Photo compliment of Louann Dugas
What was your most memorable race/moment?
The most memorable race for me was during cross country season at the Battlefield XC Festival. It was a new course for us and a very tough course as well. There were a few steep hills, and the course was very narrow in some places. I felt the best I have ever felt in a race. Everything was clicking for me on that day. I placed 2nd overall and bested my three mile time by 44 seconds. This race meant a lot to me because I had dealt with injury and illness the previous two cross country seasons, and this was my first race at full health. After that race, I regained my confidence, which set me up well for the rest of the season.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years? There's no specific person I would consider my biggest competition.
I would compete with whoever was in the race. There were a lot of guys I raced against multiple times throughout the year, but my focus was always on the race itself and not the people in it.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment came this year during track season at the Sugar Bowl Classic when I broke two minutes for the first time in the 800. Ever since my freshman year, I had my eyes set on breaking two minutes, which seemed impossible for me at the time. Going from a 2:08 as a freshman to a 1:59 this year makes me feel very accomplished. never gave up on that race, and I am glad I didn't. I
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
I wouldn't change anything. I loved every minute of my running career at Brother Martin. I even appreciate the times I failed or didn't race as well as I wanted because I learned valuable lessons from those experiences.
What were the most difficult problems you had to overcome?
The most difficult problem for me came during my junior cross country season. I battled an unknown illness that prevented me from finishing most of my races. I would make it past mile two usually and then start to feel my legs buckle. I would hunch over uncontrollably and eventually fall down. When this happened, I was too weak to move at all. I was barely conscious each time it happened. I started seeing a sports medicine doctor at Tulane University and found out that my heart was not pumping oxygen to my lungs fast enough in races. After receiving the proper treatment, I got back to training and overcame my illness this past cross country season. The toughest part for me was to move past the memories of when I collapsed in races. I started seeing a mental training coach to help me keep my focus forward and let go of what happened in the past.
What will you miss the most?
I will miss Brother Martin the most. Everything about it has meant so much to me, especially my teammates and coaches. They have been a major influence over me these past five years.
What advice would you give to younger athletes?
To younger athletes, I would say be patient and consistent with your training. One of my coaches, Coach Drew Haro, exemplifies those words best whenever he is running. I have learned from him that patience and consistency are very important to achieve long-term success in the sport of running. I advise younger athletes to be patient in practice and not to overtrain. Be consistent with your training by resting properly, eating healthy, and putting forth your best effort in practice everyday. Trust in your coach's process and results will come.
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
Coach Gallagher has been a huge influence on my performance and my life. He has taught me practically everything I know about running. He helped me perfect my form and my stride, which became my strengths over the years. Coach Gallagher always believed in me even when I did not believe in myself. When I was a freshman, he said, "Any team that ever won anything believed in what they were doing." These words have been the foundation of my success over the years. This taught to me always be confident in any race no matter who toes the line with me. His passion for running has rubbed off on me. I want to continue to run for as long as I can because of the great experience I have had running for Coach Gallagher.
What are your college plans?
I will be attending the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. this fall and plan to study political science. I will be running cross country and track while I am up there. Who would you like to say thank you to? I want to thank my coaches: Coach Gallagher, Coach Haro, and Coach Duplechain. I also want to thank my parents, my brother, the entire Brother Martin school community, and my teammates, especially Chace Edwards for pushing me and challenging me to get better this year.
Anything else you'd like to add?
It has been an absolute pleasure to compete in Louisiana among some of the greatest talent this sport has ever seen down here. I loved every minute of my high school running career. Though I will be spending these next four years in D.C., I will always be a Louisiana runner. Lastly, thank you to LA Running for giving me this opportunity to share my running experiences on their website.