Boulder Running Company/Colorado Track XC Athletes of the Week

Sam Berrgren - Middle Park

Sam Little - Middle Park

Special to Colorado Track XC by Jessica Foreman

Week 7

Nerves are a part of race day for every runner as they set their blocks and focus on the dark, rubber path ahead that can only end in victory or defeat. For Middle Park High School junior Sam Little, to feel nervous is to feel ready for the next track event of the meet.

“I just try to get as nervous as I can before the race,” said Little. “It helps me run faster. I keep thinking about it throughout the day.”

Little, a three-sport athlete also involved in football and basketball, began racing track last year as a sophomore on the advice of his father and his football coach.

“Running makes you better in all sports,” Little said.

 Little experienced immediate success, placing 8th in the state championships last year in both the 110 and 300 meter hurdles, and now holds his high school record for the 300 hurdles.

 “Coming out last year, I think he surprised himself by making it to state,” said Middle Park track coach, Christine Dubois-Miller. “This year, he really shocked himself.”

Little won the 110 and 300 meter hurdles at the Dakota Ridge Invitational meet on April 23, setting the meet record for the 110 hurdles at a time of 15.20 and scoring a personal record of 39.56 for the 300 hurdles. His most recent victories follow a first place finish in the 300 hurdles at the Weld Central Rebel Round-up meet the week before. Little has his eye on the 1st place award for both hurdle events at this year’s state track meet.

 “I’ll be disappointed if I don’t win,” said Little, regarding the upcoming state competition.

Little has also ran in the 4x200 meter relay and the 4x400 meter relay in a few meets this season. He said it just depends on the meet and who is ready to run when it comes to participation in those relays. Little intends to run track in his senior year, but currently has no set plans to run in college.

Middle Park High School senior Samantha Berggren has already set her sights on Auburn University in Alabama to continue competitive running. She received a scholarship for track, and will run a few cross country meets for the university this coming fall to condition for the spring track season. For now though, Berggren is maintaining focus, like her teammate Little, on the upcoming state championship.

“I’m aiming for those titles. I have my eye on a couple of records, both personal and state records,” said Berggren. “The biggest thing this year is keeping those goals in mind, every training session, every day.”

 Berggren’s hard training this season paid off in the Dakota Ridge Invitational this past week. She placed first in the open 400 (56.32), open 800 (2:17.80), and the 1600m (5:16.00). All of the times are personal bests for this season.

“I was really excited coming in and just knowing that there were higher classification schools there,” said Berggren. “Some girls really pushed me.”
               

Berggren has placed first in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1600m races at various meets this season, and has (for all intents and purposes) qualified for state in all of those events, making her not only a valuable asset to the team but a versatile one. While there will be decisions to make for Berggren and Coach Dubois-Miller about what four events she will run at the state championship, two events are set in stone for the competitive meet.
               

“Her strongest races are the four and the eight hundred,” said Dubois-Miller.          
               

Berggren said those two races also happen to be her favorite, no matter how physically grueling they may be.
               

“I like the challenge of [the races] and how fast they are,” said Berggren. “I’m a hard critic on myself and I constantly push myself. I focus on putting the work in and being diligent in my training. I believe it will get me there to that next level."

Coach DuBois-Miller agrees, and explained that both Berggren and Little’s work ethic does not go unnoticed by the rest of Middle Park’s track team.

“They both are really hard workers, and it pays off. Other kids see them working hard and that brings them up with them,” said DuBois-Miller. “They’re team players.”

DuBois-Miller’s weekly training goal-times keep the Middle Park athletes ambitioned for success for the next meet. She focuses on always keeping the competition in reach, and said that top athletes like Berggren are able to push themselves and focus.

“Her talent is keeping up now that there are expectations on her,” said DuBois-Miller of Berggren. “That’s the trick as you have success.”

Expectations, nerves, and focus will be the theme of the state meet for these two Middle Park High School athletes as the season ends with the track state championships on May 19th through 21st at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood. Keep an eye out as Berggren and Little strive for records and first-place finishes.