<table bgcolor=#eaeaea> <td> <font color=#000000> <blockquote> <p align=justify>
He's cool, calm and under control at all times.
All-Acadiana Boys Cross Country MVP Adam Saloom has worked since the seventh grade to achieve the level of cross country ability he now has.
Saloom's best time was a 15:49 and he was named to the All-State team. He also plays soccer, but running is what is usually on his mind.
"When I'm out there running, it's just me against the clock," Saloom said. "I really like it because the result depends squarely on me. That may sound selfish or whatever, but it's why I like it."
Saloom added that he has made a lot of friends running cross country.
He said he doesn't remember when he fell in love with cross country, but that once it happened, it took over his life.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071231/SPORTS/712310321/1006" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>
Grant Alexander
galexander@theadvertiser.com
<!--
"I just started to like it more and more," Saloom said. "So I started running more and more. The more I got involved, the more I loved it."
Saloom went to Eugene, Ore., this summer and trained with his former coach Kevin Castille, an experience that only deepened his love and appreciation for the sport.
"It's really a great place for cross country," Saloom said. "They had six or seven different courses you cold run. It's usually rainy, but the couple of days we were there we had perfect weather. We were lucky."
Saloom recalled one of the more challenging courses.
"It was zig-zag up a mountain about 8 miles," Saloom said. "It was really neat because it was built specifically for running. We also ran on an ADDIDAS trail and got to walk on the Hayward Track (Oregon University's track)."
Every great runner has his or her own pre-run rituals.
"First of all I say a prayer, and then I tell all the runners I know good luck," Saloom said. "Then I just focus on what split I should be at and where I should be at what time."
Saloom also keeps his grades up. He currently has a 3.4 GPA. An athlete all through middle school, Saloom made the freshman basketball team at STM, but decided to switch his focus to soccer and cross country his sophomore year.
"I wasn't seeing much playing time on the basketball team, but in soccer and cross country I was seeing varsity time," Saloom recalled. "I decided to focus on both of those sports and through hard work I got here today."
Saloom aslo has a quote that helps him throughout the season.
"My favorte quote comes from the Bible," Saloom said. "It's Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." When I first read it, it caught my eye. I think about and say a prayer before I run or play in a soccer game.
-->
</td> </table>
