At the Hillsdale Tune Up this weekend, the Charger men polished up their performances in preparation for the G-MAC Championships. Head coach Andrew Towne was pleased with the team’s overall performance.
“It went really well,” Towne said. “It was exactly what we want the Tune Up to be. Not everyone competed but those who did really readied themselves for G-MACs this weekend.”
Junior Nick Fiene took second in what was his first race this season, the 5,000-meter.
“I had gotten injured after cross country,” Fiene said. “So I had to take like eight weeks off. This was my first race of the season. It was just a little bit different in general, just being the first meet and running an event that I had never raced before. I’m just glad to be healthy and glad to be back on the track in general.”
Although Fiene may not be participating in G-MACs, he says the that those who are are setup to claim the crown.
“I know how our guys team is set up for G-MACs, with everyone who is healthy,” Fiene said. “I know that we have a good shot to do really well.”
As for preparation, the team is continuing to train as they usually would just with less intensity.
“I’m pretty sure that every person on the team isn’t changing anything,” senior Daniel Čhapek said. “We might do less intense workouts so we get more rest. But we’re doing the same thing, because why would we change anything?”
Towne said he believes his team is ready, but they have to deliver when the time comes.
“It’s a huge benefit to us to be at home,” Towne said. “And my feeling is that our team dynamic has improved throughout the year. We have a lot of guys fired up and ready to lay it on the line, so to speak.”
Towne said he has been talking to his athletes about the intensity and aggression they have to show this weekend.
“I think at times we can have a perception as being a little soft because our kids are smart, our kids are good kids,” Towne said. “They’re not troublemakers. They’re not fighters. So sometimes we have to get out of that mode of thinking our way through everything and being very intentional and just compete. We have to be very aggressive.”
The G-MAC 2017-2018 Indoor Track and Field Championships will be held this Friday and Saturday. Competition will begin at 10 a.m. and continue throughout the day at the Biermann Athletics Center.