By Pia Perthen, Sports Editor
Students or staff at Saint Leo University might have spotted a pretty fast runner passing them while he was practicing on campus. Some might have thought it was Speedy Gonzales running past them – however, it was a motivated runner from France who is striving toward success.
Arthur Cosson has grown up in Châteauroux, France, and is currently concluding his last semester as a graduate student pursuing a Master’s in business administration. In Europe, cross country and track and field are combined as the same discipline; therefore, Cosson competes as a long-distance runner for both teams at Saint Leo.
“I absolutely love running,” Cosson said with a big smile multiple times throughout the interview, indicating he must have chosen the right path.
Growing up, Cosson pursued soccer, but, through PE class in middle school, he found access to cross country and started to run some races in his local areas. He joined a track and field club while still playing soccer, but stopped soccer approximately a year after. It was then that Cosson discovered his passion for running.
“During a race, someone spiked my tendon in my foot, but I did not want to give up and finished the race, even though it was painful,” shared Cosson, recounting a story from his races when he was younger.
What Cosson likes about his sport is that it is crucial to practice and train hard to be good at it because talent alone will not get you to the top. Additionally, he is fascinated by the journey and process of constantly improving.
“It is impossible to stop developing, but even though I am pursuing a tough sport, at the same time, I am really enjoying the process,” said Cosson. “Idols, for me, are people who keep improving, even though they were not the best at the beginning!”
Cosson has named three favorite key memories from Saint Leo, which also go hand in hand with his most significant successes at Saint Leo. Cosson won the Sunshine State Conference 2022 in Daytona Beach, Fla., which was a big achievement and brought a lot of joy because it had been a long time since his last win. Due to Cosson’s solid performance this past Fall semester, he competed individually in the NCAA National Championships 2022, where he succeeded in qualifying for the second year in a row. Another success was his fifth place at the NCAA South Region Championships 2021 at the Abbey Golf Course, which is right across the street of Saint Leo. To round up all of his favorite memories and successes, Cosson also found great and supportive friends on campus with whom he enjoys hanging out.
Cosson’s biggest goals are both athletic and non-athletic related. He is striving toward receiving the NCAA All-American reward, for which the best athletes in their respective disciplines from all Division II programs are awarded. In addition to that, Cosson dreams of a life with supportive family and friends and enough money to make a comfortable living.
“Another goal of mine is to travel the world. I am very grateful that I have been able to travel because of my sport, and I was fascinated by the many cultures and areas and definitely want to discover more,” said Cosson.
The motto Cosson is living by originates from Sam Parsons, who is a German-American distance runner: “We train 365 days out of the year. You are bound to feel like shit for at least half of them. If you are not ready for that, you picked the wrong sport.”
That Cosson is taking these words to the heart can be seen in his strict practice schedule. He practices 12 times a week, including nine runs and two gym sessions. In total, Cosson estimates his approximate miles average to be 80-85 miles per week.
Apart from his successful life as a long-distance runner, Cosson has other hobbies. To name a few, he enjoys watching and playing soccer, likes to hang out with his friends, and is a valuable member of The Lions’ Pride Media Group as a Video Editor and Social Media Manager.
“I just love sports and enjoy watching and playing them with my friends. During the summer, I play a lot of basketball and soccer at home,” said Cosson.
Cosson shared some valuable insides into his experience at the NCAA Nationals 2022 in University Place, Washington. This competition is also called the Division II Fall Festival, and this Olympic-style event has not been held since 2018 due to COVID-19. All Nationals Fall semester sports were combined, including volleyball, soccer, women’s hockey, and cross country. Cosson said it was an unforgettable experience, together with his head coach Kent Reiber, assistant coach Cierra Munroe, and fellow Saint Leo cross country athlete Holly Little.
“This competition has been one of the biggest experiences in my life, and I am so grateful for what life can give you if you allow yourself and your progress some time,” said Cosson. He makes clear that with hard work and determination, he is able to progress and constantly develop to the best version of himself.
