Track Runs For Warmer Weather
by Brian Pitts

Although members of Oberlin’s track and field team cannot say they spent their entire week away from Oberlin on vacation, they did find time to squeeze in chemistry-building fun far from Oberlin as they prepared for their meet last Friday and Saturday at Emory University in Atlanta.

(photo by Brad Coryell)

This first meet of the spring provided veterans the opportunities to begin fine-tuning for the NCAC Championships in May, and for newcomers to get their feet wet in outdoor track and field as well as the Gulf of Mexico.
The Emory meet geared up the squad for a six-meet sprint that culminates in the NCAC outdoor championships. The first of those six meets is hosted by Wooster tomorrow.
In Atlanta, Oberlin was led by junior thrower and co-captain Daniel Blackburn and sophomore distance runner Laura Feeney.

Blackburn, possibly competing in his last outdoor season because of early graduation plans, scored in three of the four throwing events. He placed fourth in the shot-put, and eighth in the discus and hammer throws. 
Blackburn set the OC hammer throw record, recording a distance of 72’ 1”. He was happy with his performance, saying, “I had a great meet. It has been a long time since I put that kind of performance up. I was pleased. What a way to start the spring,” Blackburn said.
Head Coach Tom Mulligan said Blackburn is riding the momentum and work ethic of a breakthrough indoor season, when he placed high enough to score a point at the NCAC Championships. That was the first time a male athlete from Oberlin has accomplished that feat in four years.
“Daniel has been working hard all year long. He had a good opening meet. He comes to the meets very determined,” Mulligan said.

Laura Feeney ran the 10K race for the first time on an outdoor track — she competes in cross country — and logged a fourth place finish. Feeney ran the 3K and 5K races at the Indoor Championships, but plans to run the longer 10K at the Outdoor Championships. 
Feeney noted she has room to improve throughout the season, acknowledging that the race is mentally demanding. “I was hoping to run a little better. It’s such a long race with lots of laps. You have to try to convince yourself that you want to keep going.”

The Emory meet provided the squad members the opportunity to face competitors they have not faced and will not face again, unless they meet in the NCAA Championships. Mulligan said that the meet was ideal for developing talent, in that the southern location and range of ability levels would encourage growth.

Mulligan said, “When you face Division I athletes, it will help stretch you, if you want to be stretched.”
He added the importance of reviving an attitude to compete in the sport which demands from athletes the ability to compete in several events at a high level across a long day. He stressed the importance of preparing team members physically and mentally to compete.
“It is important that we get back into a competitive mindset. That’s not something you just turn on. It takes time to get into a rhythm of competing.”
Blackburn said that the team competed well for its first meet of the season. “It was a good meet for me and the team as a whole. For some of our people to compete as they did shows great promise.”
The trip South also provided teammates the opportunity to get to know each other better. First-year Alisha Thomas, who also played basketball for Oberlin’s Lady Crimson said she enjoyed the chance to know her teammates up-close.
“At the beach we collected shells. Now I can at least cheer for them. They’re friendly people.”