After a nearly 6-month-long boys’ cross country season, the Highland Park team is one of two schools in our sectional who have had a state qualifier for 16 consecutive years. Henry Gamson continued the streak, as the last of ten individual qualifiers at the Busse Woods Sectional, qualifying by .07 seconds.
“What makes Henry stand out is his willingness to fight for all three miles of a cross country race,” Assistant Coach Mr Czajkowski said. “Henry doesn’t give in, even when he’s been running at a five minute pace for 2.5 miles already and is hurting deeply with a half mile to go.”
While the season begins in August, training begins two months earlier in June, just weeks after the track season ends. Running 40 to 50 miles a week, Gamson’s training was anything but easy. Thankfully, he was not alone, as he was surrounded by his teammates, including a top five rounded out by Lucas Hoobler, Truman Evans, Caleb Haggarty, and Landon Chase.
Throughout the season, Gamson led his team on and off the course, while consistently remaining Highland Park’s top runner.
“It’s rare for an athlete as good as Henry to prioritize [his team] over individual results or even competitive outcomes,” Mr. Czajkowski said. “Cross country is unique in that all levels are coached together, and Henry takes advantage of that as a leader to make sure he gets to know the freshmen on the team too.”
Early in the season, the cross country team went to the “First to the Finish” meet, an event hosted in Peoria at the state course. This race allows the team to prepare mentally for the upcoming state meet, since nearly two months later, in early November, the state meet takes place.
Gamson said his favorite part of the state experience was spending it with his teammates, with more than 25 athletes from the boys’ team coming to support him. Having the support of his friends and teammates by his side, he was able to perform at the highest level, running a personal best of 15:05.
Gamson’s interest in running began with a friend who was participating in their team’s summer training program. Uncommitted to another sport, Gamson decided to join. After four years of consistent training, he shared his biggest challenge was pre-race anxiety, a struggle many runners share. In order to overcome it, he said his coaches “were very helpful in giving some strategies to get through that, like meditation.” Meditation and visualization are common strategies for runners to mentally and physically prepare themselves before races, especially since staying motivated during hard races or workouts can be difficult.
Gamson emphasized that both personal effort and team success motivate him.
“I want to run well for my team, especially in races where we are all together,” he said. “I also want to do well during the race or workout. I know I have to try as hard as I can to finish.”
Alumni Nate Wehner and Dylan Dominguez had an impact on his development as a runner. Both runners competed at the state level, with Wehner continuing his career collegiately.
“[Wehner and Dominguez] were very influential for me running-wise,” Gamson said. “[Wehner] set an initial example of an excellent runner while Dominguez provided a person whom I could actually run and train with and try to catch up to.”
Gamson’s running career is far from over. With cross country wrapped up, the preparation for indoor and outdoor track begins. He has set ambitious but achievable goals: running in the low 4:20s for one mile, and closing in on the two-minute barrier in the 800. Along with chasing these times, Gamson wishes to enjoy his last season of running, soaking in the bus rides, long runs, and making the most out of every race.
“There are already guys looking forward to next year… and consistent high expectations paired with strong culture is what makes for great sports programs,” Mr. Czajkowski said.