As the winter season approaches, runners all around America take their talent into indoor track. The Lakeview Bulldogs debuted at YSU and Warren Harding on January 9th and 11th. An indoor track facility is not common, so those who have them graciously open them for runners to compete in. Indoor Track is very important for all runners as it allows them to get into shape and keep that competition rolling so they are prepared for the spring season.
The Indoor Track season is very unique, as it is open to almost any school or individual, even ranging outside of Ohio. This is because of open registration, allowing for some of the best competition to come and compete.
Not only does indoor track bring meets and competition, but it also allows runners to train when there are piles of snow on the ground.
Lakeview Senior Luke Whitmore says, “Indoor Track really helps me get into my best shape for the outdoor season. YSU opens their track during the week to anyone to come and train. The team and I have taken advantage of this, as we get a lot of our faster pace runs down in the facility, because there is no snow slowing us down. I think the indoor track season played a major role in allowing our 4×800 team to qualify for the state finals.
During the 2024 indoor season, the Bulldogs 4×800 team qualified for indoor state for the second time in a row. At the state final, they even finished 6th place! This even allowed them to get on the podium and receive a medal.
Indoor track season is also when some of the new runners first glimpse at a track race.
Lakeview Sophomore Carter Worley states, “Indoor track always helped me get back into the groove with running. The gap between Cross Country and Outdoor track is very large, but indoor helps connect those gaps. Competing in indoor track is very fun as it allows me to see where I am fitness wise, while still competing with some of the best. Running at the new Warren Harding facility was really fun, as it allowed for a new atmosphere and competition.”
The new Warren Harding facility has opened up new opportunities for racing indoors, and has opened the doors for all levels of competition. Since it is a smaller meet compared to YSU, newer runners feel more welcomed to compete there.
Sprinters love indoor track season, because it allows them to work on their speed and conditioning without having to run in the cold and snow. Long distance runners are able to run in all weathers because they do not need to run as fast as possible to train. For sprinters though, it is very difficult to sprint at full speed in the snow, as you may slip, pull a muscle, or get seriously injured. This is why a lot of sprinters head to the indoor facilities to get quality training in.
Senior Thomas Easton explains, “Indoor track helps me prepare and get ready in a few different ways. Indoor track helps me get back into shape and is a way of training and preparing my body to handle the hard workouts that outdoor will bring. Indoor also helps me get back into that competitive environment by allowing us to have meets to get the feel of competition again.”
Indoor track season has just kicked off, and it is not slowing down anytime soon. You are able to watch the Bulldogs compete on Thursdays or Saturdays. They will compete, train, and run as hard as they possibly can.
