Name: Aiden Higgerson
School: Saint Thomas Aquinas
Q: What does your training look like right now given the current situation?
A: I've been focusing mainly on keeping my mileage up, but not worrying too heavily on workouts and speedwork.
Q: What are you doing to stay busy other than run right now?
A: I've been reading and playing xbox way more than I should.
Q: What was your most memorable race/moment?
A: The Shawnee Mission North Relays 3200 last year was by far my most memorable and most fun because it was my biggest breakthrough.
Q: What was the funniest thing that happened during your running career?
A: I think the most fun moment in my eyes, probably not in the coaches eyes however, would have to be hiking on our Colorado trip going into my junior year. Me and a few alumni decided we would go hike while everyone else cooled off in the river after our workout when Wrigley told us to be back by 1pm and to not go past the first mountain. We made good time getting back at 12:58... but failed to only reach the first mountain. We decided we would go a little further because we didn't think anyone would find out. Then a thunderstorm rolled in, unbeknownst to us because no one on the team had service in the mountains. Luckily, I guess, we were so far away we were out of the thunderstorm, but we couldn't contact anyone to tell them we were okay. We did make it back alright with a well deserved talking to by the adults... but up until the storm it was some of the most fun I've ever had.
Q: Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
A: My biggest competition from outside Aquinas would have to be Christian Buehler, but most of my competition has been inside my team over the past few years: Jackson Mallot, Logan Seger, Ethan Marshall, and Tommy Hazen have all been my training partners and I think that always gave us an edge on others because we could always push each other.
Q: What was your greatest accomplishment?
A: I think my greatest accomplishment would be winning state 3 years in a row with my team, and in all cases state was my best race of the year.
Q: If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
A: I would have paid more attention to eating healthy early on in my career rather than fixing it late junior year.
Q: What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
A: Missing almost the entirety of my sophomore track season to a knee injury.
Q: What will you miss the most?
A: I will miss hanging out with and talking to all of my teammates the most.
Q: What advice would you give to younger athletes?
A: Always look at the big picture instead of focusing on immediate impact.
Q: What kind of an impact has your coach had on you and your team?
A: Coach Wrigley has made an impact on me that I can't even measure. Without him, I would be nowhere near the person I am today, not just in running however, but as a young adult he has taught me so many life lessons that I know have shaped me into a better person and will continue to be instrumental for me later in life.
Q:What are your college plans?
A: I plan to run at Kansas State University next year.
Q:Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?
A: I would like to thank my teammates for being the reason I got up and ran everyday just to be around then. I would like to thank my parents for letting and helping me pursue running and always believing in me, especially when I didn't have my best moments. I would also like to thank Coach Wrigley and the other assistant coaches for coaching me into the position I am in today.
Q:Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A:
Q: Favorite Meal?
A: Stouffer's Lasagna. Easy.
Q: If you could be any animal what would you choose? and why?
A: I would be a Lion, being the king of the jungle could be neat.
Q: Your favorite superhero?
A: Ben 10