Heather Clark is not your typical friend.

She may be a regular high school student like you and me, but she’s a regular high school student who holds school records in the 800, mile and 2-mile; the Eastern Maine Indoor Track League mile record; a sixth-place finish in the New Englands mile this past February; and second-place ranking in her class academically with a 95 GPA. Moreover, she is heading to Florida State on a full scholarship, where she’ll study nursing.

That is not very typical.

Clark, a fellow senior at Brewer High, has been more than just a friend these past five years. Through team camping trips, team Super Bowl parties, watching our bus leave a sprinter at the mall in South Portland, a difficult but fun math class our senior year, and workouts – yes, tons and tons of workouts, we have shared common goals and dreams.

I first noticed her during eighth grade at Brewer Middle School. BMS cross country coach Glen Holyoke was raving about this Heather Clark, so I just had to come and see her – I was on the football team that year.

I showed up on a gloomy October day, just as the girls’ race was going off. And then, I saw, charging down the hill, a runner putting all the others to shame. I asked Mr. Holyoke, “Is that the one you were telling me about?” Oh, yes, it was.

All that year, she was convincing me that running had more of a future than football, which has proved to be true.

Hitting the road

The first cross-country camping trip to Acadia Park in Bar Harbor was a rough one, as Hurricane Floyd hit us the first night. We made it through that and three more camping trips while bonding as a team and having some great runs.

The most exciting trip of all wasn’t a camping trip, mall visit or anything like that. It was an excursion to Boston this past March, for the New England Indoor Championships.

The reason I made the journey was that our 4×800 meter relay team of myself (I was the alternate) and fellow senior Mike Evancheck, juniors David Haluska and Peter McGuire and freshman Brendan Carr had snuck our way in.

The highlight of that trip was probably seeing national-caliber athletes such as Regina Jacobs and Stacey Dragila.

Heather brought home a sixth-place finish in the girls’ mile. Based on what we did and saw, the best trip was saved for last!

Fast and furious

Heather is likely the most fierce competitor you’ll ever meet. Whether it’s in a workout or race, she’ll always push you, step for step. Having her train with the guys and me has been a pleasure.

“It’s a product of necessity having her train with the guys,” said Brewer indoor track coach Dave Jeffrey. “It’s much easier to do workouts with a group or partner than by yourself, so the guys have been great training partners.”

Brewer cross country and spring track distance coach Glendon Rand agreed.

“She was very fortunate to be able to train with Heather Jovanelli and Lisa Patterson her first two years,” said Rand. “The training really benefited her, and she looked up to both of them.”

As junior year rolled in, Clark had to take a different approach to her training. “There weren’t really any girls left, so she started running with the guys,” said Rand. “They turned out to be great training partners.”

With that in mind, I was happy to do all sorts of speed work with her when she was training for Junior Nationals.

Commitment to excellence

Heather is also the type of person who never misses a workout or practice. If she does, she’ll find a way to do the workout. That is true dedication.

Heather is also an excellent student, and I’ve had the privilege of taking an Advanced Math class with her this year. She was inducted into the National Honor Society, a terrific honor. To earn a full scholarship, you have to get it done off the field too, and that is something Heather takes lots of pride in.

The role model

Heather has won her share of races through the years, but this year she has been a true senior leader, inspiring young runners such as freshman Sarah Breau, sophomores Heather Klamm and Mandi Dumond, and fellow senior Sarah Lindner, an exchange student from Germany.

“She [Heather] is so determined, and always goes for the gold,” Breau said. “It’s been great having her around, not just as a teammate but as a role model. I’ll always look back on watching her, and it’s been great running on the same team as a national caliber athlete.”

“She is a great role model for the younger kids, and really learned from the older kids, like Jovanelli and Patterson,” Rand said.

Heather has been a great teammate and friend, and is even better to have around to talk with. She really helped me out my first couple years when I was struggling. Her work ethic and dedication have made the other girls want to get better.

Respect of opponents

Heather not only has the respect of fans and teammates, but of opposing runners and coaches.

Hampden Academy coach Dave King and Old Town coach Rod White agree that Heather has had some great success against their top runners.

“She’s a really good opponent, and it’s been great watching her and Oriana [Farley] battle,” King said. “She and Oriana have raised the bar and made everyone run better.”

King also commented that Jovanelli was a driving force in Heather and Farley’s success their first two years. “She [Jovanelli] really made them better and the races were fun to watch,” he said. “Oriana and Heather have really spiced up the Brewer-Hampden rivalry.”

White said that running behind Heather has been beneficial for Old Town freshman Cassie Hintz.

“Tough competition makes you better, and will surely help Cassie down the road,” he said. “Both runners will be very successful.”

Both coaches also said that running against the likes of Jovanelli and former Old Town standout Katie Laverdiere has helped Heather get better.

Returning south

Heather grew up in North Carolina, and she’ll be heading to Florida State after this year. According to Jeffrey, she has worked very hard to get to this point.

“She’s a very motivated person with a long-term approach to success,” he said. “Her future is very much unknown – it will be decided when she gets there. You don’t know what you want until you’ve experienced it, but she is very capable of running faster and can be successful once she starts training faster.”

Rand agrees. “She has the academic skills to succeed, no question. What makes you a good runner is being challenged in the classroom.”

Rand also acknowledged that Clark’s academic success really helped her with her running.

“To make good decisions in a race, you need to be intelligent. She truly knows when to attack a race,” he said. “She’s so coachable and bright, and always listens.”

Rand believes that Heather’s experience at Brewer will pay off at Florida State.

“She wasn’t the top runner coming in, and wasn’t the top in the league. She really gave herself time to develop her love for the sport, which carried her to the top,” he said, adding that it’ll be the same situation with the Seminoles.

“She’ll be running on a great team, and will come along at her own speed,” Rand said. “She’ll have to adjust to higher training, which doesn’t translate to faster times right off the bat, but being on a good team will take lots of the pressure off, and I’m sure she’ll help them win some meets.”