Track
Track and field: it's you against you
Leanna Flexo '24
Features Content Editor
Track and field is more than just a sport, it is about beating one’s own personal record. Of course it’s a race against others, but it’s also a race against yourself. It is unique from other sports, as it is not just watching a ball being thrown around to score points. Additionally, there isn’t a distinct winner or loser, the score is determined on how well each individual racer performs in their own heat.
The sport does not have “games”; instead, they have “meets” that usually last all day, starting in the morning and going until the late afternoon. There are various types of races that team members specialize in, such as hurdling, distance running, jumping or relay.
Track requires one to be extremely athletic, meaning the team must have several practices a week to train themselves to be faster. In order for the player to win, they have to focus on being as fast as they can be. Speed is the key to not only beating other players, but also your own record time.
Misha Amir-Moazzami '24 during practice
Nina Whitt ’25, who’s been doing track since their freshman year, reported that some runners “can be really competitive and focus only on trying to beat everyone else.”
Rather than being competitive, Nina personally tries to beat their own record time and
competes against themself, which is the core of this sport.
Sophomore Maria Philippou described the warmup during practices to be “difficult, but really rewarding in the end to see your body transform and improve at every meet.”
Another point to add about warmups is that they vary depending on the specific racing activity the runner participates in. For example, Brook Labrenz ’26, a long distance runner, typically begins her warmup routine by running a mile around the track.
Labrenz is also a second-year on the team, and she stated how nice and supportive everyone on the team is. When one has friends or partners that they warmup with, talking with them can serve as a distraction from the intensity of running.
Typically, the team will practice on the track at Crespi High School, but occasionally they will run off campus.
“We sometimes run to a water tower near Crespi,” Whitt added.
When asked about the struggles associated with track, Labrenz states that “you’re sore all the time after practices and games.” The severity of this soreness, she says, “depends on how well you prepare your body for the season.”
Whitt also talked about how stressful races can be, as there is so much pressure to be the fastest, and it all depends on how athletic and trained you are.
The team as a whole helps everyone to have a sense of belonging and support, but the individual effort is what carries you to the finish line.