Amirault Works to Move Up a Level
By Joe Reardon

Mark Amirault views every competition as a stepping stone toward his next race. This fall, the Xaverian senior is looking to step all the way to the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championship in San Diego.

The 18-year-old Walpole resident had a breakthrough season in the spring when he easily captured the 2 mile at the all-state meet with a 9:14.07 and Hartford Public Schools Track & Field Invitational (9:01.64) before dipping under the 9-minute barrier for ninth place (8:59.82) against a deep field at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina. With a steady diet of 65-mile weeks over the summer, Amirault worked toward having the added strength to be a force at the national level.

"I’m a lot stronger, aerobically, than this time last year," said Amirault, the defending Division 1 state champion. "I’m at a different level than before, and I want to hold it."

Most importantly, Amirault wants to stay healthy and avoid developing the problems he encountered last fall prior to the Div. 1 All-State Championship race. Battling anemia, Amirault was forced to taper his training and not take the same aggressive approach with which he usually attacks the 3.1-mile Franklin Park course.

The Div. 1 race came down to a two-runner affair over the final 300 yards between Amirault and Brockton’s Kevin Gill. Amirault relied on his strong finishing kick to pull slightly ahead of Gill and cross the finish line with a narrow win (15:59 to 16:02).

"Some people would only say he won the states by three seconds, but he was anemic," Xaverian coach Brian Dunn said. "We found that out three weeks before. He tapered about a week earlier than we wanted. His first goal was to win the states. That was his main focus."

For Amirault, that race was a struggle from the start. He knew he had little to no chance of running away from the lies of Gill, Haverhill’s Pat Fullerton or the rest of a huge lead pack.His best chance for the win was to stay with the leaders before attempting a sprint to the finish.

"I was basically in oxygen debt the first mile so I waited and kicked," Amirault said.

"With the state meet moving west to Northfield Mountain in November, Amirault will have to adjust to the challenging layout. The first three-quarters of a mile feature a steep ascent.

While Amirault has established himself nationally, he won’t be taking Massachusetts’ best harriers lightly in any meet. Gill, Fullerton and Matt Dewey of Catholic Memorial, in particular, will all be taking runs at Amirault.

"You have to respect these guys," Amirault said. "I can’t run a bad race and expect to beat them."

Amirault’s first big test will more than likely come at the Manhattan College Invitational in early October. He’s hoping for a cool, clear day to test himself against what is expected to be a top-notch field.

"We’re focusing more on the end of the season," Amirault said. "But I’d really like to run well in the Manhattan race. If it’s good weather, it’d be a good chance to make a statement."

For Amirault, challenging himself is more satisfying than the wins he has racked up.