CAN’T SLACK, TIME FOR TRACK

By CAROLINE HART

It’s that time of year again when athletes all over the school have begun arduously preparing for their winter sports; this includes the athletes participating in indoor track.  Indoor track usually starts at the beginning of November and ends around February so, naturally, the runners and field-eventers have been consistently working hard to get prepared for their season. 

CAROLINE HART FOR THE WIZARD WEEKLY

Those who do not follow cross country and/or track often get them mixed up.  Cross country is a long distance sport where the runners must endure a course of 3.1 miles, also known as a 5k.   Outdoor track, on the other hand, obviously takes place outside.   When participating in outdoor track,  athletes do not only compete in running events, but also field events such as pole vault, shot put, weight throw, high jump, and long jump.  Indoor track is different than both of those sports.  It is run in  indoor field houses and athletes compete in different or modified events.

Liam Gildea, captain of the indoor track team, stated, “The two sports differ in the idea that for cross country you need a lot of endurance and not a lot of speed, but in track you need a lot of speed and not a lot of endurance.”  Though, both sports require different skillfulness, they are alike in the demand and full time and commitment required of athletes. 

The team’s first meet is this Friday, which means that the team has had a whole month to prepare for the beginning of what could be an amazing season for the Wizards.  All the athletes have been working rigorously to get to where they need to be.  Gildea expressed, “Overall we have had some good workouts these past two weeks which I think will result in good races for the team this year.”  

Being physically prepared is a tremendous part of being ready to compete, but athletes also need to to be mentally prepared.  To be physically prepared is only half the battle for any running event. Maanasa Hanubal, a sophomore runner, voiced, “If you are not in a good and positive mindset, then you will not run how you would want to.”  Without a positive mindset, reaching the goals proves to be very difficult.

The indoor track team has a big season coming up.  If they continue to work hard and have that positive mindset, then the team will achieve great things things this season.  Good luck Wizards!