Athlete Profile NHCC questionnaire – Sam Bilodeau & Madison Labrie, Mascenic
When did you start running?
Samantha Bilodeau: Before 5th grade, I didn’t even know cross country running existed. I remember looking at the signups for the fall sports and thinking, “What the heck is cross country?” So I tried it out and liked it and have been running ever since.
Madison Labrie: I started running cross country in the eighth grade when they got rid of the MS girls soccer team.
Briefly describe the experience as a member of your team/program. Give an example of some of the “fun” stuff your team does together.
SB: The Mascenic cross country team is pretty adventurous; on hot days, we’ll run to Bankee and jump off a bridge into Water Loom Pond or we’ll head up to the Spring where we can jump off a cliff into, well, a spring! We’ve got a trail to Boston (not the real Boston), to the Outback (not the real Outback), and through a VERY smelly pig farm. Plus, we’ve got an upcoming trip to the classified beaver pond. Our team isn’t afraid to run over, through, or around anything, which sometimes can be a bit scary.
ML: Everybody on the team, including the boys team are all so close and supportive of each other. We like running to the spring, Bankee and the pig farm.
How does your coach motivate you?
SB: Smith isn’t the kind of coach to sugarcoat anything; he’ll tell you where you stand and what you need to do in order to reach your goals, and I appreciate that kind of honesty. It makes my goals seem achievable.
ML: Smith doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He is very supportive, helps us reach our goals and gives us advice.
What motivates you most to do well?
SB: I love the feeling of getting to that next level. When you glance up at the timer as you cross that finish line and know you’ve run your best time ever. You just can’t beat that feeling of accomplishment.
ML: Coming in second in D3 States last year motivates me to try to try hard and do better than last year.
What is your favorite workout?
SB: I love hills, so I really enjoy a good hill workout, but I also like our workouts on the track since I like the challenge of hitting my times on the repeats. I don’t really have a favorite. I like all of them for the most part with the exception of Suicide 600s. That workout has that name for a reason.
ML: Downhills, the push up run.
What is your favorite cross training activity?
SB: Unless playing Just Dance too much counts, I don’t really cross train.
ML: I love running to Bankee (to swim) or when we went to the White Mountains.
What is your go-to pre-race meal?
SB: The night before a meet, I have pasta for dinner. The day of a race, I’ll eat a bagel for breakfast and lunch, except for Meet of Champions. I eat Cream of Wheat on the morning of Meet of Champions because it’s good luck.
ML: Bagels
Do you have a favorite pre-race song?
SB: DLZ by TV on the Radio
ML: I love listening to AC/DC or Queen before a race to pump me up.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
SB: I’d like to go to Ireland someday.
ML: I would probably go to Paris or Costa Rica.
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
SB: Never study ever again!! Just kidding, I’d probably become a heart surgeon or something that would help people.
ML: I would try to make it to NEs and I would try out for the USA women’s Olympic softball team.
What is the best advice ever given to you?
SB: Know your limits; don’t think or act like you’re better than everybody else.
ML: Always keep your composure – my Dad
What is your favorite quote?
SB: “Racing is the fun part; it’s the reward of all the hard work.” – Kara Goucher
ML: “It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.”
What is your favorite thing about cross country?
SB: You can see yourself get better when you put the work in. In other sports, you need talent to be good and even if you do put the time in and work at getting better, sometimes it just doesn’t show and it can be very frustrating. Cross country is different though – you can compare your times from year-to-year, season-to-season, and you will see a difference. Freshman year, I could barely run a 23 minute 5k and now my PR is sub-20! You can’t get that kind of guaranteed improvement with many sports.
ML: I love running with my friends. The whole team (including the boys) are all so close and we push each other to be better.
What is your favorite course to run? (High school courses)
SB: I love the Meet of Champions course. The past two years I’ve gotten my end-of-the-season PRs on that course and as much as I love hills, you can just FLY over those flats!
ML: I like the Coe-Brown course.
What is your favorite race outside of the high school season?
SB: Over the summer, there is a weekly 5k in Peterborough called the Jack Murphy 5k, and the course is relatively flat. I like to run that over the summer because it sort of helps me see where I am with my summer running.
ML: The Viking 5K (partially held on the Mascenic home course)
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
SB: Getting a degree in English at a good university and well on my way to become a lawyer!!
ML: In five years I see myself in college working hard.
