Coming off a solid middle school career, Logan Simington has moved directly onto the Thompson Valley varsity and has contributed there in a big way. Contributed photos.
Interview with Thompson Valley (CO) freshman Logan Simington
I'm sure I don't know the whole story, but I know you have quite a bit of background in running. Tell us about how and when you got involved in competitive running.
I started running when I was really young just because my family was already going to races. I ran my first local 5k when I was 5. That went good, so I tried the Boulder Bolder which is a cool race. I ended up winning my age group a few years in a row there, so by then I started getting more competitive.
This fall, you came onto a team where your older brother is already one of the established stars on the roster. How does it feel to step into that situation?
I was definitely feeling the pressure coming in, but also I’ve been looking forward to running with Kaleb since I first started running. This is the only year we’ll be able to be on the same team, so I want to make it count.
I believe you could have enrolled at any of the Loveland high schools--and all three have some strong cross country tradition. Was there ever any doubt you'd run for Thompson Valley?
There was never any doubt it would be Thompson Valley--I’ve been following Thompson Valley Cross Country since I was in elementary school. Plus I have a brother on the team. I just have a lot of confidence in Coach Norton, so there’s never been any question where I would end up.
Your first race this fall was the Arapahoe Warrior Invitational. You ran 18:10 and finished 68th in a very large field. Not a bad start, but two weeks later you ran a 16:25 at Liberty Bell. I know Liberty Bell is a faster course, but how do you drop 1:45 in the span of two weeks?
That first race was rough - even though I’ve run in other big races, this one was different. When I hit the one mile mark, I was feeling great so I knew I went out too slow, and my time showed that. My next race, St. Mary’s Invite, was much smaller and I PR’d with a 16:47. That was probably a good lead up to Liberty Bell.
Are there any goals you've set for yourself or for your team for the remainder of the season?
I’d like to see our team finish ahead of last year. Everyone is working hard, so I think we’ll have a strong performance. I just want to work hard, run faster.
You finished fourth at last year's Middle School State Championships. But, it doesn't look like you'll get to race any of the three who finished ahead of you last season. Has last year's Middle School State finish been any kind of motivation for you this fall?
Definitely. Right after Middle School State I started training with a group of guys to take a team to USATF Nationals last December. So I did get to have another shot at some of the competition, which I was happy about. That’s what really got me pumped up for the high school season.
What have been the biggest changes to adjust to in going from middle school to high school cross country?
The races are more intense now, and I have to fight for different positioning throughout the race. We do a lot of team strategy stuff which is new to me also.
I'm guessing we'll see you on the track this spring. What events do you expect to be running then?
I expect it'll be the two mile and the mile. Hopefully I can develop into an 800 runner.