that in high school the pressure was internal and focused around trying my best, while in college I felt external pressure that was more results-oriented (whether or not that external pressure was real or perceived). In high school, I believed that I could be as tough as any of my competitors, and that gave me strength.
Describe the differences and similarities between high school and college cross country: training, competing, relationships with teammates/coaches, balancing running with college course work, etc.
Both my cross country team in high school and my team in college were like family. Some people might think of running as an individual sport, but cross country is all about the team. My teammates are some of my closest friends, and truly wonderful people.
One major difference between high school and college cross country is the support of one’s family while living at home. I have come to appreciate how much my parents and brother, and my friends’ families gave to me—everything from home-cooked meals and making daily life easy to providing unconditional love no matter what the result.
What are your future career plans and will you still compete as a runner after college or do other sports?
I will be spending this coming year in Cochabamba, Bolivia, volunteering in a children’s home. So I have been preparing myself for the challenge of not being able to run. In the future, my goal is to attend medical school, possibly become a pediatrician, and own a very large blueberry patch. After struggling with some injuries the past three years, I am finally healthy again and able to run care-free, and it has been a blast. When I return from Bolivia, I hope to run with friends, maybe join a club running team at some point, and definitely play lots of other sports!
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
I think one of the greatest things about running xc is that you learn things about yourself that nobody else can teach you. So my advice might not be so relevant to another high school runner! That said, if I could have given myself advice when I was a senior in high school, heading on to race in college, I would have told myself (1) being happy is a prerequisite for running well (2) it’s OK to be content even if not satisfied (3) often less is more in distance running, and (4) trust yourself—just because other people do things differently, you know yourself.
Where are they now?
Heidi Caldwell, Hanover XC 2010
Heidi is presently a senior at Brown University majoring in Environmental Science. She has been one of Brown's top distance runners for the past 3 seasons, but a injuries curtailed her running since last xc season. Heidi's high school career was nothing short of outstanding. Heidi was the Class I and Meet of Champion victor during her junior and senior year., as well as named Gatorade Runner of the Year for NH as well as NH Runner of the year. During her sophomore year she helped Hanover place 4th at the Nike Cross Nationals by placing 11th overall. XC Championship as a junior. She also qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals in her junior season, but decided not to compete at Nike her senior year. Her best time at Derryfield Park is 18:20 and 17:46 at Mine Falls.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Derryfield Park truly epitomizes New Hampshire Cross Country. When I think of racing in high school, I always think of Derryfield. There is always an excited energy and the sense that great races are about to be run.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
One of my all time favorite memories is of States my junior year. Hanover won both male and female team and individual titles, and we felt like we were on top of the world! It was both my and Aaron's first individual titles, and we couldn't really believe it, it was so exciting. It was just one of those race days when absolutely everyone on our team gutted it out to the bitter end and we came out on top, feeling unstoppable.
What was your favorite high school workout?
The marker game! We did this workout every year on the golf course. Coach Eakin would first split us up into random teams (boys and girls mixed). He would then send five or so "marker holders" (either assistant coaches or injured runners) out to various corners of the field. Each round of the workout began with Coach Eakin giving us a set of instructions, such as "green left ear, blue right knee, purple nose". We would all then frantically sprint around to find the right marker color and be marked on the correct body part, and then sprint back to the start. The team that successfully got all team members back first got the most points. It went on and on and was so fun - always a highlight of the season!
With the graduation of Georgia Griffin/ Bridget Black, et. al. As a junior, you became the #1 runner not only for Hanover, but the for state of NH. Describe the pressure you felt competing during that time period. What got you through the seasons?
I feel so lucky to have had Georgia Griffin, Bridgette Black, Beth Taylor, Cate Brown, Meg Donohue, and Grace Rodriguez as teammates my first two years. They were each amazing role models in unique ways, and each helped shape me as a runner, teammate, and person. After the five graduated, I think part of the reason I was able to be successful was because of how they had helped shape my approach to running. It was the team that always got me through the seasons. Whenever I felt pressure or hurt in a race, I would remember that my teammates were out there racing with me and just how much we all wanted to succeed. That always gave me the drive to push harder.
What are your future career plans and will you still compete as a runner after college or do other sports?
I am very uncertain of my future career plans at the moment. I think I ultimately would like to be a teacher and coach at a high school one day. At the moment I have no plans to compete as a runner after college, but you never know what can happen in a year! I may change my mind.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
Enjoy every moment! High school cross country is an all around amazing experience. It made me who I am today and opened so many doors.
Heidi is presently a senior at Brown University majoring in Environmental Science. She has been one of Brown's top distance runners for the past 3 seasons, but a injuries curtailed her running since last xc season. Heidi's high school career was nothing short of outstanding. Heidi was the Class I and Meet of Champion victor during her junior and senior year., as well as named Gatorade Runner of the Year for NH as well as NH Runner of the year. During her sophomore year she helped Hanover place 4th at the Nike Cross Nationals by placing 11th overall. XC Championship as a junior. She also qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals in her junior season, but decided not to compete at Nike her senior year. Her best time at Derryfield Park is 18:20 and 17:46 at Mine Falls.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Derryfield Park truly epitomizes New Hampshire Cross Country. When I think of racing in high school, I always think of Derryfield. There is always an excited energy and the sense that great races are about to be run.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
One of my all time favorite memories is of States my junior year. Hanover won both male and female team and individual titles, and we felt like we were on top of the world! It was both my and Aaron's first individual titles, and we couldn't really believe it, it was so exciting. It was just one of those race days when absolutely everyone on our team gutted it out to the bitter end and we came out on top, feeling unstoppable.
What was your favorite high school workout?
The marker game! We did this workout every year on the golf course. Coach Eakin would first split us up into random teams (boys and girls mixed). He would then send five or so "marker holders" (either assistant coaches or injured runners) out to various corners of the field. Each round of the workout began with Coach Eakin giving us a set of instructions, such as "green left ear, blue right knee, purple nose". We would all then frantically sprint around to find the right marker color and be marked on the correct body part, and then sprint back to the start. The team that successfully got all team members back first got the most points. It went on and on and was so fun - always a highlight of the season!
With the graduation of Georgia Griffin/ Bridget Black, et. al. As a junior, you became the #1 runner not only for Hanover, but the for state of NH. Describe the pressure you felt competing during that time period. What got you through the seasons?
I feel so lucky to have had Georgia Griffin, Bridgette Black, Beth Taylor, Cate Brown, Meg Donohue, and Grace Rodriguez as teammates my first two years. They were each amazing role models in unique ways, and each helped shape me as a runner, teammate, and person. After the five graduated, I think part of the reason I was able to be successful was because of how they had helped shape my approach to running. It was the team that always got me through the seasons. Whenever I felt pressure or hurt in a race, I would remember that my teammates were out there racing with me and just how much we all wanted to succeed. That always gave me the drive to push harder.
What are your future career plans and will you still compete as a runner after college or do other sports?
I am very uncertain of my future career plans at the moment. I think I ultimately would like to be a teacher and coach at a high school one day. At the moment I have no plans to compete as a runner after college, but you never know what can happen in a year! I may change my mind.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school xc runners?
Enjoy every moment! High school cross country is an all around amazing experience. It made me who I am today and opened so many doors.
Where are they now?
Aaron Watanabe, Hanover XC 2010
Aaron is presently a senior at Harvard University majoring in Government. Unfortunately, his college cross country career was cut short ( completed 2 XC seasons) by a knee injury. However, his high school career was nothing short of outstanding. Aaron's meteoric rise from 11th runner on the JV team his freshman season to become one of the top runners in the Northeast by the time he was a senior is a testament to his talent, drive, and tenacity. Aaron won the Class I Championship as a junior. He qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals in both his junior and senior seasons. His best time at Derryfield Park was 15:39. He holds the New Hampshire 3200 meter track record of 8:59.43.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Very special. Running at Derryfield was always exciting; perhaps the only meets we raced there -- Manchester Invites, Class I's [Division II back in the "good old days"], and once New Englands on a hot and humid November day -- were significant ones. I personally liked the course because I trained mostly over hills, so it played to my strengths without being so tough that it meant twenty minutes of misery like the Woods Trail course at Thetford [VT]. Without the bottlenecks that plague some courses, Derryfield lets the race play out on its own terms. What perhaps makes Derryfield exceptional though is that it combines woods and hills while being spectator friendly. As a result, the crowd gets into the races and that always gives you a little extra push, especially in the last 800-1000m right after you pass the tennis courts. Derryfield races were always memorable.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
Most memorable has to be the 2008 Class I championships. A cross country season obviously involves a lot of work, but also a lot of luck. You can put in all the miles, but sometimes when the chips are down, it doesn't come together. That day, it did; everyone gave a 110%. I think this was best exemplified by Jeff Colt, who had been out for a while due to a sprained ankle, I think. His legs were not as ready as he wanted them, but he gave it his all. You can see his last 150m in the race video; it's the closest I've ever seen someone to moving their body through sheer will power. Overall though, I think everyone felt really proud about what they had achieved individually and as a team. It was one of the happiest days of my life.
There are not a lot of "least memorable" moments, though my first race might qualify. I was not a natural runner. That first race was a physical challenge and I think it might be the most pain I've ever experienced. Perhaps that suggests I've luckily lived a pretty pain-free life. On the other hand, we were running Woods Trail. And, because of maintenance, had to run the hilly upper loop. Twice.
What was your favorite high school workout?
Wow. There were a lot of good ones. In XC, we rarely did the same workout twice. The variety kept us on our toes. I generally liked longer intervals. One stands out, I think it was my junior or senior year, that we did right before the Manchester Invitational. We started with a 1 or 1.5 mile tempo going uphill and then did three or four thousands on grass. That was a workout. The marker game was also always a favorite.
During your four years of high school running you were relatively injury free, but in college you were not so lucky. What affect has your knee injury, that has prevented you from running for the last 2 years, had on you physically and psychologically.
The effect was huge and I'm not sure I yet have enough distance on it to say fully. The hardest part for me was that running did not end on my terms. Some people drift away from running because they find something else that gets them out of bed in the morning. In my case, the knee injury really pulled me up short. Psychologically, running was a huge part of my identity in high school and college. Not having it left a big hole. Similarly, trying to achieve my potential as a runner was a goal that structured a lot of my decisions. Without running, I have not made bad decisions but have felt a somewhat directionless. Physically, the injury has had some silver linings. I do a greater variety of activities -- biking, rowing, and swimming -- to stay in shape and have a better balance between upper and lower body strength than I did a few years ago. The injury has also forced me to be better about taking rest, which was always a challenge.
What are your future career plans and if you can run again pain free, will running be a part of your life again?
After I graduate in May, I am not quite sure what I will be doing. In a few years, I plan to pursue a PhD in political science and become a professor. Before that, I plan to take a few years to do something else. I'm applying to various scholarships to study abroad or travel, particularly in Latin America. I'll likely end up working somewhere in the US for a few years. Whatever happens, I am looking forward to it as a time of personal growth. I am sure though that running will be part of my life some day. If my knee holds up, I would like to train again for road races and hopefully do a marathon. We'll see if it happens.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
Study, run, eat, sleep, and enjoy. There is no "secret sauce" to running. If you can put one foot in front of the other, you can train and you can take running as far as you want. That last part ("you want") is key. Take ownership of your running; never feel you are doing because you have no choice or that you are doing it for someone else. Pursue it as much as you enjoy it, or at least get satisfaction from it, and the rest will come.
Aaron is presently a senior at Harvard University majoring in Government. Unfortunately, his college cross country career was cut short ( completed 2 XC seasons) by a knee injury. However, his high school career was nothing short of outstanding. Aaron's meteoric rise from 11th runner on the JV team his freshman season to become one of the top runners in the Northeast by the time he was a senior is a testament to his talent, drive, and tenacity. Aaron won the Class I Championship as a junior. He qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals in both his junior and senior seasons. His best time at Derryfield Park was 15:39. He holds the New Hampshire 3200 meter track record of 8:59.43.
Describe racing at Derryfield Park.
Very special. Running at Derryfield was always exciting; perhaps the only meets we raced there -- Manchester Invites, Class I's [Division II back in the "good old days"], and once New Englands on a hot and humid November day -- were significant ones. I personally liked the course because I trained mostly over hills, so it played to my strengths without being so tough that it meant twenty minutes of misery like the Woods Trail course at Thetford [VT]. Without the bottlenecks that plague some courses, Derryfield lets the race play out on its own terms. What perhaps makes Derryfield exceptional though is that it combines woods and hills while being spectator friendly. As a result, the crowd gets into the races and that always gives you a little extra push, especially in the last 800-1000m right after you pass the tennis courts. Derryfield races were always memorable.
Describe both your most memorable and least memorable moments running cross country in high school.
Most memorable has to be the 2008 Class I championships. A cross country season obviously involves a lot of work, but also a lot of luck. You can put in all the miles, but sometimes when the chips are down, it doesn't come together. That day, it did; everyone gave a 110%. I think this was best exemplified by Jeff Colt, who had been out for a while due to a sprained ankle, I think. His legs were not as ready as he wanted them, but he gave it his all. You can see his last 150m in the race video; it's the closest I've ever seen someone to moving their body through sheer will power. Overall though, I think everyone felt really proud about what they had achieved individually and as a team. It was one of the happiest days of my life.
There are not a lot of "least memorable" moments, though my first race might qualify. I was not a natural runner. That first race was a physical challenge and I think it might be the most pain I've ever experienced. Perhaps that suggests I've luckily lived a pretty pain-free life. On the other hand, we were running Woods Trail. And, because of maintenance, had to run the hilly upper loop. Twice.
What was your favorite high school workout?
Wow. There were a lot of good ones. In XC, we rarely did the same workout twice. The variety kept us on our toes. I generally liked longer intervals. One stands out, I think it was my junior or senior year, that we did right before the Manchester Invitational. We started with a 1 or 1.5 mile tempo going uphill and then did three or four thousands on grass. That was a workout. The marker game was also always a favorite.
During your four years of high school running you were relatively injury free, but in college you were not so lucky. What affect has your knee injury, that has prevented you from running for the last 2 years, had on you physically and psychologically.
The effect was huge and I'm not sure I yet have enough distance on it to say fully. The hardest part for me was that running did not end on my terms. Some people drift away from running because they find something else that gets them out of bed in the morning. In my case, the knee injury really pulled me up short. Psychologically, running was a huge part of my identity in high school and college. Not having it left a big hole. Similarly, trying to achieve my potential as a runner was a goal that structured a lot of my decisions. Without running, I have not made bad decisions but have felt a somewhat directionless. Physically, the injury has had some silver linings. I do a greater variety of activities -- biking, rowing, and swimming -- to stay in shape and have a better balance between upper and lower body strength than I did a few years ago. The injury has also forced me to be better about taking rest, which was always a challenge.
What are your future career plans and if you can run again pain free, will running be a part of your life again?
After I graduate in May, I am not quite sure what I will be doing. In a few years, I plan to pursue a PhD in political science and become a professor. Before that, I plan to take a few years to do something else. I'm applying to various scholarships to study abroad or travel, particularly in Latin America. I'll likely end up working somewhere in the US for a few years. Whatever happens, I am looking forward to it as a time of personal growth. I am sure though that running will be part of my life some day. If my knee holds up, I would like to train again for road races and hopefully do a marathon. We'll see if it happens.
Do you have any advice to share with present high school XC runners?
Study, run, eat, sleep, and enjoy. There is no "secret sauce" to running. If you can put one foot in front of the other, you can train and you can take running as far as you want. That last part ("you want") is key. Take ownership of your running; never feel you are doing because you have no choice or that you are doing it for someone else. Pursue it as much as you enjoy it, or at least get satisfaction from it, and the rest will come.