Salute to Seniors: Ami Beaumier (Bonny Eagle HS)

Name: Ami Beaumier

School: Bonny Eagle High School

What was your most memorable race/meet?

My most memorable race/meet was the Class A state championship my sophomore year. That year my 4x800 relay team won states for the first time and against our greatest competitor (GHS) which we were immensely excited about. Later that day I succeeded in my goal to break 11:30 in the two mile and was able to score first.

Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?

Gorham high school has always had an amazing distance team. While a portion of them have graduated, they still remain one of the top distance programs in the state by far. Bonny Eagle was extremely lucky to have been able to race against such admirable competitors and it was a lot of fun. 

If you could do it all over again what would you change about your xc/track&field career in high school?

I quite enjoyed my running career in high school, despite minor negatives, there really isn't anything I would change.

What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

Mental strength was something I struggled with, especially my senior year. As many say, running is only 10% of the sport. Mentality is a key component to running, it's difficult to constantly be giving 100% and keeping yourself positive. Not only are you constantly second guessing yourself but you also have to remind yourself that your team is counting on you. Mental stress can take a toll on you that you could never imagine, it's something that even after four years I still struggled with just as I did as a freshman going into high school.

What will you miss the most?

The hardest part about leaving high school is saying goodbye to the people I see almost everyday. My team has meant everything to me these past four years. I have met and made some of my best friends through running, and the running community in general has been so kind. 

What advice you would give to younger athletes?

Running is a sport that can easily suck you into a mental tunnel. The stress of race day, the awful workouts, the bitter disappointment of not being where you think you "should be". It's a lot to handle. Just remind yourself that this is a high school sport, that it is meant to be fun (believe it or not running can be fun....sometimes). Enjoy your time with your team, your coaches, and just the experience of being a part of a team, because one day you'll be writing your own senior send off and you won't want to regret anything. 

What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?

I owe everything to Burleson. Not only has he taught myself and my team so much about running, but also about self worth. His coaching made such a turn-around in my running, not only in my ability but also in my confidence. A friend more so than a coach, I have enjoyed every second of having him apart of my running career (although I can't say the same for him about me). Thank you for making my running experience so great, I appreciate you so much more than I let you know and thank you for always being such a good sport.

Thank you Baldy :)

What are your college plans?

My current plans are to attend the University of Southern Maine for nursing. I have also decided to leave running behind, ending my running along with my high school career.

Who would you like to say thank you to?

Of course I would like to say thank you to my coaches, all of them made each season a great experience and I will miss them all so much. I would also like to thank the running community, everyone who has come or gone, so many people have made such a positive impact in my life. I would also like to thank Kayla Raymond, my forever running buddy who is going to do great things up at UMO! I would also like to thank Abbie Nelson, my funny and supportive teammate since 7th grade. Finally I would like to thank my mom for trying her hardest to learn more about running as I became more involved and for all that she's done behind the scenes (dragging me to morning practice, racing around to make sure I had all that I needed those hectic pre-race mornings, e.t.c.). 

More Coverage

• Ami's Athlete Profile
• Class Of 2019 Signings List

 High School