When most people think of track, they just think of running laps around a football field, maybe then throwing a metal frisbee, or even jumping around in sand.

And that’s it. That is where it stops. What most don’t realize is that track is so much more than that.

Before the season even starts every year, there is an intense training process that each of the members must go through in order to be ready for the upcoming season. That process began on Feb. 25.

“We want them to build up their endurance,” jump coach, Kristen Bash said. “They work their legs and lungs to become stronger every day.”

Two warm-up laps, stretching as a group, speed dynamics, four more laps around the track, and stretching once more. Most would think that this mile and a half would be enough of a workout, but it is only the beginning. The athletes are just warming up.

“We get together and warm up in the beginning, but then the specialties break up into their groups,” Head Coach Dr. Greg Hennenfent said. “Once they get into their smaller groups they can really work on their fundamental techniques that really get them ready.”

One of these athletes is sophomore Fiona Brooks. She is a all-around track athlete participating in more than five events, and every day of the season she experiences these training conditions.

“I do a little bit of everything, but my favorite thing is hurdles,” Brooks said. “The first three weeks of training are hard. We don’t just run the track. We go on trails and then when we go on hills it’s the worst. Those are so hard.”

Those first three weeks are made so intense by not only the procedures the athletes have to go through, but by the harsh weather conditions as well.

“I really don’t think it’s the workout that makes people drop, it’s the weather we start out in,” Hennenfent said. “They go out there excited about it, but then get a taste of the weather and decide they are done. That isn’t giving track a fair chance.”

But out of this intense training process, the coaches believe a lot of great track stars will emerge. Both the coaches and the athletes are looking forward to seeing just how this season plays out.

“At the meets and competitions we did really well last year,” Brooks said. “It’s going to be hard to do better, but it is definitely possible. We have a lot of new talent this year. I think we will be great.”