Kevin Bonilla is a sophomore on the NYU men's track & field team. He will share his thoughts in this space throughout the 2011 season.
Posted May 3, 2011
The UAA Outdoor Championships are behind us, and now is the time when track gets interesting. It is the period where if you are still healthy and able to run, you’ll keep on racing for the next couple of weeks in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championships at the end of May. For others, it is time to hang it up, take a break and relax before training for next year, which starts all over again in a couple of weeks.
Regardless of people’s post-UAA evaluation, we did record solid performances last weekend at UAA’s in Atlanta. Having trained at Emory for a week over spring break, it almost felt like we were going back to a familiar place and it made the tasks ahead of us less daunting. But, when we laced up our spikes and slipped on that NYU singlet, we knew we had business to take care of.
With individual wins in the 200, 400 and 1,500, runners-up in the steeplechase, pole vault, and 5,000, and other scorers in multiple events, we were able to rack up 82.5 points and finish sixth. While our place didn’t change from last year, we increased our total points, showing that we are improving as a team and working towards moving up the ranks in the UAA. Sophomore Dan McKinney also garnered Most Outstanding Runner honors, capping off a very impressive weekend.
While the season may be over for some after having big personal bests at UAA’s, there are still a couple of meets left to finish out the year on top. After fairing well at TCNJ this past weekend, we are heading to Vassar College on Friday for a rare twilight meet. The weather will be crisp and perfect to run some fast times as we race towards our post-season objectives.
Kevin Bonilla is a sophomore on the NYU men's track & field team. He will share his thoughts in this space throughout the 2011 season.
Posted March 31, 2011
Last weekend, some of us had the opportunity to race at North Carolina State’s Raleigh Relays. Not only was the weather slightly warmer than it was in New York, but the weekend also allowed us to race against top Division I competition. It was a great way to continue our outdoor campaign as we work towards qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships.
With the increased competition came increased performance. Not only were personal records set, but new school records were established in both the men’s and women’s 4x1500 relay. It was very exciting to hear the announcer exclaim that NYU overtook the lead from Duke on the men’s side and to cheer for the women against North Carolina. It proved once again that we can hang with and challenge established Division I teams.
With outdoor season fully underway, we now look to build upon the success we have garnered at Raleigh. We have the confidence to run fast and to the best of our ability. Our training is focused and we are ready to drop fast times as we race at Princeton and Ramapo this weekend.
Kevin Bonilla is a sophomore on the NYU men's track & field team. He will share his thoughts in this space throughout the 2011 season.
Posted March 21
Most students in college think of spring break as a time to relax, go to the beach, catch up with friends, and enjoy a week off from school and responsibility. However, the NYU track team takes spring break a little more seriously. It is the transition between indoor and outdoor track, and the perfect opportunity to get serious training in without the distraction of classes. So, while we trade vacation time for a week of hard work of running, it is a reminder of the commitment we have to the sport we work everyday to get better at.
Spending six days in Atlanta with 50 of our closest friends for spring break is more than just about improving ourselves as athletes. It’s also about bringing us together as a team. Instead of just spending time at practice, we are living together for six days in a new city. It forces us to spend more time with each other than we normally would, enhancing friendships and fostering new ones. This trip brought us closer together not just as a track team, but as a group of young adults.
Aside from the week of grueling workouts and, surprisingly, hilly runs, the week ended with a race hosted by Emory University. While the 80-degree heat ended up being a bigger factor than expected, we did perform well in our first week of outdoor track. It was a great start to the season and a very promising look for the rest of the year. We showed what we are capable of doing after a hard week of training at the track that will host the UAA Championships on April 22-23.
While spring break ends and school resumes, we will continue to train hard and focus on the rest of the season. More work has to be done, but we are off to a good start after last week. Our next stop will be this weekend, as we are running a split squad at the North Carolina State Raleigh Relays and the Monmouth College Invitational.
Kevin Bonilla is a sophomore on the NYU men's track & field team. He will share his thoughts in this space throughout the 2011 season.
Posted February 14
We are extremely fortunate to work out and race most of our indoor season at one of the greatest facilities in the country, The Armory Track and Field Center. We spend so much time there during the winter months that it basically becomes our second home. Whether working out during the week and rushing back down the West Side Highway to be on time for a 3:30 class or taking the “A” train up to 168th St on race day, we definitely have a love/hate relationship with the Armory.
Yet, in seeing some other, flatter tracks that are out there, we know just how lucky we are, and those 30 minutes each way it takes to get up there is all worth it. With this said, it is nice to change it up a little bit. Since we only run three races during the indoor season not at the Armory, it’s cathartic to get out and run fast times elsewhere. This was the case this past weekend when we competed at the Boston University Valentines Invitational.
A very popular meet amongst mostly Division 1 teams in the Northeast, BU always seems to produce fast times and great competition. It has become a staple in our indoor season, a meet that we train hard for and expect results.
Like the Armory, BU has a banked track, so there is no issue adjusting to it. The track is basically the same; all that changes is the city, the competition, and the personal best times of our runners. With our teammates and coaches cheering us on for two straight days, most of our team ran new personal bests, even breaking school records. It seemed that each race run and best time produced by our runners fueled and inspired the next race. There is nothing like watching your teammates and friends run their hearts out and get the results they’ve been working toward. It’s exciting, inspiring, and pushes everyone to be and do their best. That is not a feeling that happens overnight, but a bond this team has been building for months.
It is refreshing to see everyone shape into form as we get closer to the UAA Championships in less than two weeks. But before that happens, we will return to our home away from home to see what the Armory holds for us after we shipped out to Boston for the weekend. With family and friends gathering for Family Day at the NYU Team Challenge on Saturday, it does not look like this team will disappoint.
Kevin Bonilla is a sophomore on the NYU men's track & field team. He will share his thoughts in this space throughout the 2011 season.
Posted January 13
The first race of the season is always a test; a test of fitness, a test of endurance, a test of speed, and a test of will. It allows the sprinters, jumpers, and throwers to get their first taste of competition, and it enables the distance runners to transition from cross country to track. It allows us to get the rust off our legs and get into racing mode.
Overall, there were solid performances all around for the team at the Metro Coaches Invitational on January 7, as people showcased their ability and potential for the upcoming season.
It seemed like just the tip of the iceberg as we delve deeper into our training and prepare for the next five months of training and racing throughout the indoor and outdoor season. With each race we will improve, learn, grow, and, ultimately, succeed in our endeavors and goals.
Our next opportunity to inch closer to our goals will be this Friday at the New York City Gotham Cup, held at the Armory in Manhattan.
