In every sport the most dreaded day of practice is conditioning. In track, that means running around the track endlessly, legs aching and out of breath. So why do people still enjoy running as a sport? Tech’s women’s track team captain Josie Green explains that “one of the best parts of running is how accessible it is, and the people it attracts. It requires little to no equipment, and you can improve super quickly without tons of experience. This brings a wide range of people and makes it very welcoming. No matter what level people are at with running, everyone is sharing the same feeling of accomplishment.” Tyler Basham, the team captain for the men’s team originally joined “for P.E. credits and because [his] brother was a former team captain,” but over time he “ended up falling in love with the sport and the people.”
Practices for track consist of easy days running through the neighborhood surrounding Tech or jogging along trails in Oakland. Harder days are filled with conditioning and intervals with fast paces and the dreaded hill sprints. Recently the team came back from a race in Hayward. Miles Jones got 2nd in his event (5k) with a new personal record of 15:11.0 and the varsity men’s team overall got 4th.
While people may be fearful of track, there are many reasons to enjoy it, for its physical, mental, and emotional benefits.