Winter Track Race Series

By Mike LaPlume

Here at Newfound, winter track has always meant getting in as many reps on the outdoor track as possible before the snow flies, and then signing up for a few snowflake shuffles, and resolution runs.

Oh sure, we’ve flirted here and there with it. Back in the day, when I was still an athlete here, Coach Mills would take us up to Dartmouth once or twice a winter to run a few indoor, lung scorching 400s. There was no bus ride though. Just a few of us piled in Mills’ old Ford pickup. No seat belts. That’s if you were one of the guys fast enough to get a seat inside the cab. If not, Mills would toss you an old parka, and you were in the back, where there was definitely no seat belt option!

These days we try to give athletes as many opportunities as possible during the winter months. We offer a club where athletes can condition and work on their skills. We’ve also had a few athletes seek out open meets on their own and complete as unattached athletes. However, we have never had an official indoor track team. We hope to in the future.

After reading Mike Smith’s post (of which I have become an avid reader) about the winter track season being canceled. I realized that all NH high schools are in the same boat more or less this season. So I thought it might be nice to join in our misfortune (if you will) by organizing some sort of a common schedule that we can all follow. In the hopes that it keeps our athletes focused on “something”. Competing and having a little fun at the same time? Sounds like a win-win.

So here it is, The Winter Track Race Series! With help from Mike Smith (hosting the Dead Possum Halfy.)

I thought two races per month would be a reasonable amount. That being said I’m open to suggestions about other races if anyone has them. If we get enough participation, we can score some of the races. We could give out an award at the end of the season to the team and individual who have the most consistent attendance. Maybe we get a broken snowshoe or a beat up pair of microspikes as an award. I’m very open to suggestions here as well, and donations of broken snowshoes or microspikes if we decide to go that way.

From all of us here at Newfound, to all of you out there in NH Track & Field, have a very happy holiday season! We will see you all next year, at the Millennium Mile!