XC Watchlist: Liv Palma
School: Cape Elizabeth HS
Year of Graduation: 2017
2015 State Meet Finish: 13th in Class B 20:36.04
Tell us how your summer training is going?
Unfortunately,
my summer training has not been ideal this year. Right before I had the
opportunity to compete in the WMC and State meets for spring track, I
got a stress fracture in my foot. I have still been attending practices
to support my team, however, my training has largely consisted of other
cardio exercises such as biking and using the elliptical. I have been
running short distances on the track to slowly get back into running as
well.
What are your goals for the upcoming season?
My goals for the upcoming season are all centered around coming back strong from my injury for a great senior season of cross country. I would really love to come close to my 5k PR from last years meet at Belfast of 19:27, so I will be training extra hard when I am able to.
How long have you been running and how did you get started?
I
have been running since the spring of eighth grade. I had never gone
for a run before in my life, and I was actually a dedicated Irish step
dancer at the time. I ended up giving up Irish step for running, and I'm
glad I did. I originally signed up for track because I wanted to be
involved in a school sport to make friends. My go-to events used to be
the 800 and the high jump. Now running is one of my biggest passions,
and the mile is definitely where it's at;)
Will you be competing anywhere out of state this season?
What is your favorite course to run in Maine?
Relating to my last answer, I love running at Belfast. I'm not the only one who swears that it is the location of many runners' PRs. Although Belfast has quite a few hills, it is somehow a course that feels ridiculously fast. When I run at Belfast I feel all the joys of racing that I don't when I'm at other courses.
What is the toughest course to run in Maine?
In
my opinion, and many others, Twinbrook is the most difficult course in
Maine by far. I am happy that only regionals is there this year, whereas
last year we had to run there two meets in a row! The many roller
coaster-like hills and dangerous roots are only parts of what makes
Twinbrook the worst. The "Pain Cave" is what makes us runners dread this
course so much. This is an extremely steep hill that exits the woods
near the very end of the race when one is already tired and longing for
the finish line. There are even signs on the trees that warn of the Pain
Cave's torture!
What meet during the regular season do you put extra emphasize on to compete well at?
I would say that I put quite a bit of emphasis on any home meet during the regular season. Our course isn't the best, but it's always nice to do well on your home turf. It also makes me very proud to have a course record on my own school's course!
What is your favorite cross country race so far in your high school career & favorite cross country memory?
My favorite cross country race so far would have to be my sophomore year in 2014 when our team made it to New England's. The top runners rode in a van driven by my coach, Mr. Lupien, all the way to Vermont. We had tons of fun on that trip, and during the race. My teammate and I stuck with each other for almost the entire race which was very fun! My favorite cross country memory is when my team had a hard workout at Fort Williams (our local park with a small cove/beach), and instead of taking an ice bath after, we jumped in the ocean!
When you are not running what is your favorite thing to do?
When I am not running, I love to spend
time with my family. My sister and I are very close, and my whole family
loves to go out to lunch, to the beach, to Portland, etc!
Favorite quote?
My favorite quote is "If I'm still standing at the end of the race, hit me with this board and knock me down because I didn't run hard enough". We wrote this on a wooden board two seasons ago for motivation. It's hilarious, and teammates who were cheering on always had fun holding it up!
What shoes do you race/train in?
I train in Asics Gel-Cumulus 17's, and I race in Saucony's Shay XC4 spikes!
What was your favorite Olympic Moment in Rio?
My favorite moment in the Rio Olympics was when Shaunae Miller dove across the finish line to win a gold in the women's 400m race. Although she beat one of my favorite American Olympians, Allyson Felix, her dramatic, yet effective finish showed just how much she wanted to win that race. I admire her for taking such a risk to accomplish her goal.
What professional athlete would you most like to meet?
I would love to meet Ben True, as he is the first American man to ever win the Beach to Beacon. I was unfortunately on the sidelines this year because of my injury, but the silver lining was that I got to witness Ben True's amazing race!
What is something that most people don't know about you?
Most people don't know that I love to play the guitar! I don't seem like a musical person (I'm not naturally musically talented, but I just learned to play guitar this year. It is one of my favorite hobbies, aside from running