Fill out Salute to Seniors Form
Name: Abigail MacDonald
Team: Bangor
When and how did you get into track and field?
My older sister, Anna, had run distance for BHS. When I was heading into my freshman year (she was going into her junior year) the part of me that always looked up to my older sister had lead me into following in her footsteps. I joined the XC team, starting the summer running end of June the year I finished middle school.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
My biggest competition is between myself and the doctors. I was born with a rare lung condition (tracheobronchomalacia aka TBM) which caused my trachea to be almost fully pinched off. Lots of doctors kept telling me to stop running but I was determined to be the best runner I could be. It was a battle with the doctors as they didn't want me to run, but I also faced all the battles normal runners face with burnout, confidence dips, and feeling as though you aren't improving.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment is having the chance to compete at the state championship level. Having dealt with many people in my life telling me to stop running and that I would never be able to get fast enough to compete at that level, it is a wonderful feeling seeing my medals and knowing that I earned them despite all of the negative feedback in my life.
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How has track and field impacted your life?
Track and XC is an integral part of my life. The doctors consider me a medical anomaly, and it's all thanks to the sport. Running had strengthened my lungs enough that when I had a scope done at the end of my junior year to see how everything was developing, the muscles in my trachea had kept it completely open. In short, the thing all of my doctors had been telling me could hurt me ended up being the thing that cured me.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
My first few years of running were a battle of trying to understand if the pain I felt was related to simply running, or if the pain meant something more serious. I knew I wanted to improve, but it was difficult trying to understand the pain brought by running mixed with my TBM. My senior year I was cleared medically, so it was a challenge of trying to rework my thinking. It's a strange thing going from being overly cautious about the burning in the lungs, to now knowing it's safe enough to run through it. It was a huge obstacle this past year as I was now "normal" but I had gone 17 years with being cautious.
How do you prepare for competitions?
My preparation before I hit the starting line is mostly focused on keeping my mind off the race. I will run with people until my legs feel ready to race, I'll stretch, and most importantly, I keep myself moving. I do a lot of cheering on fellow teammates, competitors, and friends. It has become a bit of a running joke on my team how I make friends everywhere I go.
What influence has your coach had on your high school career?
My coaches are considered family. During our first (kind of) year back from COVID, my coaches did what they could to give us some sort of season. XC and outdoor we had meets with other teams, but when it came to indoor, that was a beast. We had practice every day to keep us together, a nice routine in a world full of unknowns. My coaches even went the extra mile to host two or three indoor meets...on the outdoor track in the middle of snow storms. They snowplowed the track (we were getting a new one anyways) and we competed. I owe a lot to them for doing everything they could to keep us competing.
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Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of track and field?
I enjoy just being outside, especially in the summer. I spend lots of time with friends, going for walks, runs, and hikes in the outdoors.
What are your college plans?
I am attending the University of Maine at Farmington in the fall to pursue secondary education with a focus in life science. I am also planning on running XC and track for them.
What are your long-term goals?
My long-term goals are to compete in a marathon and be a coach for a high school's distance running program.
Who would you like to say thank you to?
I want to thank my distance coaches, Roger Huber and Lindsey Hackett, and the head track coach, Alan Mosca, for always believing in me. If it wasn't for them, I would never have kept running. So a huge thank you to them for always supporting me and encouraging me to keep pushing forward. I also want to thank my older sister, Anna MacDonald, for being the inspiration that started my running journey.
