The indoor track team traveled to Liberty University for an invitational meet on Friday, January 13. Their two previous meets at Fort Defiance and Fork Union Military Academy were cancelled due to inclement weather. Although the team has raced at Liberty University several times in the past, this meet was very different. The university built a brand new 50 million dollar complex, featuring hydraulic banked curves and a more spacious outfield. This was the very first meet ran on the track, and thousands of athletes were invited. Typical meets have 60 or so runners in each event; the VA Showcase meet had 300. Despite the hype that was built up before the meet, the Streaks were determined to not let it affect their mentality.

Senior Sara Penrod was one of the select few people from the team that ran at the meet. She ran the 55 meter dash, but there was a week’s worth of preparation that went into the 7 second race.

“We’ve been working on our starts a lot and thinking about our form because at the end of the day, what gets you that extra second is the start and form,” Penrod said. “We’ve also been mentally preparing ourselves for the other 300 people we’re racing against. Of course like every meet, there’s a spectrum of people so I feel like having 300 people makes me feel better because there will be people slower than me, people as fast as I am, and people that are faster. So it’s not as noticeable if you do worse than you usually do.”

Being invited to run at this meet is not a small thing to Penrod. Less than ten Streaks went, and being one of them was something she appreciated.

“I’m [going to] be one of the first few people to run on the track, so that’s really exciting,” Penrod said. “My coaches expect me to appreciate the opportunity I’m given and to try my hardest and to make them proud even if I don’t get the fastest time. And I do appreciate the opportunity and I’m grateful that I’m going.”

Junior Isaiah King also went to the meet, and he already had his gameplan for his event before he ran.

“I’ll be running the mile and I’ll be running at around midnight. My goal for is to go under 4:50, run in the 4:40’s,” King said. “I’ve also been working on my mentality. We’ve had the last 2 or 3 meets canceled, so it’s been awhile since I’ve been able to get on the track and go, so I’m really excited. I have to not worry about the faster heats. Whatever section I’m in, that’s where I need to keep my focus. I plan on getting out quick and trying to win the section.”

Penrod clocked in at 8.01 seconds for her 55m dash while King ran the mile at exactly 5 minutes.

“I ran at 12:30 am, I was supposed to be asleep,” King said.