COLUMN: Catch up with track and field, if you can
I’m convinced that the Central Michigan track and field long-distance runners could outrun Twitter trends.
A recent trend: CMU track and field distance shattering records.
There are three reasons to watch track and field this season:
- Let’s be serious — the basketball program is not good at all. Lately their games remind me of The Hangover. After the game, I'm left wondering what the hell just happened. And word on the street is that Trey Zeigler’s bricks from all his missed free throws will be used to build the new graduate housing facility on north campus.
- The long-distance runners on the current team are among the Chippewas best ever. Seven records have been set by distance runners, indoor and outdoor, since 2007. That’s including three this season – two in the past eight days. That's not including sprints or field events. Two of the recent records include sophomore distance runner Tecumseh Adams, who set his second CMU record in as many weeks. On Friday, he set a record in the 3k with a time of 8:02.39. The week before he set a 5k record at the University of Indiana with a time of 13:53.08, the first time a CMU runner finished that race in under 14 minutes. Senior distance runner Holly Anderson also set a 5k record Friday with a time of 16:49.93. Don't forget Josh Kettlewell, the senior multi-event athlete who shattered the previous heptathlon record by over 300 points. Track and field athletes are purely breaking records almost faster than it can be recorded.
- Track and field is one of the few sports where athletes are encouraged to focus on themselves for the good of the team. Track and field is an individual sport where being slightly selfish is part of the success. The only other sport I can think of with that kind of team structure is golf. Good luck staying awake for that. The blasts of the gun to start each race will keep you awake and alert the whole time. Oh, and you ever see someone pole vault 17 feet? That's first floor to the second floor of the library, but don't try it.
