Newsome’s track and field conditioning is coming to an end. Many current track runners as well as hopeful future track runners join in to prepare for the up-coming season. Any of those who join typically have questions about the types of workouts required of the team. What exercises are included to prepare runners and how do the coaches and team captains decide what they do?  

  “I use the process called Periodization and what we do is during the week we do two to three hard workouts, and the rest are going to be easy workouts,” said Coach Brian Sears

    The general schedule includes “Monday is Fast workouts; either tempo runs, fartlek runs, or intervals. Tuesday, there is no practice, but I do an easy six miles. Wednesday: circuit training with little rest, with a cool down run to finish. Thursday is a fast practice, same as Monday. Friday there is no practice for the team, but I do an easy eight miles with core. Saturday is a long-distance run that lasts approximately one hour and thirty minutes. Sunday is a rest day,” said sophomore Neelesh Raghavan.   

    Throughout the season, the workouts are decided based on the current skill levels of the team. The workouts are decided based on the initial strengths and weaknesses of the team. Creating a routine based on this helps the team build up  their strengths and become a unit.  

   The girls track team typically does not create a scheduled workout plan throughout the week. “We don’t know our workouts until the end of the day but, there’s a general schedule that we have,” said Senior Captain Kendall Hughes. 

    Their general schedule is the same as the boy’s, minus a few minor details. Though the girls do not get to choose their workouts through the week like the boys do, they still feel that it is a major benefit for them to figure out their workouts as they arrive to practice.  

     “The easiest is when we do circuits. The hardest workout would definitely be the twelve, four-hundred-meter runs,” said sophomore Jessica Brickhuans. “The easiest exercise would be the pre-race runs, while the hardest would be the six-hundred-meter repetitions,” said junior Skyler Knott. 

   “Our conditioning is going to be over this week, our season starts next week, so things change a little bit yet not a whole lot,” said Coach Sears. Conditioning started at the beginning of the year and will come to an end on Jan. 31.

    “As an athlete, I definitely feel like I will be ready for the season coming up as I will be in shape and ready to compete,” Hughes said. The conditioning helps the runners to feel prepared and confident in themselves and the team for the upcoming season.  

    Having that confidence and preparation pushes them to work harder when the season arrives. Conditioning has positively impacted the team, both mentally and physically. The coaches always push their athletes to be the best versions of themselves and this spring, Newsome will  get to see the incredible results.