Gearing up for the fourth meet of the season, track is competing in The Colony Cougar Invitational Thursday at Tommy Brigs Stadium, with field events and the 3200 meter run starting at 3:30 p.m., and the rest of the running events starting at 5:30 p.m.

“The main goal is alway to run lower times for all my races,” senior Andrea Leyva-Montiel said. “As for the relays I am in, I make it a goal to maintain a positive attitude in order for the relay members to run their races with as much confidence as possible.”

For most track athletes, preparation starts well before the day of the meet and goes beyond  physical readiness to include a positive mindset and a healthy diet as well. 

“Healthwise, I always try to eat clean, especially the meals before meet day,” Levya-Montiel said. “I spend a lot of time preparing memntally. In the morning, I will listen to motivational videos or watch my performances from previous meets in order to see what I did well or need to improve.”

With individuals all competing in their own events for success, but coming together as a single body, track is a different kind of team.

“The team dynamic is very supportive,” Leyva-Montiel said. “We all want the best for each other, and we try our best to keep each other accountable for the way we carry ourselves.”