Track is more than just running, it is a lifestyle.

For the distance runners the work is continuous.

They arrive to campus two weeks earlier than the start of the semester for preseason training before the start of their cross-country season.

“We take some time off between cross-country and the indoor track season. Over winter break we do a lot of miles,” said junior Jim Boyer.

The distance runners just competed in their first race of the indoor season, as they were still recovering from the cross-country season during December.

“Even now we are still doing a lot of miles; we’re not sharpened for races yet,” Boyer said.

As the season progresses the goal is to pick up more speed and to reach peak speeds at the end of the season.

“At Millersville the indoor season is used to tune up for the outdoor season. Outdoor is what we are really focusing on,” Boyer said.

The workouts and training in indoor track is designed work the runners and move them to an outdoor level of competition.

“We are in a base phase which means we are running high mileage. Girls may be up to over 50 miles a week while some guys are over 70 miles a week,” said junior Brittney Zuver.

When the outdoor season rolls around the athletes will be ready to focus on speed.
The indoor season has more meets than the outdoor season with eight meets in the season.

The sport of track is different than other team sports in the fact that a lot of the time the team will split up and compete in different meets.

“We do this because some people can get into different meets and different competition groups,” said Boyer. “You go to the place that you get better competition.”

This is the first year for the new organization of the coaching staff. Coach Scott Weiser was named the new head coach of the track program while coach Andy Young took over as the head distance coach.

“It is really nice. We have a lot of people on staff now so each event group gets a lot of time with the coaches and it has been helpful,” said Boyer.

This past weekend the indoor team competed in the Orange and Maroon classic at Susquehanna University on Saturday. Indoor track is not team scored so there is no winner or loser only individual scores.

Boyer, along with three other marauders, finished in the top 10 of the men’s 3000-meter run. Boyer finished fourth, sophomore Zach Kelchner took fifth and freshman James McBride came in seventh.

Senior track star Priscilla Jennings won the 3000-meter on the women’s side and beat her top competitor in the days race by 34 seconds.

On the field, senior Lindsay Clark earned fourth place in the shot put and junior Stephen Boyd finished first in the men’s long jump. Boyd jumped 6.48 meters to beat the second place contender by .41 meters.

Twenty-seven jumpers competed against Boyd.

Junior Stacey Bernetskie and freshman Whitney Savoy both finished in the top 10 in the long jump.

Both the men and women compete again at the Bison Open and Multi at Bucknell
January 30-31.

“This meet will have great competition, this is a great opportunity for the team to show everyone what they have against bigger schools,” Zuver said.