School holds indoor track practice for individuals competing

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Senior Jake Lee runs through the mud during cross country season. “Indoor track helps us get into good running shape,” Lee said. “We do similar workouts as we do during track to get our mileage up. This also helps for cross country season by keeping us in good form.”

Emma Coffey, Writer

When walking through the hallways during the winter sport season, one can expect to see basketball players dribbling in the gym or ski members conditioning in the halls. However, senior Emma Lane runs the hallways, conditioning not for basketball or ski, but for the indoor track season.

Athletes cannot represent a high school, team members will be able to stay in shape together for the upcoming track season and even the next cross country season by participating in indoor track. The team is coached by Red Fox Outfitters owner Jesse Anderson, Melanie Hall, and Bill Reed.

“Indoor Track started Nov. 20 at Red Fox,” senior Emma Lane said. “Technically it is not a sport at the school, but it is a way of preparing for the actual track season and in shape when the season starts.”

Indoor track is run through Michigan Indoor Track Series with the events being held on indoor tracks. Meets will be hosted by various colleges in the state.

“We are open to both sprinters and distance runners interested in doing track in the spring,” senior Jake Lee said. “We prepare for indoor track meets and the outdoor track season in general.”

Even though the practices are held at the school, athletes must compete in meets as individuals. They can not represent a school.

“In the past, it was not organized; there had been practices but it had mostly been kids just running in the hallway or running outside,” Lane said. “Various colleges will host meets and you can sign up for any events that we want to run.”

According to the Michigan Indoor Track Series website, MITS is a group of volunteers who host an indoor state championship for track and field to promote the sport.

To see these athletes in action, attend the next indoor track meet on Dec. 28 at Aquinas College Pole Vault CIinic at 4 p.m.

For those who are interested in participating, the practices are held every day after school from 2:45 – 4 p.m. The group meets at the weight room near the gym, and includes training for long distance and short distance runners.