Coach comment: "I began coaching Owen his freshman year at May River. He obviously had natural talent and his two years of middle school experience helped put him at the top of the roster from the beginning. Over the past four years Owen has matured into a team oriented competitor with a new found desire to mentor and encourage his younger teammates. I am extremely proud of his commitment to his summer training this season and believe he will continue to reap the benefits of this early preparation. Owen has tremendous competitive running potential on which to draw for success on the college level and beyond. I expect him to have an exceptional senior season with more personal records to come." - Katherine Trosdal Rosenblum
How did your summer training go leading into your senior season?
During summer training I ran much faster than recent years. I committed to going out every day and giving it my all. From my hard tempos to my easy recovers I made sure I ran at the pace I needed. I was fortunate to run at some high quality camps this summer that significantly helped my training by incorporating both a higher elevation and hill work into my routine.
Tell us about last weekend in Georgia. What were your expectations?
Last week turned out really well. I wasn't sure how I was going to perform this early in the season. I knew I had good summer training, but I didn't know how that was going to transfer over to my 5K. Because of this I didn't go in with too much of a plan. I just wanted to run.
What does it mean to win last weekend and have the top time in the state?
Winning last weekend was amazing because I've been whittling down my time and place for 6 years, but haven't won. I was happy about my time, but until I went on Milesplit later I didn't understand the significance. That's when I realized I had the top time in the state. Seeing that just made me want to work even harder. State rankings: Individual | Team
What goals do you have for this season? What's your motivation?
I can't say I've got one specific number in mind. If you had asked me a week ago, I would have said 15:30. I just need to see where the season goes and work from there. My motivation has to be college. I told myself I will give it everything I have this senior year. If I can get my times down, then I will end up running college. If I don't, then cross country will remain something I did back in high school. I strive to be the best and I think putting myself out side of my comfort zone will get me there.
What meets are you looking forward to this season?
There are two big meets I am excited for. Because my favorite course is in McAlpine, I am looking forward to Wendy's. States will always be a big race to look forward to. The atmosphere of that meet is exhilarating. Lastly, I am looking forward to run a post season meet in November.
What does it mean to be part of the May River team?
May River High School opened my freshman year. Seeing my team grow since the start of has been one of my favorite things. The team had stayed relatively the same since the beginning. This is due to the fact that we are all so close in age. From being the youngest team in South Carolina to being one of the most competitive this year, I'm really proud of how far we have come. Because this our team has grown to be more like a family.
What do you hope to achieve in the sport in the future?
I've got a lot on my mind when it comes to my future in cross country. I think I've only scratched the surface of what I will do. I would love to run in college. I think once I can make it there I will take off. Short term however, I want to win both cross country and track state championships. My running career doesn't have to end after college. I hope to possible incorporate that into my business career.
How did you get involved in the sport and when?
I got my first look into the sport back in third grade when my dad told me to run a 5K with him. A couple years later I joined the cross country team in seventh grade and I've been going at it ever since. I was a little hesitant of the sport at first, but I stuck with it and have gotten to love the sport.
Do you prefer one sport over the other?
For years I played soccer when I was younger. I had started getting better in middle school, but once I got to high school I decided to play soccer freshman year. I ended up making varsity, but when the next season rolled around I decided I needed to commit to running and I have since ran track as well. When it comes to cross country vs. track, I have to give it to track. The excitement when running on the track is what I run for.
