This week, I sat down with Janae Dunchack ’14, a multi-event athlete on the women’s track and field team. Dunchack has been a dominant force for the team and is the three-time defending Ivy League champion in the pentathlon at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track and Field Championships. Dunchack hopes to sweep the event for her college career with a win at Leverone Field House on March 1 and 2. She came to Hanover as a high jumper but switched to multi-events her freshman year.
What about multi-events sounded interesting to you?
JD: I liked the idea of multi-tasking because I was never super exceptional at one thing in particular. I was always very good or moderate at a whole bunch of different things. To be a successful multi, you don’t necessarily have to be the best at everything; you just have to be up there in each different event.
What has been the most important thing to help you improve?
JD: Just a lot of support. Having strong support from my coach, my teammates, friends, family. It’s a very difficult event and very emotionally stressful. Having people encouraging you and telling you it’s going to be okay, you’re going to get better, everything is going to work out, is probably the most helpful thing I could have.
What’s the most difficult part of doing the pentathlon?
JD: The most difficult part is mentally preparing for each event. You have to be really focused, switching from one event to the next to the next one. I’ve been having trouble really focusing and really getting all I can out of certain events because I’ll be either distracted or not able to get the technique down.
What is your goal individually going into Heps?
JD: On top of defending and trying to get a four-year winning streak, I really want to try to qualify for nationals. Depending on who shows up it’s possible for me to win and not qualify for nationals, which would be very disappointing. My goal is to get over 4,000 points, which should put me in a solid spot to go to nationals.
With everyone breaking records right and left, what’s the team dynamic like right now?
JD: I’m really excited because I’ve definitely seen a change in the team this year. People seem more motivated; people seem to be pushing themselves a little harder to get that extra second or that extra inch or two. No one’s really saying it, but I feel like everyone is really preparing for Heps and getting really excited to have it at Dartmouth because it only happens once every four years, so in your career at Dartmouth you only get to see it one time.
What is it like to be a senior?
JD: It’s really different in that I’ve realized I’ve run out of time. Freshman, sophomore, even junior year, I was like “Oh, there’s next year,” I have more time to get better, to get stronger. I realize the importance of doing everything to the best of your ability and getting better every time as opposed to waiting or trying to hold off. I realized how big of an effect upperclassmen have on younger students. How they act, how they carry themselves, what they find important are things that usually the underclassmen will find important or value in their lives. I’ve just realized the importance of being a good role model whether or not I think people are watching me.
What do you think makes the Dartmouth track team different from other teams?
JD: We all love each other, we have a good time. There are little arguments here and there, but for the most part we all get along very well. We’re just filled with a fun group of people. Everyone on the track team is just impressive, I don’t know how else to put it. Juggling all these practices, all this homework. Like a lot of other sports groups, we’re gone every weekend. So one or two days of our week no work gets done, no studying is done, so being able to handle that is the most impressive thing ever.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
