COLLEEN MARTIN | Staff Writer
Running the best time in the country in the 3200 meter relay with a time of 8:59:69 is the girls track relay, composed of Kelsie Schwartz ’14, Ersula Farrow ‘15, Haley Meier ‘13, and Hannah Meier ‘13.
“Right now they are the number one, the fastest time in the whole country in the 4 x 800 relay,” said gym teacher and track coach Steve Zaranek. “Those four are really incredibly great teammates with each other; they are very supportive. Even though it’s a very young group, they have a lot of experience at the state level and at the national level that helps them gel as a superb relay team.”
These four girls work hard to run their individual personal record (PR), during their own leg of the relay, said Hannah Meier. In the order of Schwartz, Farrow, Haley Meier, Hannah Meier, each one runs 800 meters, which is two laps around the track.
“We know that we depend on each other. We feel the same pain, the same love for the sport, and the same desire to win,” said Hannah Meier.
From training off season, running cross country, to sprinting in track, these four have spent a lot of time together training and becoming great teammates. They push themselves the hardest they can because they know that each one will give it their all for each other and for their team, said Haley Meier.
“Our relay team works really well together by saying a prayer before we race and kissing our baton,” said Haley Meier. “Mr. Z never has expectations about us, only that he knows we’ll try our best in practice and in meets to give everything you’ve got for your teammates.”
Training everyday at practice, Zaranek drives them to perform at their potential. Whether they cut more seconds off of their record time or not, the girls know that he will be happy with their performance because he knows their strong work ethic, said Hannah Meier.
“Mr. Z believes that it is definitely possible and we know that if we run as fast as we can, he will be proud of us no matter what,” said Hannah Meier. “He appreciates it when we use our full potential and put our whole heart into it, and have confidence in our teammates and in ourselves.”
At track regionals, this Friday, the girls hope to perform at a very competitive level and win the meet, each running a PR. They wish to break their relay record again, possibly getting a time in the low 8:50s either this Friday at a home meet, or at the state meet on June 1, said Hannah Meier.
“We are going to run a little bit conservatively this Friday, but next week in the state meet they are going to lower that nation leading time,” said Zaranek.
Friday afternoon, South will host the meet, which includes 15 other teams.
“We cannot truly get enough support of our teammates, coaches, and friends, because they are always the ones encouraging us, and believing that we can do it, and that it is possible,” said Hannah Meier.
