Track and Field battles Mother Nature

For C.M. Russell’s track and field squad, one opponent has ruthlessly dominated the team no matter the date: Mother Nature.

What will soon be a mere memory, this winter season has fought the entire JV and Varsity group with no mercy the past month and a half. With gusting winds derailing javelins from their courses, hail raining down on distance runners, and icy roads quickly halting competitions outside of Great Falls, the recent weather has pushed and tried all the athletes and coaches.

“It’s a challenge to get quality practices in when the weather doesn’t cooperate,” said Danielle Ross, a sophomore javelin thrower who’s especially felt the effects of Montana’s climate. “It can be hard to compete to my full potential when the wind is so bad.”

Yet CMR has prevailed, disobeying the forecasts and making it out to Memorial Stadium to compete and practice whenever possible.

And as spring starts to creep into town, a silver lining becomes apparent as it thaws from its frozen state. The coaches are still pushing, and the athletes are still performing as personal records are shattered and the team prepares for the anticipated meet against Great Falls High on May 12, divisionals, and state.

Hard winter training yields spring track benefits for Rayl

For many athletes, it normally takes two or three seasons of hard work to even think about placing at state, but this was not the case for runner Patrick Rayl.

Rayl, a sophomore, took fifth in state in the two mile last year, and is currently working hard to maintain his winning streak.

Rayl, who also runs the one-mile, said he has been “preparing to work hard to get to state.”

During a long Montana winter, however, this isn’t easy. Rayl has been preparing by running on the stairs and by running in the cold, but he won’t run if it is too snowy out.

“If it’s really cold out, I just work on endurance,” Rayl said. “It seems harder to breathe.”

But track coach Doug Darko thinks that this will end up paying off for Rayl in the end, and he has even made a bet with Rayl to inspire him to a win.

“If he wins the state meet, Coach Darko will shave his head,” Darko said.  “It would be well worth it.”

Darko recognizes the work Rayl has put in over the winter.

“He’s trained pretty hard all winter long,” Darko said. “He’s quite a ways ahead of where he was last year.”

Along with looking for a time improvement, Darko hopes Rayl makes all-state, or places in the top six.

Rayl is simply proud of how far he has come.

“It makes me feel like I worked really hard to get to where I am.”