With the track season just around the corner, Blue Valley student athletes are getting a head start by staying in shape during the long, cold winter.
“I am still doing my normal runs three times a week,” said senior Lena Von Brehm.
Previously running cross country in the fall, Von Brehm said she continued to run because it is beneficial.
“I took, like, two weeks off after the cross country season, and then I started to prepare for track,” she said. “I love running and was so excited to do it on a team.”
Despite running in 20 degree weather, Von Brehm said her drive to workout is to excel during the track season.
“Sometimes it is really hard to motivate myself, but I want to be good during the track season,” she said. “I am especially looking forward to running the relays and for [BV’s] team.”
Before the sun has even risen, seniors Jason Entgelmeier and Tyler Randall wake up and arrive at the school to go for a run.
Entgelmeier said they usually arrive around 6:40 and their runs last for around thirty minutes.
“We meet up at the high school and then run in surrounding neighborhoods,” he said. “We will go down around 151st [Street], we have been up to 167th [Street], then down to the Hampton Place [neighborhood].”
Entgelmeier said he is thankful to run with Randall because he pushes him to work harder.
“It helps a lot when [Randall] is running because in the mornings when he can’t run, it’s a lot harder to get up and go run,” he said.
Entgelmeier said his main goal for the upcoming season is to bring back a medal at State.
“[During my] sophomore year, [I] went to State, and last year I went to State again, but both years I haven’t medaled, so this year I really want to get a medal,” he said.
Entgelmeier and Randall are not the only duo who are committed to waking up early.
Senior Xavier Adams and his younger brother, junior Russell Adams, are also focusing on the upcoming season as well.
“I am going to the gym every morning with my little brother and then running about six miles everyday after school,” Xavier said.
While Xavier said he focuses more on speed, Russell works towards distance.
“I am just trying to get high mileage for track,” he said.
Russell said he started running competitively at the end of his cross country season.
“Last year, right after cross country season, going into track is when I really started to care a lot,” he said. “I hated losing, and I just start looking up running stuff. That kind of inspired me to be better than I was.”
Xavier said he looks forward to the season because of all the hard work that has been put into the sport.
“We have a lot of guys who have been working hard,” he said. “We are really dedicated this season.”