Andover’s Calhoun Breaks RHAM Record

RHAM senior Liam Calhoun recently broke the school’s boys cross country record, which stood for 30 years, running a 16:26 at the State Open on Nov. 5 at Wickham Park in Manchester. 

 It was a record two years in the making for Calhoun, who only joined the cross country team as a sophomore, switching from soccer to distance running. 
           
Calhoun, who was born and raised in Andover, originally went out for soccer as a sophomore but could see the cross country team practicing and knew that’s where he belonged. 
           
“This is going to sound biased but I think cross country guys are the best people. They are generally good, down to earth people,” Calhoun said. “I knew I liked running, but it was definitely an adjustment. I had so much fun and by the end of the season and I started getting the times I wanted.”
           
Calhoun, who also runs for the school’s indoor and outdoor track team, was set to make a big stride as a junior but the COVID-pandemic prevented postseason tournaments in cross country and eliminated most of the competition during the indoor track season. 
           
“Last year was a really weird situation because I was in what I thought was the best shape. I felt like last year I was in the same shape I was this yea, but I just didn't have the chance to go and use it.”
           
Thankfully his junior year wasn't a total wash as he broke his first school record in the spring, registering the fastest mile in school history by running a blistering 4:26 to finish fourth overall at the Class MM meet on June 2. 
           
Entering his senior year, he set his sights on the cross country record, which stood for three decades and was held by Mike Judenis.
           
Calhoun credited his coaches, who he described as very instrumental, and the hilly cross country course behind RHAM High School for helping him achieve his latest feat. 
           
Following a fifth-place finish at the Class MM meet on Nov. 2, he eyed the State Open as his time to break the record.   
           
“It was the right competition, the right atmosphere, and the right day,” recalled Calhoun. “When I crossed the line I didn’t even know because I was so focused on my place. I knew I had made Top 25 and that’s all I cared about because I entered to make New England’s. I eventually found out from my mom that I broke the record. It was the icing on top, especially being my senior year.”
           
His time and finish qualified him for the New England Championships, held in Vermont, where he would shake off a bizarre start that included bottleneck conditions with hundreds of competitors running elbow-to-elbow, which he referred to as “competitive jogging”. Despite the adverse conditions, Calhoun said it was really exciting atmosphere and would go on to pass 149 runners along the trail. 

The record-breaking runner is one of four Calhoun athletes that compete at the connecting schools in Hebron. His sister, Caelyn and Alana, are part of the RHAM volleyball team that just won a state championship and his younger sister, Rian Grace, is a top cross country runner and captain at the middle school. Liam said that one he expects his youngest sister to break all his records one day. 
           
When he’s not competing, the relaxed runner is practicing or playing his guitar and plays in the band at RHAM, also well as participating in National Honor Society. 
           
​He’ll compete in Indoor and Outdoor track before graduating in the spring. He said that he wants to focus on academics in college but has decided to continue running at the next level, saying, “I think I would miss it too much.”