The only sound that is heard at the track at 6 a.m. is the rhythmic song of thud-thud-thud of tennis shoes hitting the ground. While other students are still asleep, spring track athletics are sweating hard under the still bright moon preparing for upcoming races and competitions.
Despite the early hour, they prepare beforehand both mentally and physically for track and field practices and meets to allow themselves to run their best.
“[To help me prepare physically I do] morning stretch for sure, or I take a Epson salt bath which is a hot warm bath that relieves your muscles,” senior Marlee Jones said. “Then just make sure I’m not sitting down a lot, especially two to three hours before a race.”
Students work to get their head in the right mind space to allow them to focus better when running.
“[I] really just try to stay positive. Try to trust myself. Trust my training. Trust my body. And make sure I know what I’m going to do,” senior Madison Mason said.
What athletes put in their bodies plays a big factor in helping them prepare for a meet. Girls need around 2,200 to 2,400 calories a day while boys need around 2,600 to 3,200 calories a day. A great time to get the calories and nutrients in is during breakfast and through healthy snacks.
“Before a race I eat a good healthy breakfast,” Jones said. “I eat the most in the mornings. I would probably eat yogurt, yogurt parfait, sausage, or a banana. The rest of the day I just snack. Nothing too heavy, maybe like pretzels or liquid IV.”
Working through the nerves and pressure that the athletes experience helps them better prepare for what they are about to put their minds through.
“I’m not trying to run against other people, I’m just running against the time,” senior Taylor Kerns said.
Preparing for a meet takes work because if the athletes don’t prepare them well they don’t always run well. They have to make sure that they are going to be safe when running and that they will be successful.
“The hardest part is coming out there and being safe knowing that you’re going to be able to go out and compete and be at your best,” senior Kaleb Hampton said.
Every student prepares differently for meets; some prepare more physically while others prepare more mentally.
“I think I definitely prepare more physically,” Mason said. “On meet days I try to not think about my race and just trust my training.”
Though not all preparation happens the day or the week before a meet. Some students start practicing months before they have to compete.
“I would [a younger runner] make sure to always eat something healthy,” Hampton said. “[to make] sure they put in more work so when it comes to competing it’s easy for them and not hard.”
