Do you want spikes with that? Tackling Track & Field for the first (or fifth) time.

My first foray into the sport of running was in 1999, when I joined our high school track & field team to spend more time with my boyfriend at the time (sigh – live and learn, right?). But, because I did not consider myself a runner, and really had no interest in becoming one, I picked shot put & discus – this field sport required the least amount of running. Weight lifting I had no problem with – running laps? No thanks!

Despite that, my coach put me in a 400 m JV race at a meet, just to see what would happen. I still remember starting out strong, then watching the pack get further and further away, while I slowly realized that 400 meters was a lot longer than it seemed! I can still see my coach yelling at me as I rounded the last turn before the straight away at the finish: “Keep your head up! Finish strong!”

At the finish, in pain and unable to imagine how anyone could possibly run that fast for that long (and this was a JV race, mind you!), I decided my track days were over.

It’s ironic that I now own a running store and consider myself a runner.

These days, I’m still not spending any time on the track, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love the sport! For 10 years, my husband coached long distance and pole vault at one of our local high schools, so I learned more about the sport, how practices work, what meets look like, and how hard our coaches work (for very little or no pay).

Every year, when track season rolls around, we have parents coming in to get their kids outfitted for the season. I’m sometimes surprised at how little they actually know about the sport they’ve signed up for! That’s why, this year, we are hosting an event on March 5th for athletes and their parents that are new to the sport. Any question you have about the sport, we’ll have an expert available to provide an answer.

We’ll go over questions like:

* How can I stay injury free, especially during the first few weeks of practice?

* Are spikes really necessary? And if so, what kind of spike do I want for my events?

* What are the different events & distances? And which ones should I consider competing in?

* How do meets work? Can I watch my kid run?

* Do I need new training shoes?

* What can I do during the rest of the year to prepare for track season?

This event will follow a Q&A format, so whatever question you can think of, we’ll try to find an answer!

We want your track season to be a success, whether it’s your first year or your fifth year in the sport! Start with our Track Info night on March 5th, then get fitted for new training shoes & spikes. Remember, all track & cross country high school athletes receive a 20% discount in store on spikes, shoes, and apparel!

For more information, visit our Facebook Event page here.