Speed, strength, and determination defines this year’s Landstown High School (LHS) outdoor track team as they prepare to chase championships and records this season. While they were on a roll in the winter resulting in new personal records and many wins, they’re now pumped and ready for the spring season.
Carmen Johnson, a sophomore Virginia State Champion track runner at LHS, gave intel on this season and how she’s prepared.
Johnson has stated, “I am almost excited to become a state champion in the 4×4 again because it will be my last time running with two of the legs on our relay.”
Johnson has provided information about her track events and what her workouts entail.
“My events are the 500, 400, and relays. I train for different workouts and stick to the same plans so my training will be effective,” she says.
Johnson wasn’t the only one that came through during the winter season though.
Kyle Matthews, a sophomore Virginia state triple jump champion at LHS, has expressed his excitement for the season and what he believes is the best part about the team.
“The best part about track is the meets when we travel because I get to spend time with teammates and we get to go against different people,” states Matthews.
Matthews further explains that his workouts involve stretching, jumping, and sprinting.
Although, you may be wondering, “how have these track stars been improving so much?” Well, let’s hear from Coach Anderson, the LHS Track Coach.
“Our practice is divided into like 10 different segments. So there’s a warm-up, there’s stretching, there’s flexibility, there’s core, there’s drills. Then it’s like the goal of the day. Like on Mondays it’s an endurance day, Tuesday and Thursday are speed days, relay days, jump days. Wednesdays are interval days. Mondays and Thursdays we lift Fridays will be relay days, and Saturdays are technical days, and we can’t practice on Sunday. And I think that gives the kids everything that they need when we put it together. When they go to compete, they’re prepared,” Anderson says.
Coach Anderson also expressed how he motivates his runners to break records.
He explains, “I think you have to know who they are. For some, it may be being stern. That’s what they need. With others, it may be encouragement. With others, it may be mental health. With other ones, it may be getting their self-confidence. So every kid is different, but we try to treat them the same.”
From the start to finish of the season, the LHS outdoor track team is proving that success isn’t just about speed, it’s about the effort and determination that is put into every step along the way to the finish line.