MileSplit SC Team Spotlight: Lexington Wildcats

"I look forward to coming to practice everyday because not only am I coming to put in work, but also I'm also coming to spend time with all of my brothers." - Lucas Miedema, class of 2029 

"Excited" would be an understatement for how I feel going into this season. Our team has never been a "team" in my mind, but instead a family. I cannot wait to watch all my friends grow, as well as myself. I know we have a lot in store for us." - Ellie Patangan, class of 2028

MileSplit SC's team spotlight features the Lexington Wildcats boys and girls cross country teams.

The boys finished as state runner-up in the Class AAAAA division last season. The Wildcats boys have in the history books four consecutive South Carolina state cross country titles from 2009-2012.

The girls finished fourth in Class AAAAA last year and won state titles in 2012 and 2022.

Lexington is entered in Saturday's Lake Murray Invitational at Crooked Creek Park in Charleston. MileSplit SC will be onsite. 

Hear from coach and director Sam Oxley below in this question and answer.

What are your expectations for your team this year? 
Our expectation is to finish in a better position at the state championship than last fall.

What would you say is the mission you work to share with the runners all season? 
Our mission is to get better each week, and to achieve our goals with kindness, ambition and poise. 

How do you spend your time after a meet? 
I try to not spend my time over-analyzing team performance immediately after a race. Typically we are too emotional or tired (or both!) after a meet, so it's best to decompress and move forward the day after. I will, however, take a peek at some relevant meets and look at competitors' results. Other than that, I am doing something different and spending time with family. 

How was summer training? 
Summer training went well. Our numbers were consistent at group runs through the summer. We kept high mileage as a focal point, but we are also keenly aware of implementing speed work throughout the summer to introduce different stresses and adaptations. 

Do you attend a running camp? Please explain. 
We did not attend summer camps as a group. Some individual runners chose to attend some on their own, but nothing as a large group.

"I try to not spend my time over-analyzing team performance immediately after a race. Typically we are too emotional or tired (or both!) after a meet, so it's best to decompress and move forward the day after."- Sam Oxley, Lexington cross country coach

Favorite quote as a coach? 
Train fast. Race fast.

What is your history as a runner? 
I started running cross country and track at my small high school in Powhatan, Virginia. I was never fast, but I fell in love with the sport and the process. When I was hired at Lexington to teach. I promised myself I would eventually pursue coaching and I was fortunate to learn under the great Bailey Harris for 10 seasons. I learned on the job everyday and I love working here.

What motivates you to coach runners each day? 
Watching the team come together with camaraderie. Some would describe cross country as an individual sport, but if you can witness the support and motivation that teammates show for one another, you will surely agree that cross country is a team sport. What also motivates me is remembering the collective struggle we experience as we improve each day. I'm not going to quit on you if you won't quit on me. 

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What meets have you talked with the team to focus on this cross country season after the success at Eye Opener? 
After Eye Opener, we have our sights set on the Lake Murray Invitational (local, fast times, and good competition), Wendy's (historic course, close to the postseason), Virginia XC Showcase (opportunity to run with the best in the Mid-Atlantic and sharpen our skills before Region) and the 5A State Championship meet.  

What was hosting the night miles in August like for you and the team? 
It was a fun night of miles, although August was not the best choice in terms of weather. We will tinker with the formula and the time of year to host this type of event. However, we certainly aim to put on another event soon. It was wonderful to see alumni show up and run again, and it was great to see people from all walks of life show up and compete. It showed me that we truly have a wonderful running community in Lexington.

What is a typical week like for you and your team at Lexington? 
A typical week is one or two hard practices (depends on meet schedule), a few recovery days, one long run, and one rest day. We implement weight training as well and plenty of pre-hab to hopefully avoid injury. We believe in addressing the mental side of running too, so we will have plenty of runner-led group sessions where we dive into a few questions and allow everyone to contribute. 

What's your biggest challenge? 
The biggest challenge is having athletes buy in for the whole summer and for the start of the fall season. A good summer of work can improve an athlete's abilities exponentially. Establishing good habits and putting in the necessary work with no meet in sight can be a huge ask for some young people. 

How do you and your teams transition from track to cross country? 
After track, we impose a two to three week break from running to allow the body to heal and to allow the athletes to take a mental break from a typically long season. After the break, runners slowly work on their base mileage with teammates in similar ability groups. Before you know it, the fall season has started and we have a ton of aerobic warriors.

What other hobbies do you have? 
I like to hike, read, watch college football and spend time with family. 

From your perspective, what does South Carolina cross country need? 
South Carolina provides unique challenges to running, and it is mainly the weather. Nothing can be done to alter the weather, but I think we could share more information about how to deal with intense heat or inclement weather. Specifically, if we have to run indoors how might someone mimic a hard effort with less space than outdoors? How can we adapt to extreme weather on an almost daily basis where we live? South Carolina can also use a permanent state course for each fall state championship. It seems strange that we sometimes begin the fall season without knowing where our final race of the season will take place.