Salute to Seniors: Samantha Cox (Bonny Eagle HS)

What was your most memorable races? That's a tough one. I've had a few, some really good and some disastrous. I guess my most memorable would be from the 2011 cross country season. The race was at Smiling Hill Farms, and it was absolutely pouring. The course was trashed, with ankle deep mud in places, and incredibly slow. But somehow everyone on my team kept a smile on their face and pushed through. The race itself was unremarkable, but I did well despite the circumstances. I remember that we all agreed to charge through a particular puddle that we knew others would go around. The water was far past our ankles. I was so proud of everyone that day. We also got some delicious ice cream after.

Out of all of your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most? I'd say that qualifying for nationals in indoor this year stands out to me the most. My state title last year in the indoor 800 is also up there, but I'm more proud of qualifying for nationals. I shaved 15 seconds off my mile pr from the past year to do it, something I really didn't think I could pull off. My grandest goal of the season was to qualify, and I couldn't be prouder that I did.

If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school? If I could do it over again I would change my eating habits. I always told myself that what I ate wouldn't really have that much of an effect on me but I couldn't have been more wrong. In the weeks or, rarely, months that I really watched what I are, made sure I was getting a balanced diet, I performed so much better than when I ate whatever.

What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome? My own mind. I used to psyche myself out so bad. I still kind of do, but it no longer so negatively affects my races. Once I started telling myself, "Who cares what anyone else runs today; I'm out here to run my best," I was able to focus on the good and run my own race.

What will you miss the most?  I'm going to miss my team so much. They are the friendliest, nicest, most dedicated group of girls I know, and I couldn't have asked for better teammates and friends. We've all developed a very close bond over the years, working out, laughing, goofing around, winning, and losing together. I'm definitely going to keep up with the younger girls, and hopefully come to some races! I'll also miss the various friends I have made that are on other teams, and I wish them the best of luck! Lastly, I'll miss my coach. Best coach I know, training us right and truly caring about us as athletes and people.

What advice you would give to younger athletes? Basically to not do a lot of what I did. Eat healthy, don't be afraid to tell your coach if something hurts (it'll only help you in the long run), and, most importantly, do NOT worry about how other people might run the race. It's YOUR race, and you need to run it your way.

What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals? I have nothing but good things to say about my coach. He started coaching at Bonny Eagle when the team was just a mash-up of some potentially very talented athletes that just hadn't been trained the right way, and athletes at various other levels. He, along with my other coach, quickly shaped the team into a state-title contender (and kept it that way for four years). He didn't settle with his coaching technique though. He is constantly altering workouts and such, reading new material and keeping his mind open to new styles and methods. I believe that it is because of him that I have been able to nearly consistently improve my times in various races from year to year. I will always appreciate that, with him as a coach, I didn't just stay stagnant at one performance level from freshman to senior year. My training was dynamic, growing more complex over the years. He's not only been a great coach, but he's also been a life mentor to me. He's taught me the value of being a good person and a team player in any situation. I appreciate him more than he knows, and my goal in every race was at least partly to make him proud. Sure, we've argued from time to time, I've cried, and most of the time he's been right, but he is the best coach I know, and Bonny Eagle is incredibly fortunate to have him.

What are your college plans? I will be attending Tufts University in the fall, where I'll be majoring in pre-veterinary medicine. I'll run three seasons, as I don't have a clue what I would do without running in my life. Go Jumbos!

Who would you like to say thank you to? First I'd like to thank my coach. He always knew exactly how to motivate me, whether it was by singing "Thrift Shop" (poorly) before a race, or telling me that he wanted to see "freshman year Sam" with the fear in her eyes. I thank him for being sympathetic and understanding, but still giving me a (figurative) kick in the pants at times. Next, I thank my parents. I could go on and on about how loving and supportive they are, but I won't. I will say that my dad is probably the best, loudest (positive) parent out there (many. could attest to the loud part). I thank him for telling me that "It doesn't matter if you're first or last; what matters is that you leave everything on the track. I'll always be proud of you." I'd also like to thank my team for being wonderful, supportive, and the best friends ever. Lastly, I thank every person that has ever helped me along the way, track/xc fans, and especially Robby Hall, for being the first one to tell me I could break 19 in the 5k, encouraging me to try to qualify for nationals, and being a constant support no matter what. I will undoubtedly miss Maine and the SMAA, but I'll always be a huge fan and supporter. Thanks for including me!

Personal Bests

• 1,000 Meter Run 3:04.20

• 1,600 Meter Run 5:15.03

• Two Mile Run 11:38.07

• 3,200 Meter Run 11:57.60

• Three Mile Run 19:53.00

• 5,000 Meter Run 18:42.00

• 600 Yard Run 1:36.10

• 800 Meter Run 2:18.88

• One Mile Run 5:08.64