Amy Laughlin is a junior at South Aiken High School. Laughlin placed in the top five at the Lake Murray Invitational and placed fifth at Coaches Classic. Laughlin has a personal best of 18:26 for cross country. On Sept. 25 Laughlin finished second at the Pee Dee Classic with her sister, Laura taking home the individual win.
scrunners: Explain to the scrunners.com viewers how the Lake Murray Invitational race unfolded for you as you finished in the top five?
amy laughlin: I started out probably in the top 10 to 15, but I stayed calm and remained on my pace. Laura and I worked together and passed person by person still we were in solid fourth and fifth. Towards the last mile we were getting closer and closer to the Mauldin teammates (Lauren Klas and Alyssa Kulik) in second and third. We both caught up and passed them with less than 800 meters remaining. In the end I finished second, with Laura a second behind me in third.
scrunners: What kind of training did you undergo this summer?
amy laughlin: I trained with my best friend mostly and we would just go for long runs each day. We probably ran close to 5 or 6 miles most days. We wanted to work on mileage this summer and try and get running in each day.
scrunners: Who do you train with in the summer?
amy laughlin: Laura some, and mostly my best friend, Peggy Busbee. Sometimes other people would join us or I would train with other people on my team while Peggy was out of town.
scrunners: Do you train with your sister Laura on a daily basis?
amy laughlin: At practice we train together all the time. We run and push each other. In the summer I did not run with her as much because we had conflicting schedules.
scrunners: As the state meet course has changed to Sandhills for \'04 how has that changed your training for the state meet?
amy laughlin: Probably not much, our coach has our training plan pretty much outlined for the whole season.
scrunners: Do you prefer to run at Sandhills or Fort Jackson, why?
amy laughlin: Sandhills. Its a challenging course, but I feel more comfortable on it for some reason.
scrunners: Do you prefer to run cross country or track, why?
amy laughlin: I like them both, and they both have different fun qualities, but if I had to pick I would pick cross country. I think it has a more fun team atmosphere and our team always gets really close. We are like family.
scrunners: When did you start run?
amy laughlin: I ran Junior Olympics the summer before my 8th grade year.
scrunners: What do you remember and how old were you when you ran a race?
amy laughlin: It was at the Lake Murray Invitational, and I was scared to death. I was so nervous and almost in tears at the starting line. I pulled through though, and I think I was 11th. I was in 8th grade, I must have been around 13.
scrunners: Does anyone else in your family run, or did they run?
amy laughlin: My older brother, Mike, ran in high school for South Aiken, and now he is running cross country and track for Winthrop University. Laura has run in high school and hopes to run in college. My little brother, Andrew, has run junior olympics some, but he likes soccer better.
scrunners: Did any of your parents run at the high school or collegiate level?
amy laughlin: I think my dad ran some throughout high school and my mom ran maybe a little too.
scrunners: What year of school did you start to run for South Aiken?
amy laughlin: In my eighth grade year, in 2001.
scrunners: From your 2003 cross country season, what do remember the most and what do you want to improve on for 2004?
amy laughlin: I remember what it feels like to get injured and not being able to compete. I would like to continue getting faster and improving my race.
scrunners: What was your biggest challenge in 2003-2004?
amy laughlin: My left hip hurt all throughout the season, and my growth plate above my hip broke in the middle of the State Meet at Fort Jackson. It was extremely hard to finish that race, and looking back on it I\'m not sure how I kept myself going. I knew I couldn\'t let my team down, and I was so determined to get to that finish line.
scrunners: In track, what do you want to remember the most and what would you like to improve on come the spring?
amy laughlin: I remember having to sit out on the sidelines and watch my sister compete. It wasn\'t very fun, and I would like to improve my mile time.
scrunners: What do you look for in a coach and what do you expect a coach to look for in you?
amy laughlin: I like for a coach to be very supportive, and expect the best from all their athletes. I think the coach should expect that I work hard and do what they tell me.
scrunners: Have you ever been injured? Explain?
amy laughlin: The only major injury that happened to me was last cross country season, when I fractured my growth plate in my left hip. It snapped in the middle of the State Meet.
scrunners: Where do you like to train in Aiken?
amy laughlin: We train in Hitchcock woods sometimes. I like to run in the woods where we do long runs and hill repeats.
scrunners: Who has been South Aiken\'s team rival and do you have an individual rival?
amy laughlin: Aiken High has long been are biggest rivals. The Milner twins used to be Laura and I\'s biggest rivals. We ran about the same times, so it always came down to the very end for Laura and I and Michelle and Marcie.
scrunners: How did these rival\'s develop and when do they become most intense? amy laughlin: They are across town from us, and it becomes more intense when both are teams have pretty evenly ranked teams.
scrunners: What kind of race strategy works best for you? Explain.
amy laughlin: Pacing helps me a lot. We try to attack the hills, which helps me a lot also.
scrunners: If a race scenario changes from the expected how do you alter your plans.
amy laughlin: I have fallen a couple of times in big races, and when something goes wrong. I do what my coaches have taught me. \"Don\'t panic and pick people off one at a time\"
scrunners: Does South Aiken have a team tradition prior to a meet?
amy laughlin: We pray together as a team before every meet, and then individually before every race. Before regions and states, we get together the night before and eat a dinner and watch a movie.
scrunners: What would you say is the most prestigious meet you have competed in?
amy laughlin: Probably for me is just the State Championships.
scrunners: How did do you fare?
amy laughlin: In 2002 track, I came in second in the mile State Championships. In 2002, Cross Country I was 3rd at the State Championship races.
scrunners: Have you ever meet a professional athlete? If so what did you discuss with them?
amy laughlin: My teammates and I saw Alan Webb once. We talked to him briefly and got his autographs. We asked him about his training at the college level.
scrunners: Do you have a favorite running book or movie, if so which one and why?
amy laughlin: A team favorite is the movie, Prefontaine.
scrunners: When not running what do you do for fun?
amy laughlin: I go to football games, go shopping, hang out with my friends a lot ,go to my youth group, and I volunteer at an animal rescue organization.
scrunners: With beginning runners increasing more in numbers, what do you think they should to during their first year of running for training and racing?
amy laughlin: Try and work as hard as they can, because you won\'t get anywhere unless you put forth your full effort. Don\'t get discouraged, and just keep trying.
scrunners: What keeps you motivated to get out the door on a daily basis for school, running and life?
amy laughlin: I\'ve learned how to work hard, and I trust in God, he can get me through it all. I like to run, and I like all my teammates. I love this sport.
scrunners: If there is one thing in the world you could do what would it be and why?
amy laughlin: Right now, I would probably want to start my own animal rescue organization. I really love dogs and all animals, and I think it is really awesome to be able to help them out.
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Full Name: Amy Grace Laughlin Academic Interest: Marine Biology, Marine Mammal Training Brother/Sisters: Mike (20), Laura (18), Andrew (11) Hobbies: Running, Shopping, Music, and hanging out with my friends Date of Birth: June 6, 1988 Personal Bests: CC: 18:26, mile: 5:21, 800: 2:30, 2-mile: 12:00 |
scrunners: Explain to the scrunners.com viewers how the Lake Murray Invitational race unfolded for you as you finished in the top five?
amy laughlin: I started out probably in the top 10 to 15, but I stayed calm and remained on my pace. Laura and I worked together and passed person by person still we were in solid fourth and fifth. Towards the last mile we were getting closer and closer to the Mauldin teammates (Lauren Klas and Alyssa Kulik) in second and third. We both caught up and passed them with less than 800 meters remaining. In the end I finished second, with Laura a second behind me in third.
scrunners: What kind of training did you undergo this summer?
amy laughlin: I trained with my best friend mostly and we would just go for long runs each day. We probably ran close to 5 or 6 miles most days. We wanted to work on mileage this summer and try and get running in each day.
scrunners: Who do you train with in the summer?
amy laughlin: Laura some, and mostly my best friend, Peggy Busbee. Sometimes other people would join us or I would train with other people on my team while Peggy was out of town.
scrunners: Do you train with your sister Laura on a daily basis?
amy laughlin: At practice we train together all the time. We run and push each other. In the summer I did not run with her as much because we had conflicting schedules.
scrunners: As the state meet course has changed to Sandhills for \'04 how has that changed your training for the state meet?
amy laughlin: Probably not much, our coach has our training plan pretty much outlined for the whole season.
scrunners: Do you prefer to run at Sandhills or Fort Jackson, why?
amy laughlin: Sandhills. Its a challenging course, but I feel more comfortable on it for some reason.
scrunners: Do you prefer to run cross country or track, why?
amy laughlin: I like them both, and they both have different fun qualities, but if I had to pick I would pick cross country. I think it has a more fun team atmosphere and our team always gets really close. We are like family.
scrunners: When did you start run?
amy laughlin: I ran Junior Olympics the summer before my 8th grade year.
scrunners: What do you remember and how old were you when you ran a race?
amy laughlin: It was at the Lake Murray Invitational, and I was scared to death. I was so nervous and almost in tears at the starting line. I pulled through though, and I think I was 11th. I was in 8th grade, I must have been around 13.
scrunners: Does anyone else in your family run, or did they run?
amy laughlin: My older brother, Mike, ran in high school for South Aiken, and now he is running cross country and track for Winthrop University. Laura has run in high school and hopes to run in college. My little brother, Andrew, has run junior olympics some, but he likes soccer better.
scrunners: Did any of your parents run at the high school or collegiate level?
amy laughlin: I think my dad ran some throughout high school and my mom ran maybe a little too.
scrunners: What year of school did you start to run for South Aiken?
amy laughlin: In my eighth grade year, in 2001.
scrunners: From your 2003 cross country season, what do remember the most and what do you want to improve on for 2004?
amy laughlin: I remember what it feels like to get injured and not being able to compete. I would like to continue getting faster and improving my race.
scrunners: What was your biggest challenge in 2003-2004?
amy laughlin: My left hip hurt all throughout the season, and my growth plate above my hip broke in the middle of the State Meet at Fort Jackson. It was extremely hard to finish that race, and looking back on it I\'m not sure how I kept myself going. I knew I couldn\'t let my team down, and I was so determined to get to that finish line.
scrunners: In track, what do you want to remember the most and what would you like to improve on come the spring?
amy laughlin: I remember having to sit out on the sidelines and watch my sister compete. It wasn\'t very fun, and I would like to improve my mile time.
scrunners: What do you look for in a coach and what do you expect a coach to look for in you?
amy laughlin: I like for a coach to be very supportive, and expect the best from all their athletes. I think the coach should expect that I work hard and do what they tell me.
scrunners: Have you ever been injured? Explain?
amy laughlin: The only major injury that happened to me was last cross country season, when I fractured my growth plate in my left hip. It snapped in the middle of the State Meet.
scrunners: Where do you like to train in Aiken?
amy laughlin: We train in Hitchcock woods sometimes. I like to run in the woods where we do long runs and hill repeats.
scrunners: Who has been South Aiken\'s team rival and do you have an individual rival?
amy laughlin: Aiken High has long been are biggest rivals. The Milner twins used to be Laura and I\'s biggest rivals. We ran about the same times, so it always came down to the very end for Laura and I and Michelle and Marcie.
scrunners: How did these rival\'s develop and when do they become most intense? amy laughlin: They are across town from us, and it becomes more intense when both are teams have pretty evenly ranked teams.
scrunners: What kind of race strategy works best for you? Explain.
amy laughlin: Pacing helps me a lot. We try to attack the hills, which helps me a lot also.
scrunners: If a race scenario changes from the expected how do you alter your plans.
amy laughlin: I have fallen a couple of times in big races, and when something goes wrong. I do what my coaches have taught me. \"Don\'t panic and pick people off one at a time\"
scrunners: Does South Aiken have a team tradition prior to a meet?
amy laughlin: We pray together as a team before every meet, and then individually before every race. Before regions and states, we get together the night before and eat a dinner and watch a movie.
scrunners: What would you say is the most prestigious meet you have competed in?
amy laughlin: Probably for me is just the State Championships.
scrunners: How did do you fare?
amy laughlin: In 2002 track, I came in second in the mile State Championships. In 2002, Cross Country I was 3rd at the State Championship races.
scrunners: Have you ever meet a professional athlete? If so what did you discuss with them?
amy laughlin: My teammates and I saw Alan Webb once. We talked to him briefly and got his autographs. We asked him about his training at the college level.
scrunners: Do you have a favorite running book or movie, if so which one and why?
amy laughlin: A team favorite is the movie, Prefontaine.
scrunners: When not running what do you do for fun?
amy laughlin: I go to football games, go shopping, hang out with my friends a lot ,go to my youth group, and I volunteer at an animal rescue organization.
scrunners: With beginning runners increasing more in numbers, what do you think they should to during their first year of running for training and racing?
amy laughlin: Try and work as hard as they can, because you won\'t get anywhere unless you put forth your full effort. Don\'t get discouraged, and just keep trying.
scrunners: What keeps you motivated to get out the door on a daily basis for school, running and life?
amy laughlin: I\'ve learned how to work hard, and I trust in God, he can get me through it all. I like to run, and I like all my teammates. I love this sport.
scrunners: If there is one thing in the world you could do what would it be and why?
amy laughlin: Right now, I would probably want to start my own animal rescue organization. I really love dogs and all animals, and I think it is really awesome to be able to help them out.