Interviews: Avery Bouchard of Bridgewater State College (MA)
(Photo courtesy of the Bridgewater State College athletics website)
Bouchard (pictured far right) is a junior at Bridgewater State College (MA). Last year at the 2005 NCAA Division III Cross Country New England Region Championships he finished 14th overall, which qualified him as an individual for nationals, while helping his team to a 19th place finish. At the 2005 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships he finished 69th overall.
By: Derick Lawrence (10/10/2006)
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself (where you’re from, what high school you went to, how you got started running)?
Well, I’m from Fall River in Massachusetts about ½ hour from Bridgewater State. I went to a vocational high school in the city, Diman Regional Voc. Tech. and was in the auto body shop.
My freshman year, my best friend Nelson Reis, who was on the cross country team, bragged just about everyday how he was the best freshman on the cross country team. Me, being pretty competitive, wanted in on the action, but it was too late by the time I was really ready to join. So I had my mind set on playing basketball in the winter and figuring the rest out from there. When tryouts for basketball rolled around though, I ended up sick for the entire week of tryouts. So the only other thing I could do was run indoor track. Needless to say, I loved it and have been running non-stop ever since!
What were your PR's in high school (cross country and track)?
Like I’ve told just about anyone who has ever asked me, I was nothing special in high school. I was a 1000/800 runner my freshman year where I was running just under 3:00 and just over 2:20. I was put in the 2 mile as a sophomore and got my 2 mile time down to a 10:18 my junior year. As for the mile, I never broke 5. The closest I came was a 5:04 for the 2nd half of my 10:18 2-mile. I was never close to any PR’s after that. Like I said, nothing special.
What are your current PR's (cross country and track)?
My best 5k came last year during outdoor track (15:27), but I haven’t run a serious 5k since. I did run the 10k at Division III and open New England’s last spring though. I ran a 32:25 at DIII’s, which won it and qualified me for open’s. Then I ran a 31:45 at open’s, good for 7th place. We won’t talk about my 1500/800 times, because they are about as ugly as they get.
What was your training like this past summer?
Training was good this summer. Some high, easy mileage to start and some speed workouts towards the end of the summer. Nothing crazy, nothing special. Just running.
How has your training progressed over the years from high school to now (cross country and track)?
Between high school and college is like night and day with training. High school just pretty much eased me into running. I didn’t do anything too hard, I was never injured and I just had a lot of fun while I was there. Now, the fun is still there, but it’s obviously much harder work and many, many more miles.
What is your favorite workout(s) during the cross country season and what does it include?
My favorites are the 1.25 mile repeats. Just getting out on the fields and running like 6 mile and a quarter repeats around 5:00 pace with very little rest. There’s just something about the workout that makes me feel invincible. Especially because we run around every field, where all the rest of the teams are practicing. It’s a great time!
What are your goals for this cross country season (individual and team)?
The obvious goal, probably like every other DIII runner in the country, is to make nationals and place high among the best in the country. I know its going to be a lot harder this year because of the competition in the New England region right now. I could probably name about 50 guys that could potentially beat me for a nationals spot. Its all going to come down to who is better prepared for the regional meet. Hopefully we get a couple extra teams to go with the new system. As a team, we hope to win our conference and keep moving up in the region, like we’ve been doing for the past 3 years.
Do you walk, bike, or drive to class and/or practice? If you bike or drive, what kind of bike or car do you have?
I drive to school in the morning in my ’97 Nissan Maxima from my house or my girlfriend’s house down on Cape Cod (about an hour away). But I usually take the bus between every class or get a ride from someone. The bus drivers usually ask something like “hey, aren’t you on the track team, why don’t you just run to class?”
What's your major? Favorite professor?
I am an exercise science major. I don’t really know what I am going to do with that, but I still have a couple years to figure it out. My favorite professor right now is Dr. Hart, my nutrition professor. But my favorite professor of all time is Dr. Pam Russell, the biomechanics professor.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life and/or running?
That is so hard to say, because there are so many people that have influenced everything I do. First of all, my parents obviously, for always supporting everything I do and being at as many meets as they could make it to for as long as I can remember. All my coaches, including my high school coaches Neil Arruda and Richard Vickery, and my college coach James Simoneau. Coach Simoneau is the reason for my improvements all through college and all my collegiate success. My best friend Nelson is to blame for me ever running at all, so that’s been a huge influence, and he’s always been so supportive. My teammates all through high school and college have influenced everything I’ve done. All of them and so many more have had such an influence on my life and running. Also, my girlfriend Nicole Mauro, who has given me someone to always try and impress, even though its been like 3 years since I started trying to impress her.
What do you like the most about Bridgewater State College Cross Country?
My teammates at Bridgewater State College are the reason I have even kept running for as long as I have. If not for them, I would be training alone and that would be miserable. Dan Blair, my co-captain who gets anything the team needs and makes so much possible from team gear to getting us equipment to use through the athletics department, Brian “Grampy” Stewart for making some good laughs and crushing me on some long runs, Mark Powers (asst. coach now) who has destroyed me on some runs, and always given me someone to chase and Nate Goldrick (another asst. coach – sort of), the biggest reason for me getting anywhere close to good at this running thing with all his talent, dedication and humor.
What's the running environment like at Bridgewater State College? Where does the team train?
 (Photo courtesy of the Metro South Chamber of Commerce website)
We train about 95% on roads at Bridgewater. The only time we are on any type of off-road is while we do our speed workouts. The workouts are run on the athletics fields around the track. Other than that, we can be found as many as 10 miles away in about 6 different towns around the school. Our famous team quote is “what town are we in?”
Any parting words for readers?
I just want to thank anyone who took the time to read this interview. Everybody keep up the great work. For anyone trying to get better, just work hard and be patient. Ice up and keep an eye on those injuries. Most of all, have fun out there!
Thanks to Avery for a great interview.
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Untitled Comment
9:35 AM, October 18, 2006
.. Posted by Anonymous
sweet interview man. congrats on getting as far as you have and keep that up. good luck to you and your boys at conference.
estabrook-westfield
Unbelievable
5:52 PM, December 25, 2006
.. Posted by Anonymous
It's unbelievable how great Avery has become. I've rarely met a person like him with such determination and dedication. You will always have my respect. I wish nothing but the best for you King Avery!
Scaw!
12:59 AM, December 29, 2006
.. Posted by Anonymous
I still stay on top of the aussi friends and their lives. you running stud you haha. i hope things are going well. the interview sure makes it seem so!! good job killer ;) lol hopefully ttys
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