Written By: Alexandra Steyn

The season is shaping up to be a great one for Girls Indoor Track! The 17-person team, led by captains Keira Zheng ‘25 and Mary Grace Eubanks ‘25, has high spirits as they head into their next few meets.

The team’s first meet was on December 4 at the Armory in New York City, where they competed against dozens of students from a variety of schools, including Dalton, Hackley, Horace Mann, and Trinity. To prepare for these meets, the team goes through grueling exercises each day. During practice, runners are grouped together according to the distance they are running, ranging from short, sprinting distances beneath 400 meters to long distances above 400 meters, and spend time running their individual lengths with either Coach Madge or Coach Song. Jumpers, who can choose between long, triple, and high jumps, work with Coach Ogbonna. Together, the team participates in 300 meters or 1 mile repeats, which is the more tiring option, causing the team to recover with 40-minute, easier runs across campus and a weight workout in the fitness center.

The energy and spirit found on the team will no doubt help them break countless records this season. “I’m really proud of how close we are with each other on this team,” Taeko Fueno ‘25 said. “I think each runner is so strong for pushing themselves in these tough workouts and giving their all at each practice.” Indoor track is just as mentally tiring as it is physically demanding; Fueno added that it is “a sport that really tests your mental strength to keep going,” alluding to the necessity of focus and perseverance. This is especially true due to the fact that the team often returns from meets in the evening at around 9:30, testing team members’ time management skills as they balance school and athletics.

Zheng is especially excited about the size and excellence of the team this year. The “deep roster” allows the team to “run every event across the board” and ensures that runners’ injuries or illnesses do not derail the whole team. She also mentioned that the team has nine freshmen and one eighth grader, so runners can make new friendships she hopes will last a lifetime. “Watching my team grow into amazing runners and kind, caring people will definitely be the highlight of my senior season,” Zheng said. Indoor Track not only increases students’ fitness and running abilities, but also brings potential friends together and unites students across grade levels and friend groups.

Good luck to the Girls Indoor Track team this season! We look forward to your success.