The Dartmouth's men's and women's track and field teams will travel to Cornell University this weekend to compete at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track & Field Championships. The Big Green's top competitors will leave on Friday and compete on Saturday and Sunday.
Dartmouth will match up against the other colleges in the Ivy League, most of which they have already faced earlier in the season, with the exceptions of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. The Big Green has fared well against these teams this season, and women's co-captain Alexi Pappas '12 said she is confident Dartmouth will find sucess this weekend.
"We have individuals who are better than any of their individuals in all of the events," Pappas said.
John Bleday '14 also expressed optimism about Dartmouth's chances and said the team is enthusiastic about the meet.
"I think as a team we're very optimistic going in," Bleday said. "It's the most exciting event of the year, so everyone's looking forward to that."
The Heptagonal meet, however, is a much more tactical competition than the meets in which Dartmouth has participated thus far. Not only do schools enter their top athletes in more than one event in an attempt to boost winnings, teams also prioritize team performance over breaking personal records.
"It's definitely a privilege to go," Pappas said.
Pappas said that, no one wants to lead a race. Rather, in what becomes a "kicker's race," the top spot goes to whoever can come out the strongest and fastest in the very end.
The extra focus on strategy increases the mental component of each race, which Pappas said will work to the Big Green's advantage.
"It gives anyone a chance to score, and this format could benefit us because our team is solid mentally," she said. "If a race is super slow and nobody wants to lead, then we'll be ready to react when the pack goes for the score."
The Big Green also distinguishes itself with its deep roster, Pappas said.
"We can rely on the whole team and not just the individuals to do well," she said. "That's the difference between our team and the other teams there."
The fact that the female runners have broken many Dartmouth distance records this year is a testament to the strength of the team, according to Pappas.
Bleday said that the men's side also has a deep roster.
"Last year, we may have looked like a stronger team on paper, but I'd say this year we have a lot more depth," he said.
The women did not perform optimally at Heps last year, and Pappas said she hopes Dartmouth's standing among the other Ivies will improve this year.
"We performed far below where we hope to perform this year," she said.
Pappas said the goal for the women's distance squad is to win each of the five distance events in the meet, the most difficult of which will be the 4x800-meter relay.
The men placed third at Heps last year, Bleday said, and will look to mix things up with the top two teams in the league Cornell and Princeton University.
"I think the goals this year will be to separate ourselves and be competitive with those two teams," he said.
Pappas said other Ivies will be intimidated by Dartmouth at Heps because of how much the team has improved in the past year.
"People are trying to figure out what workouts we're doing or other things that have made us excel," she said.
Pappas attributes the Big Green's recent success to accumulating a solid base of mileage over the summer.
"You can't fine-tune if you don't have an endurance base to work with," she said.
She also cited a commitment to the lifestyle of running, the spirit and energy of the team and the mental preparation by the runners' coach as important in the successful season.
"It all becomes a positive feedback loop," she said. "We're continuing to enjoy it so that working hard is fun, and when we step into a race, we're prepared to compete and win."
Bleday noted that the traditional success of Dartmouth track teams will serve as motivation for the team this weekend.
"There's a great tradition of distance running at Dartmouth, so I think that's one thing that sets us apart," he said.
The fact that both the women's and men's teams will compete together will hopefully work to the advantage of the Big Green.
"The spirit and energy that our team brings makes a difference," Pappas said. "There's a Dartmouth presence there's a green presence."
