The Notre Dame Academy Track and Field Team is preparing for an exciting and successful season this spring through the Winter Running Program.

The Winter Running Program is open to everyone, even if  students aren’t completely sure about whether or not they want to join the track team for the upcoming spring season.

The program is designed to help runners prepare for the practices that will start during the month of March and to build strength in the runners.

“We run to Lambeau Field and back. Then we go into the weight room. There we usually lift weights and do ab workouts to prepare for the workouts that will begin when the track season starts,” said Anya Carlson, a freshman who will be on the team this spring.

She finds weightlifting to be the most helpful and enjoys doing the exercises. “I love running so anything that will help me become a better runner I will be there,” she said.

Carlson is a long distance runner and she was also on the cross country team in the fall. She competed in many races for the cross country team as well as some invitational races throughout the season. “I love doing the 1600 meter race in track as well as relays and field events, but running the mile is my favorite one to do.”

Emily Gibson, also a freshman, is a cross country team runner who will be competing in track this year. Gibson said she is planning on running in the 200 meter race and holds the track record in that race at her former middle school. “I love the 200 meter race, but I also love doing relays a lot,” she said.

The two runners are very excited for the season to start in March and to be running again since the cross country team ended. “I’m really excited to meet all the track people and just getting to be out running again is going to be great,” Carlson said.

Carlson said she runs about two miles each day and sometimes three if she is running on the track. Depending on the weather, workouts do vary, she said.

The running program is open to everyone, both long distance runners as well as sprinters.