Sam Wharton NXN Post Race Interview - Adding to His Legacy!

Tippacanoe's Sam Wharton surprised everyone at the Nike Cross Nationals by winning in a time of 17:06. On the podium in Portland he quipped,   “I set a record: the slowest winner ever!” However, on a course that he described as "absolutely ugly," he was the strongest and the smartest,  adding to the "legacy" he is establishing as one of the best Cross Country runners in Ohio high school history.

OHRunners:  First, congratulations on not only qualifying for the Nike Cross Nationals, but winning the Boy's Championship. That is quite an honor. What was the experience like?

Sam:  Thank you so much!  It was truly an honor to go represent Ohio and the Midwest with such a good group of kids along with me.  Even after attending this meet last year, I still was overwhelmed with the level of hospitality that they set out for you and how they strive to make it such a mind-boggling experience that drives runners to help achieve their goals.

OHRunners:  What were your expectations getting prepared for the race?

Sam:  Getting prepared for the race, I knew it would be an absolute pigsty.  Especially after running the course on Friday and after the girls' race, I fully expected such slow times.  I knew that I had a good shot to run well, and that my coach and I had prepared very well for this meet.  I was also aware of a few top competitors that I thought I might be able to run with.

OHRunners:  What was your race strategy? How much did the courses condition play into your race strategy?

Sam:  My race strategy was to get out quickly avoiding all the traffic with the initial onslaughts on mud and rivers, but then I wanted to consciously back it off and conserve my energy for the remainder of the race while maintaining a position where I would be able to counter any moves made.  I was hoping that the mud would prove to be a good equalizer and make it a race of guts and strength.

OHRunners:  What were your thoughts at the starting line?

Sam:  At the start line, I knew I had it in me to do well and that my region could probably put together a very high finish with the caliber of competitors we had.  I went through my basic routines and tried to put off all of those glitches such as time zones, different beds, and pre-race introductions behind me.

OHRunners:  Take us through your race. You are more of a strength runner than a speed runner and with the course conditions being what they were, at what point did you realize that you had a chance to win it?

Sam:  When we hit the 4k check point and I was slowly creeping up on the leaders, I began to toy with the possibility of a National Title.  I was still really scared of Leingang, Montoya, Burcham, and Ryan, but I didn't dare look back.  Once I made my move, I made myself keep pushing the pace that little bit further and open the gap.  I was still scared of runners coming up behind me and I knew that my finishing speed isn't anything to brag about, so I wanted to give myself a comfortable advantage.  I knew I had it with about two steps to go and I honestly couldn't believe it and I had to laugh when I saw my time.

OHRunners:  So far, you have had a great Senior XC season. You have one more race next weekend at the Footlocker National Championships. How would you describe your season thus far and what are your expectations for next weekend?

Sam:  This season has literally been a dream; I could not have scripted it better. From the very first painful run after 2 weeks off after track, to the first meet I participated in, everything had been worth it. I have been fortunate enough to be undefeated in Ohio, and set a course record at the new state meet course en route to a state championship that had eluded me in prior years and even break that elusive sub-15 barrier. No one moment has been a capstone for my season especially given our team's success and our coaches and teammates hard work and effort paying off, not only to get us a state qualifier that no one thought we could get, but to place 7th as well, not to mention everyone on the team PR'ing... It sounds too good to be true honestly.  Next weekend, I will square off against some tough competition yet again. I have no doubts that I can stick with them and do well, but to live up to last week's performance with a win might be harder without the mud on my side.  I will go enjoy the experience and see how the race plays out, but as long as I am satisfied with my final effort as a high school cross country athlete, I can go out happy.

OHRunners:  Congratulations again and thank you for your time.  We are looking forward to watching you run at Footlocker and to the upcoming Track Seasons.

 

See Sam's interview from earlier in the 2012 Cross Country Season