Although most spring sports are just beginning, Nick Ash, track runner and sophomore, and the rest of the men’s track team have been training together since December. On March 7, the men’s track and field team will compete in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC) Indoor Meet at DePauw University, and on March 8 other team members will compete at Wabash University.

In terms of preparation for these indoor meets, Head Coach Kenneth “Ken” Browner said the training is a little different than it is for outdoor meets.

“It’s hard because of a lack of space, so we do the best we can of maximizing the facility. We have morning pr

actice, and after school practice to thin down the numbers so we can get some work in,” Browner said.

Ash said, “We’ve done a lot of running indoor, increasing our tempo and trying to increase our endurance.”

According to Browner, the indoor track and field season is a qualifier. In other words, athletes must run certain times to compete in the indoor State meet.

In addition to this meet, Browner said, “We’re just slowly but surely getting ourselves into shape and getting ready for the outdoor season.”

The main difference between the indoor and outdoor seasons is the limited indoor space. Indoor tracks are 200 meters long compared to the standard 400-meter outdoor track. Additionally, there are 16 outdoor events, however there are only nine indoor events.

“By the time you go to the indoor State meet, it’s 300 schools in a building, which is really small. So we love the outdoor season because we have a lot more space,” Browner said.

Ash, who typically runs the 400-meter dash and the 4 X 400-meter relay, had to change events due to the smaller track. Indoor, he still runs the 400-meter dash. However, there is no 4 X 400-meter relay indoor, so he also runs the 200-meter dash. Although he adapts to the indoor track, Ash said he prefers running outdoors.

Due to the fact that 400 meters is one lap outdoors and two laps indoors, Ash said it’s easier outdoors.

“I like outdoor because it doesn’t affect my strategy, and I learned it outdoor,” Ash said.

However, this size difference does not affect field event athletes such as thrower and junior Vince Laconi. Laconi competes in both discus and shot put, which are both field events.

According to Laconi, there aren’t many differences between the indoor and outdoor track and field season.

“The ball is plastic and hard, and outdoor it’s steel. But it doesn’t make a difference because it’s the same weight. The competition is the same in indoor and outdoor,” Laconi said.

Laconi said he likes both indoor and outdoor seasons.

“They’re both the same importance level; one’s just indoors. You do the same stuff you do in outdoor; it’s just the outdoor season is longer than the indoor season,” Laconi said.

Ash said his main focus is the outdoor season. His goals consist of running a 400-meter dash in less than 50 seconds and making it to the State meet.

“(With) indoor,” Ash said. “My goal is just get through it. See what I’ve done, and what I’ve improved on. I would say it’s more preparation and building up to outdoor.”

Browner agrees with Ash that the outdoor season is more important.

In terms of goals for outdoor season, however, Browner said, “We always have our one goal which is to be State champions, then we just go from there. I tell the guys, if you win a State title, you’ll probably win a number of other things leading up to it.”