#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 5-3-10
Even though the school year is rapidly coming to an end, there are a few more meets left in the track season. So, while most students devote the entirety of the next two weeks to studying and writing final
papers, we still have to balance training with end of the year stress.
Obviously, school takes precedence over sports. But, luckily, the very nature of the running sport prepares us to balance training and school. Unlike most sports where the coach always is nearby, Nick (head coach #Nick McDonough#) is only there for workouts and to tell us the length of our runs. Thus, we have to be motivated enough to push ourselves. In school, that same motivation carries you through the long study sessions.
To run well, you need sleep and proper nutrition. To study well, you also need sleep and nutrition. So, while running definately makes our schedules more hectic, the lessons learned carry us through from
the field to the classroom,
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 4-27-10
This past weekend, we competed in the Outdoor UAA Championships at Washington University in
St. Louis. The weather varied from sprinkling to torrential rains complete with a tornado siren on Saturday.
Training outdoors all winter in NYC helped prepared us for the worst. However, getting prepared for a race is a mental AND a physical endeavor, and each of us have our own traditions. For example, Hannah (Satzke) runs the steeplechase. The morning of the race, she eats peanut butter and banana on toast. She also listens to music, usually a specific playlist for each meet. Her St. Louis mix featured Nelly.
Before actually running the race, Hannah mentally runs the race. Then, the last few minutes are spent stretching, hurdling a few barriers, and staying loose.
Then, with a deep breath, she steps up to the starting line and the rest is history.
(Editor's Note: Satzke finished third in the event and earned Third Team All-UAA honors).
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 4-18-10
On Saturday, the team went to Ramapo College (Mahwah, NJ) to compete at the NY Metropolitan Championships.
Besides being a meet against many of our local teams like Fordham, this meet was also our Family Day. I got to meet a lot of parents, as well as some of the alumni.
It's amazing how much of a difference having familiar support makes. Because track is such an individual sport, we often compete on our own. Hearing your name being cheered during your race spurs you on
and often gives you that extra push needed to cross the finish line. Also, seeing members of the team standing on the edge of the track pushes you to keep running even when your legs are screaming.
Although running seems to be an individual sport, never underestimate the power of family and friends that cheer us on.
#Ashley Chase# is a senior on the NYU women's track & field team. She has offered to share her thoughts in this space.
Written 4-12-10
Sometimes the most difficult thing about running in New York is the inconsistency of the weather. Last week was especially full of ups and downs, which made working out at the track more difficult than usual. Lucky for the majority of us, Wednesday, the hottest day of the week, was spent on the West Side Highway for a breezy, more casual run, rather than a high-speed fast sprint around the track at East River Park. My heart goes out to the sprinters and the middle-distance guys who went to the track that day.
With a severe temperature drop and heavy winds for race day last Saturday, (head coach) Nick (McDonough) tried to get the team to focus more on working hard and training through the weekend, rather than going for (NCAA) qualifying times. A large majority of the girls doubled with shorter recovery times than I would expect on race day (the difference between an open race and a relay versus two open races). Most of us ran a combination of mid-distance races; though #Rachel Gellert# finished her day with an astonishing five races under her belt. Nonetheless, the wind was definitely a factor, and it was the luck of the draw whose race went off right as the wind picked up and made you feel as though you were running backwards. Still, everyone went out and gave 100% effort.
Sadly for me and the other few other seniors on the team, the wind took away one of four remaining opportunities to “leave it all on the track”, as runners say. It has been a long road that is coming to an end too soon, and all we can hope to do in the last few weeks is to prove to ourselves that it was all worth it. Personally, for me, while I tend to mentally struggle every season to pull out a good race, I am confident in my training and have never second-guessed my decision to be here. Thus, I have no regrets; only a wish that the training I have received in the latter part of my track and field experience could have reached further back into my running career.
As the older girls fizzle out and a new string of runners take over, it is important to see the NYU track and field team as exactly what it was to me: an opportunity. It is an opportunity to learn about yourself and about others. An opportunity to be surrounded with a group of people who understand what it is like to run a workout at the Armory and show up to your 3:30 class still sweaty and slightly out of breath, with a touch of the runner’s cough. An opportunity to meet people who 30 years down the line will still be calling you to laugh about the time #Maeve Evans# ran the 3,000m steeplechase and then anchored the 4x100m relay. An opportunity to remember the times we portrayed our true dedication, like the time Maeve anchored the 4x100m relay. The women’s team worked for the opportunity we have now, and it was a battle well worth the fight. I thank this team for sharing four years of blood, sweat and tears with me. But, more than that, I thank them for the laughs, the support and the unforgettable friendships. I thank my coach, #Nick McDonough#, and all of his assistants for constructing a program that has become a home away from home for all of us, and by taking the time to coach us according to our individual needs and goals, while taking even more time to be an ever- present positive influence on our college experience.
More than anyone, I say thank you to my fellow senior, #Caitlin Gibson#, for being the toughest runner I have ever known, an amazing role model for all those around her, and for never letting us down – on and off the track.
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 4-4-10
This Easter weekend, the NYU track team split into running both Friday at Princeton (Sam Howell Invitational) and Saturday at Ramapo (Roadrunner Invitational).
The distance girls running this weekend, Hannah (Satzke), Maeve (Evans), Laura (Santoski), and me ran on Friday. All did well, but Hannah smashed the schools record in the steeplechase.
The steeplechase is a race that combines both running and jumping. Runners encounter three barriers, including a water pit. Unlike hurdles, which flop at the slightest touch, the steeple barriers don't move if you whack into one. Thus, part of the race includes calculating your step so you can clear each barrier.
The water barrier proves to be the most challenging. The goal is to barely touch the water, a nearly impossible feat for women. Often, someone loses their footing and falls, becoming a barrier
themselves for the girls behind them.
All that being said, it was a great performance by Hannah. Congrats!!
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 3-22-10
Last week was the start of our outdoor season. To aid in the transition from indoor to outdoor, we spent our spring break in Boca Raton, Florida. While most spring breakers in Florida were partying late at night and sleeping past noon, we were up early to run twice a day.
We alternated between workouts and long runs, doubling back for a 25-30 minute run in the afternoon. The workouts were tailored to our specific racing needs: Chase (Ashley) ran short and fast loops, while Kirsten (Keller) and I ran longer, more controlled laps.
On the last day, (head coach) Nick (McDonough) divided us up into two-person teams to run what he called the "Twelve Days of Christmas". I'm not sure where the name came from, but each girl ran 13 or 14 400’s.
That being said, there was still a bit of time to lounge on the beach, play a bit of mini golf, and watch a few movies. Maeve (Evans) remained the most diligent about wearing sunscreen, and not surprisingly, was one of the few who didn't get burned.
It wasn’t all training, however, as two team members, Kelsey (Holland) and Katherine (Wang) competed in the 5k in Miami (Hurricane Invitational).
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 3-9-10
Last Friday and Saturday, the NYU track team competed at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships at Brandeis University. For many of us, that was our last indoor track meet for the season.
However, #Maeve Evans# ran stellar and wound up making it to Nationals!! She will be a great representative for our team. She leaves Wednesday and will compete in the mile on Saturday.
Maeve has already had an amazing running season so far. Since cross country, she continues to run PR after PR! Her main focus in indoors were the 800, mile, 4x800, and the DMR. A dedicated Stern student, she is most known on the team for her love of Justin Beiber music.
Good luck Maeve!
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 3-2-10
Because our last home indoor track meet was last Friday, I would like to devote this blog to the Amory, the place where this meet and many of our workouts took place.
The National Guard built the Amory in 1909 as a training center, but it became a venue for the city's major events (including track) in the 1920’s. However, it fell on hard times in the 1970’s and was converted
to a homeless shelter in the 80’s. In 1993, the newly created Amory Foundation, after raising $24 million over 13 years, restored the facility to its original glory.
The Amory houses a 60,000 square foot arena, including the beloved track we know so well.
The Amory is sometimes hard to appreciate, especially after an extra long workout. With good memories of personal records and bad memories of personal mistakes, it's our indoor track home!
(My information on the above was discovered at www.harlemonestop.com and the Amory website, www.amorytrack.com)
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 2-23-10
Last Friday, we finally made it to Haverford, PA, for the Keogh Invitational, a track meet with much better weather. This meet was much smaller than our other meets, so our approach was slightly different.
In order to prevent injuries or boredom, Nick (head coach #Nick McDonough#) puts us in different distance races each week. This meet, there were more extreme switches.
A lot of the athletes ran the mile, from our usual 5,000-meter runner, Kirsten (Keller), to the shorter distance girls like Maeve (Evans) and Hannah (Satzke). Also, he placed Laura (Santoski), a regular 800 meter/miler in the 3,000 meter instead.
Although we switched distances, we still had a PR by Maeve and a heat win by Laura. Also, Katherine (Wang) ran her first race of the season in the 3,000 meters.
Next week will be our last home meet of the season – the NYU Fastrack Invitational (Friday, Feb. 26).
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 2-14-10
This weekend, the track team ran at the Valentine Invitational at Boston University. The meet was large and took all of Friday and Saturday to complete.
Besides waiting around to run, we also had a four-hour bus ride each way. We have a lot of time on our hands, and have developed different ways to keep us occupied without expending all of our pre-race energy.
Homework is a large occupation of our time during the meets. Track meets provide a perfect amount of time to finish that last reading or essay.
A road trip wouldn't be a road trip without a selection of DVDs to watch. This past trip, the Bus Cinema showed I Love You, Man and 500 Days of Summer. There is always a plethora of games we play, including Hearts, as well as some intense games of Mafia.
Finally, our assistant coaches James (McCarthy) and Jon (Phillips) are always keeping us entertained through stories and word games.
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 2-8-10
A few days ago, I walked outside to find icy rains and hurricane winds. Nevertheless, we started on our run, going by the Staten Island Ferry.
However, as we turned by the subways entrance, a gust of wind and rain battered us to a standstill. As we tried to move, an obvious Wall Street executive in an expensive suit grabbed my arm, pleading, "Take the day off! Please, just take it off!"
February is not known for its beautiful weather, so running and training outside cannot be pleasant. Luckily, we race inside. But, most of our runs and even some of our speed workouts are performed in the rain, wind or sunshine.
Last weekend, the entire meet (Haverford Invitational) was moved (from Saturday to Sunday) due to the weather. And, although our coach (Nick McDonough) had the option of busing us out to Haverford on Sunday, most of us did not go as he opted to focus on the much larger meet next weekend in Boston (Boston University Valentine Invitational).
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 1-31-10
On Saturday we competed at the Metropolitan Indoor Championships at Yale University. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we are grateful that we are indoors during the winter season because of the chilly weather outside.
Overall, this meet was more of a typical early season meet: one with a couple of bumbles, a dropped baton, and a shoe mishap. I've learned that racing, especially track, takes more than just running as fast as your heart and legs will carry you. It takes strategy, coordination and teamwork. For example, when the gun went off for the 800, mile, 3k, and 5k, #Ashley Chase#, #Maeve Evans# and #Hannah Satzke# in the 800, #Laura Santoski# and #Joan Kanarkiewicz# in the mile, #Kirsten Keller# and #Paige Zelinsky# in the 3,000, and me in the 5,000 already need to start planning how to keep up a steady pace. The entire race, despite the number of laps, is spent calculating how to pass someone or how not to get boxed in. Or, in the 4x800, Chase, Laura, Joan, and Hannah have to determine when to start running so no time is lost as the baton passes from girl to girl.
From now until the end of school, nearly every weekend has a meet. As the season progresses not only will we get stronger, we will get more precise. Precision plays a large role in what we do.
We’re all looking forward to our next meet on Saturday (Haverford College Invitational).
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 1-24-10
It's 8:30 am on a Saturday morning, and the girls are patiently waiting for the remaining boy stragglers to come in. I was struck by the oddity of this: during the school week, we hardly can be dragged out of bed before a 9:30am class, yet here we are on our weekend getting ready to run.
Why do we run? Why will we venture outside in wind, rain and sleet to pound miles on the pavement? There are many answers to that question. Running keeps you in shape. It keeps your schedule set. Running, as Laura (Santoski) puts it, creates a community in the notoriously individualistic campus of NYU. Or, as Kelsey (Holland) notes, you run for that
feeling when you cross the finish line knowing that you did your best, set a new time, or simply beat that one girl in the last 100 meters.
So while shivering on a 90-minute run on a Saturday morning isn't what many people describe as fun, you will find all of us dressed and waiting for the boys (again) ready to run on!
#Kerra Vick# is a freshman on the NYU women's track & field team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 1-16-10
It is the weekend before classes start. But, for members of the NYU indoor track & field team, our training began on January 5.
Most of our days early on were spent running, looking for food that fit in our meal money budget and exploring the city without the burden of classes.
Now that we are in track season, the long distance team is joined by
the sprinters who have been training separately since October.
Even though school hasn't started, we have already competed in two track
meets (Jan. 8 – Metropolitan Coaches Invitational; Jan. 15 – NYC Gotham Cup).
Most of us agree that these meets were a good base for the rest of the season, and we are all excited for the new season of running.
