Dave Condit

Entering the exchange zone, freshman Rachel Osborne hands off the baton to sophomore Maddie Brown, after finishing her leg of the 4 by 800 meter relay. The team competed in the Parkway Quad at South on March 28, placing first in the event with a time of 10 minutes, 39 seconds.

With districts, sectionals and state meets around the corner, sophomore Maddie Brown, freshmen Rachel Osborne, Abby Allgeyer and Sydney Jackson, the 4 by 800 meter relay team, has run a combined time of 10 minutes, 12 seconds, placing them amongst the top 25 teams in the state.

“Along with the goals of trying to beat personal records and trying our best in practice and meets, I hope that our 4×8 team will make it all the way to State,”  Brown said.

Placing first in the Parkway Quad on March 28, the team ran 10:39, faster than the previous 4×8 team’s combined time.

“It was our first meet, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was surprised that we ended up doing as well as we did,” Allgeyer said.

The team’s current personal best placed the team second at the Lafayette Invite on April 13, finishing behind Lafayette.

“I was focused and determined to win a medal at the meet, and I was satisfied when we did,” Osborne said.

In addition to Brown’s injured IT band earlier in the season, the team faces mental obstacles that make the event challenging.

“For a lot of us, this is our first year running track. Everything is fast paced, especially on varsity. Not only is the competition stiff, but there’s a mental aspect to racing as well, which is equally as challenging,” Jackson said.

Each member set personal goals for the rest of the season in order to improve the relay’s combined performance.

“By the Eureka Invitational, I would like to beat my personal record of 2:30 for my 800. I have to learn to make my splits even, I either go out too fast or too slow,” Allgeyer said.

The team faces both physical hurdles and mental hurdles; however, Brown has created her own strategy to overcome them.

“‘Your legs aren’t giving out, your mind’s giving up’ is a quote I use to push myself during my races. I think it’s one of the best things I’ve learned to improve my overall performance,” Brown said.