A glance into NDMU’s Track and Field Club

By Jessica Profilio

Although cross country is a fairly new team on campus, it has made strides since its founding in 2016, among them being the impetus for the formation of the Track and Field club. The club is open to runners and non-runners from different backgrounds, and it ultimately encourages participation in local track meets.

The Track and Field club holds weekly training in the Civera Fitness Center every Thursday. The workouts will vary according to track event(s) of interest and will concentrate primarily on building speed. However, strength training, which includes abs and arm exercises, is also an important component of their activities.

But just like any other club on campus, Track and Field has other exciting events to offer. For example, the club organized a “Relax Your Legs” spa-inspired evening last month which featured a screening of the movie Without Limits. On April 17, the club has planned an inflatable jousting tournament down on Alumnae Field in which students can challenge friends for prizes. Pre-entry admission is $2, but you can also pay $5 at the door.

Here’s a quick glance into the club and a chance to meet some of its runners.

Tavia Williams, a sophomore political science and philosophy major, says she joined the club last year with almost no experience in running. But look at her now: she’s a regular runner on the cross country team and competed in her first season back in the fall of 2017. The Track and Field club helped her to realize her love for running, and she hopes to be able to run a full marathon one day.

On the other hand, Adamary Sanchez-Martinez, a sophomore chemistry major and vice president of the Track and Field Club, is no novice when it comes to running. As a former hurdler and soccer player in high school—and now a second-time runner for the cross country team—Adamary simply wants to share her love for the sport with the rest of the community. She states that the club helps her to stay physically fit off-season, as well work on improving her running times in preparation for cross country.

While the sport of running may be demanding, it does come with a lot of payoff—just ask any runner on the club! So come and give Track and Field club a try, even if you are new to the sport. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover a passion for running too!

Photos by Helen Contreras