Who puts the "dart" in Dartmouth? Why none other than our very own Track and Field team! While most of us are making a beeline for the nearest calorie-laden delicacy at the FoCo dessert counter, these fine folks are lacing up for a nice four-to-12-mile run.
A typical day for a Track and Field athlete involves morning classes, practice at 3 p.m. and team dinner. Practice normally includes stretching, warming up and, of course, running, though training varies based on each runner's event. For mid-distance runners, this means adding a lift workout each week. Long distance runners double up on runs by sneaking in an extra three or four miles before class.
You may be asking yourselves, who would bother to run this much if no one was chasing them?
There is a simple explanation. "Runners are a little crazy," long distance runner Tim Gorman '16 said.
"We like to take things to extremes," Gorman said. "You'll never meet a more depressed person than an injured runner. It's like they have an existential crisis,"
Gorman said he keeps himself healthy and injury-free by maintaining a regimented schedule and diet.
"Getting sleep is the most important thing," he said. "I usually get 10 hours per night. Eating habits are important too. I try to stick to bananas, red meat, chicken and salad."
Equally important, Gorman asserted, is making time for academics.
"Everyone's putting academics high or first on their priority list," he said. "The coaches know that and they are willing to be flexible."
For distance runner Claire Arthur '14, good coaching makes a big difference in her track experience. As a mid-distance runner, she used to train with the long distance group. With the addition of coach Scott Phelps at the beginning of the season, the small group of mid-distance runners now has their own specific regimen.
"Sometimes it seems like the whole team is long-distance oriented but with the new coach we have different workouts," Arthur said. "We have track workouts two times a week and lift workouts."
Though she admits that other athletes often make jokes about these lift workouts, Arthur believes they help cement the team.
"People have gotten a lot more serious and teammates hold each other accountable," she said.
Like most athletes in season, members of the Track and Field team must maintain a certain level of personal responsibility in order to maintain peak performance. Though this can sometimes mean missing out, being a part of such a tight-knit community is worth it, sprinter Jonathan Brady '14 said.
"Sometimes it's hard being on the team because all you want to do is go out and have fun like other people but you have to be responsible," Brady said. "The team this year is really close. It's a family and at Dartmouth it's easy to get lost so you need a family."
Other than running together, the biggest "family" bonding activity for the team is their nightly group dinner. Distance runner Dylan O'Sullivan '15 calls the meal the most important social part of his day.
"My best friends are on the team," O'Sullivan said. "It's easy to put in the work when you have a good group of friends."
The sort of camaraderie these team traditions generate is essential to the group's feeling of togetherness, Arthur said.
"Having a team makes running outside bearable," she said. "Everyone's always laughing while we're running, and we don't even notice the time going by."
For those who wish to start running, O'Sullivan recommends finding a "team," be it a hard core group of sprinters or just a casual exercise buddy.
"Running is an acquired taste," he said. "Take it slow at first and once you improve you'll get addicted. If you start running in a social atmosphere it will be so much more fun."
Is there life after Dartmouth Track and Field? For O'Sullivan, the answer is yes. He hopes to someday run a marathon and train for the Olympics.
"Even if I don't attain all my goals, the process itself is rewarding," he said.
