Future Stars: Will Shaughnessy(Brunswick HS)

Will Shaughnessy of Brunswick has been one of the top freshman in the state this fall. Shaughnessy has a best of 17:33 for 5k to his credit so far in 2016. We caught up with him to ask him a few questions, check it out below.


How long have you been running and how did you get started?

I started running when I was probably about 9 or 10 in a town cross country program. My mom was a runner so she signed me up to see if I would like it too.


Do you remember your first real race? 

My first real race was a hilly 3/4 mile course, and I finished about 5th. I was a very competitive child, so the initial success prompted me to stick with it.


How did summer training go?

It went well for the most part. I had a bit of a rocky start, and didn't build up my miles the way I would have liked due to vacations, but I don't think it affected me much. I also attended the Slovenski XC camp which I would recommend to any serious runner.


You gave started off HS career with some top finishes, did you expect to have that kind of success already? I really had no idea what to expect, but I felt pretty confident based on my outdoor track season.


What has been the biggest adjustment going from middle school to high school running? 

The workload would probably be the biggest difference. In middle school we ran like 10 miles a week, but now I'm doing much harder and longer work, and I love it.


What is your favorite workout? 

My favorite workout is 400 meter repeats. My coach has a lot of confidence in this workout, so we do them every week. We do anywhere from 6-9 repeats, but we do them fairly hard. I think they really help with our finishing kick.


What are your goals for the rest of the cross country season? 

My goals for this season are to run sub 16:50 by the end of the season and to be the fastest freshman in the state. I also hope our team can place at states, but even if we don't I'm sure we will in the future, since we have a very young team.


What do you love most about running? 

What I love most about running is that you can be as successful as you wanna be, as long as you work hard, and remain dedicated.


Do you have a favorite quote?
My favorite quote is "Do or do not. There is no try." -Yoda

What is your favorite food? 

My favorite food is my moms homemade mac and cheese.


Do you have any pre-race rituals or routines?

I don't have many, I just eat a bagel about 2 hours before a race, and just try to have fun.


What brand of shoes do you train/race in? 

I am a loyal Saucony fan. I train in the Hurricane ISO 2, and race in the Havok XC.


What was the last movie you saw and what did you think of it?

The last movie I saw was Captain America: Civil War. It was awesome, Marvel never disappoints.


What is something most people don't know about you? 

Something most people don't know about me is that I broke my collar bone flying off a swing when I was 2 years old.


What was your favorite Olympic moment in Rio? 

Definitely my man Matthew Centrowitz winning gold in the 1500. I was flipping out the entire last lap.


Lastly, if you were stranded on an island with three things what would they be?

I would bring a sword, a book to read, and a mountain bike.