New to Fenton High this year, the Indoor Track Club, also known as Altius, has sparked the interest of many students that enjoy running. A majority of the members participate in track and field in the spring and are looking for a way to stay active during the off season.
“My dad, [Benjamin Hunault], and his friends, Sue Larson and Jake Lee, coach the indoor track team and this is their first year running the team,” sophomore Natalie Hanult said. “All three of them push us out of our comfort zones and hold us accountable which makes us better runners and just better people in general, so that’s one of the main reasons I joined the club.”
This club consists of 12 athletes that run at Ascension Genesys Health Club between two and five days a week to train for off-season races. These races are typically located at colleges around the state such as the University of Michigan, Central Michigan University, Grand Valley State University and Saginaw Valley State University. Every event that is offered in outdoor track and field is also offered to the indoor runners.
While preparing for the spring track season, freshman Gavin Katic is also setting goals for himself.
“I participate in indoor track to remain fit over the winter and update my personal records,” Katic said. “This indoor season, I’m hoping to run a 9:30 in the 3,200 and a 4:29 in the 1,600.”
Like Katic, Hunault also has big goals for this upcoming season.
“My biggest personal goal for the off season,” Hunault said, “is to stay in good running shape so I can hopefully make it to states this year for the 400, 800 or 200 meter.”
Katic implied that the Michigan High School Athletic Association is working towards making indoor track an official winter sport next season as a way to keep athletes in shape for outdoor season in the spring.
“The indoor club season will help benefit my regular season in the spring because we do a lot of harder workouts in this club then we do in outdoor track,” Hunault said. “Indoor season goes all the way up until outdoor track season which is good so we don’t have a long break.”
If anyone is interested in joining the indoor track club, contact Hunault, Katic or another member of the club for more information.