Robby Hall - Scarborough HS
My most memorable race was at indoor New England's my senior year. I had been running as a front runner most of the season, even when I decided to go out to Harvard for more competition (which was a let down), and I finally got a race where I could run comfortably in the middle of the pack and I eventually ran 4:20 and placed 4th with a 6.5 second pr and one of the best races I've ever run strategy wise.
Out of all of your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
I think my state championship in the 1600m this past outdoor season stands out the most to me because I placed second in cross country and second in the mile during indoors and it's always a disappointment when you come so close to a state championship (XC I was three seconds from winning and indoors I was one second away from the title), therefore I really wanted a state title during outdoors so to get it, along with the team title for the first time in Class A, was really special for me.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
I would change my whole sophomore year as a runner. I came into high school with a strong freshman year (17:38, 4:39, and 10:08) and I really wanted to further these accomplishments in my sophomore year and I trained really hard, but I never seemed to get any faster until my Junior year. It was difficult for me running 4:36 many times, not running sub 10 even though I was so close my freshman year, and barely improving my 5k time in cross country from the previous season. I think it was mostly because I didn't have it mentally when the tougher parts of the race came about and I wish I could go back and implement this important aspect into my running much sooner.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
During the outdoor season of my junior year I came down with mono and had to take two weeks off from running. I was in really good shape before it happened and I thought it was going to be the season I always dreamed about, but obviously this didn't happen. I came back a few days after being cleared to run 2:04 in the 4x800 which got me really excited about states but I ended up having the worse race of my life in the 1600 (5:01). After this I was really determined to run really fast my senior year since I didn't have a chance to do so my Junior year, which normally is the best time to get on the radar of college coaches.
What will you miss the most?
I will miss running against the people that I've competed with over the past four years, although it will be nice to run against many different people throughout the country. Also, I'll miss my teammates that I have run with over the past years; we have had a great group of athletes at 
What advice you would give to younger athletes?
Never give up when the pain starts to set in. Stay relaxed, as that is the best way to better your times and finish a race with a smile on your face. Always tell yourself this during races, maybe even shake your arms out. I've always had problems with my shoulders tightening up which really slows you down because it shortens your strides. If you think about relaxing and not worrying about the pain, races will be much easier and you'll find yourself happy with what you end up with at the end of each race.
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
If anyone had an influence on my performance, it would definitely be Coach Veilleux. He spends hours upon hours with the sport of track and field, not only to provide the state with great coverage but also finding the best techniques and exercises to improve my (along with the rest of team) form, race tactics, and strength to allow me to perform at my best. As for life goals, Coach Veilleux is always telling me to fight through the pain and not let it get to you; this type of mentality can be key in the business world and pretty much anything in life. Overall, I believe Coach Veilleux is the best coach someone could have due to his passion and enthusiasm for the sport along with his desire to get young athletes to perform at their potential.
What are your college plans?
I will be attending Syracuse University and majoring in finance and also running for their cross country and track program.
Who would you like to say thank you to?
I would like to thank my mom for encouraging me to eat healthy and finding ways to keep me at a state where I can perform my best. She is a fitness personal trainer and has always given me the tools to make me into a better runner and encourages me to push myself every day. I always would like to thank my coaches for making me into the athlete I am today, my teammates that I have trained and raced with these past four years and my competitors across the state, it has been great racing against you all.
Personal Bests
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1,600 Meter Run 4:25.75
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Two Mile Run 9:50.05
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3,200 Meter Run 9:47.33
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Three Mile Run 17:11.95
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5,000 Meter Run 16:38.06
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600 Yard Run 1:26.00
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800 Meter Run 1:58.44
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One Mile Run 4:20.20
