Follow Cape Elizabeth HS distance star Liam SImpson as he blogs about his senior xc season. Simpson was one of the top xc runners in Class B last fall finishing 6th and leading his team to the state title. Liam was 33rd in the New England meet last fall, and is the 9th fastest returner in the region. Check out Liam in his quest to lead his team to another state title.
Hey everyone,
I hope that regionals and states went swimmingly for you all!
Before the gun went off at regionals, my gut was twisting and turning as I engaged in my ritual of pre-race nervousness. Something about every “it’s payback time, right??” and “you’ll get ‘em today haha!!” that I had heard throughout the week since WMC’s made stepping on the startline of that race especially daunting. As the great Alberto Salazar once said, “Standing on the starting line, we're all cowards.” After the gun went off, I spent a good portion of the race wondering why I’m even considering doing this in college. After all, as we all know by now, when you’re pushing yourself with a mile to go, climbing hill after agonizing hill, running sucks. But when I finally stumbled across the finish line, saw my time, and realized I won, it all came back to me. Running’s about that potent blend of endorphins and accomplished satisfaction you get after running the best race of your life. When you experience it, everything else seems worth it.
States had the same kind of pressure. Again at twin brooks, it helped going into the race that we had run on the course merely a week before. Some object when I say Twinbrook is both the hardest and best course in Maine, but I affirm that there’s some certain quality about twin brooks that makes it a standout in my eyes. It might not be the hilliest (although it has it’s ups and downs). It’s the way the course is structured so that the first mile tricks you into running fast over the hardest part, and then leaves you exhausted to stumble over the relatively flat and easy second mile. Then, when you think you’ve regained your energy over the middle lull, it throws you back into the A loop to run the first mile in reverse. There’s something about staggering over the first set of rolling hills, gasping for air, realizing you’re still barely 800 meters into the race, and barreling down the long downhills later on, hoping that the people behind you don’t surge harder than you, that forces you to be cognizant of how you run the entire race. Twin brook makes people into better racers.
Our team did end up winning the championship that day, and needless to say we were all immeasurably proud and happy, especially since we didn’t win it without a fight. Although we were the early favorites, we knew from day one that the threat of Ellsworth was not to be joked about. They have a strong, fast, team, that had us beat so bad at mile 2 that our coach texted his wife to tell her we’d lost. However, our pack closed the reverse A loop in such an impressive fashion that we were able to scrape away the title. We were especially happy because we managed to do so without Will, our usual #3. He has been struggling with a leg problem nearly the whole season and decided that running would pose too much of a risk for further injury. Although he is an important scoring member of our team, his decision not to run was his decision alone, and most of us understood that. None of us felt betrayed; we just simply knew that we would now have to win the race without him. I know from talking to him that he was more saddened than anyone else to miss the race.
Individually, I finished second, so I found that a fitting and satisfying way to finish my last state championship meet. I was happy with the result, but also sad that this would be one of the last times I raced against all of the great runners I’ve come to know on my team and across the state. It’s been a honor.
See you at New England’s!
Liam
