LA PLATA, Md. — After roughly a decade leading the La Plata High School cross country program, Michael Blaine is preparing for his final season with a focus that goes beyond wins and times.
Blaine, who took over the program after the retirement of longtime coach Richard Williams, has spent his tenure working to rebuild La Plata’s running tradition and establish a culture that he hopes will continue long after he steps away.
“I wanted La Plata to be good at running events again. I wanted to build a running culture here at La Plata High School,” Blaine told The BayNet.
A longtime runner, cyclist and triathlete, Blaine said he was encouraged to take over the program by his children. At the time, he saw an opportunity to help restore a program that had once been a prominent part of La Plata athletics.
Now, with his final season approaching, Blaine has seen that vision take shape.
The program has produced runners who have continued competing after high school, including athletes who have gone on to run at the collegiate level. But Blaine views those accomplishments as only part of what he hopes his athletes gain from the sport.
His bigger goal is to encourage them to remain active throughout their lives, whether that means continuing to run, cycling, swimming or simply finding an activity they enjoy.
“I just want them to be active and to enjoy exercise,” Blaine said.
That philosophy will remain at the center of La Plata’s approach this season.
Blaine said the team enters the season focused, with several upperclassmen particularly motivated as they begin their final high school campaign. The group spent much of the summer preparing for the season, following an offseason training packet designed to keep them active and building their fitness.
The team also took part in 12 permitted offseason workouts that included weight training and other exercises designed to complement running. Those sessions provided an opportunity for the runners to improve physically while also developing team camaraderie.
That preparation will be important once the season begins and La Plata faces the challenges of different courses and conditions.
Cross country requires runners to adjust to varying terrain while managing their pace and energy throughout a race. Blaine wants his athletes to be prepared for those differences while developing the mental toughness necessary to push through difficult stretches.
The mental side of the sport is particularly important because runners are often competing against more than just the athletes around them.
They have to learn how far they can push themselves, how to respond when fatigue sets in and how to remain focused when a race becomes uncomfortable.
Experience should help La Plata this season.
The team’s upperclassmen bring knowledge of the sport and familiarity with the demands of high school competition, while younger runners will continue developing throughout the season.
Blaine believes that balance is important not only for the team’s immediate success but also for the future of the program.
Building that future has been one of the defining aspects of his time at La Plata.
Rather than focusing solely on championship results, Blaine has emphasized developing athletes who can carry their appreciation for running beyond high school. Some have continued competing at the collegiate level, while others have simply remained active.
As Blaine prepares to step away after the season, that lasting impact could ultimately become his greatest measure of success.
For the runners competing in his final season, there is also an opportunity to help send their coach out on a high note.
But regardless of the team’s final record or times, Blaine hopes the lessons his athletes have learned will last much longer than the season itself.
After a decade of building La Plata’s running culture, his final goal is simple: leave behind a program that continues to value competition, camaraderie and an active lifestyle.
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