This past weekend, athletes from Maclay, Godby, and Leon made the journey to Gainesville to compete in the Jimmy Carnes Indoor Track Meet. They joined over 1300 runners from six different states to prove that their winter miles had paid off and that indoor isn’t just for Yankees anymore.

The first event to see representation from the Big Bend was the boys’ 4x800m relay. Godby’s Cougar Track Club ran a time of 8:44 to take third place overall. This would have been impressive in and of itself, but the Cougars managed to take third even after race officials failed to move one of the Cougar runners into position for the handoff, causing both unnecessary confusion and an extra 20m of running for Coach Sumner’s unshakable squad. In contrast to the 4×800, the 200m dash went off without a hitch. Lee Williams, of Maclay’s More Otters Track Club, ran a time of 24.40 to claim 28th place in his highly competitive age division. In the girls’ 200, Maggie Miller, also from the More Otters Track Club, ran a time of 31.16 in her track debut.

Next up was the 3000m run. On the girls’ side, Jana Stolting, a More Otter runner, ran a time of 10:17 for second place overall. Fellow More Otter, Stephanie Kurgatt, was on PR pace but, due to the confusion of the lap counters, was directed off the track too early. Regardless of the result, it is obvious to anyone who watched that Kurgatt is ready to have her breakout season.

The Boys’3000 was won authoritatively by Leon’s Matt Mizereck, who ran an impressive time of 8:39. Patrick Swain, running for the More Otters, ran a solid time of 9:04 to take sixth place overall. Swain’s teammate, Austin Stevens, ran a time of 9:27 for twelfth place. More lap counting confusion caused More Otter, Travis Covert to be led off the track one lap too soon. Though this was certainly frustrating for Covert, who, like Kurgatt, was on PR pace, it is easy to see that he also is going to have an impressive season.

Both the 400m dash and the 800m run saw some More Otter participation. In the 400, Alden Enlow ran 57.59 on a tough, unbanked track. Teammates Christian Moore and Taylor Vanwinkle ran times of 2:21 and 2:25 respectively in the 800.

Leon’s Matt Mizereck returned from his outstanding performance in the 3000 to take third in the well-stacked 1600. He ran a time of 4:27. Dieumy Duclos and Kendal Matthews, both of the Cougar Track Club, ran times of 4:48 and 4:52 respectively. Fellow Cougar, Brandon Alexander, ran a time of 4:55. On the girls’ side, new More Otter runner, Lindsey Poole, ran a time of 6:36 in her debut 1600.

In the pole vault, More Otter, Kyle Weaver cleared 10 feet six inches to win his 13-14 year old age group. Teammate, Lillian Vanwinkle also won her 9-14 year old age group with a height of 8 feet 8.75 inches. Another More Otter, Liz Landers vaulted a height of 7 feet 8 inches for sixth place in the 17-18 year old age division.

Despite a few glitches here and there, the Jimmy Carnes Indoor Meet was a resounding success. We are all privileged to have the opportunity to participate in such an exciting variation on our sport. Though it is still the preseason, and we have only just begun to dust off our spikes, it is certainly safe to say that this track season will be one of the best in recent memory. The real tests don’t begin for another few weeks, but once spring has sprung, expect great things from the runners, jumpers, vaulters, and throwers of the Big Bend.