University of Northern Iowa

The University of Northern Iowa track meet began on Friday with the pentathalon. We had 4 girls compete in the pentathalon, which is long jump, high jump, 60 m hurdles, shot put, and 800. It's all in one day, and once the event is over, the girls have 30 minutes until the next event starts. It's a pretty gruelling event. For 3 of the girls, this was their first pentathatlon. The highlights of the day were Kathie-Lee winning the high jump at 5'10", which not only broke the school record, but it also gives her a tie for the leading jump in the nation as of now. Another highlight was Sami winning the 800, the fifth and final event for the day.

The rest of the team headed up to UNI on Saturday morning. After loading the bus at 6:00 a.m. and sitting on a bus (leather seats, wood floors, and 21 inch tv's) for five hours, the UNO Track and Field team put up some big results on Saturday too. Anja broke the school record in the 600 meters (1:34), and Denniel Shaw got first in the long jump (18'8"), qualifying her for the NCAA Indoor National Track and Field Meet. Maja got 2nd in the 60 (7.66), and Heather got 2nd in the shot put (46').

It was definitely a better weekend for me. I ran the 60 and the 200. And oh how I wish some of you guys could see me start the 60. My blocks are by far the worst part of my race, and it usually isn't too noticable in the 400, but in the 60....oh my. I have to work incredibly hard to catch up with everyone, and by that time, the race is over. Ha ha. THE 60 IS SO SHORT! It was a little comical to me because when we finished the race, all the girls were bent over trying to catch their breath as if they just ran a marathon...I turned to my trainer and said, "that was amazing!" I ended up making finals and finishing 4th in the 60...quite unbelievable for a long sprinter. And as far as the 200, I don't even know. They messed up the results and times, so nobody really knows what the true results were, but I had a really good 200 and finished in the top 3.

We have a big week of preparation this week. We head down to Lincoln on Friday and Saturday for the Frank Sevigne Invitational, which is one of the premier meets in the country for indoor track and field. The next couple of weeks are big track meets with big opportunities; I'm trusting it all comes together for the 400.

Nebraska Wesleyan and Iowa State

On Friday, the UNO team traveled down to the University of Nebraska- Lincoln to compete in the Nebraska Wesleyan meet. The highlights were Maja winning the 60 & 200, Heather 3rd in shot put, and UNO going 1-4 in the long jump.

After a late night back to Omaha, the team got up and traveled to Iowa State for a track meet on Saturday. There were two 1st place finishes: Anja in the 1000 and Nkeiruka in the triple jump.

Personally, it was a very difficult weekend. I had a rough week with practices; I ran the 400 and 200 on Friday and turned around and competed in the 600 on Saturday. I wasn't sure how everything was going to go, so before my races I wrote these song lyrics on my arm: "Constant through the trial and the change- one thing remains. Your love never fails. It never gives up. It never runs out on me." So it's back to the "drawing boards" this week, and I'll take this one day at a time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okTKMaVrSYY

Holiday Inn Invitational

After two days of track and field, the UNO team faired very well. Day One featured most of the distace races, and to lead the way Katarina and Anja went 1-3 with a 4:53 and 5:00 minute mile. Day Two picked up, and we ended up with six Mavericks qualifying for nationals. Nkeiruka and Sami in the triple jump, Heather in the shot put, Kathie-Lee in the high jump, Anja in the mile, and I in the 400.

I had an interesting first weekend. Thursday I came home after practice; I was excited for the first meet, and my adrenaline was pumping, so I decided to log onto the internet to look at the heat sheets for my 400. I found out I was in the fast heat of the 400, running with 2 professional sprinters- one representing Adidas. I spent the next two days stressed and anxious. I had a horrible start, I popped right up out of the blocks, but made up for it by splitting 26 at the 200. I quickly tightened up though and wasn't able to run relaxed the last 150. I ran 57.24, which isn't what I was hoping for, but it gives me a starting place; I can't complain about the first race of the year. After about an hour, I hit the track again for my 200. I ran 25.54 and felt much more relaxed and "in my groove". I placed 4th in both the 400 and the 200, qualifying for Nationals in the 400.

When I was finished with racing, I was surprised to look in the stands and see who had come to watch. My Dad, my Grandma, Kirk Holland, Dani Suponchick, Chelsea Liska, Jenna Miller, Amanda Kneifl, and Meghan Vogt. It was a special day- the first time my Grandma has seen me run.

UNO Track and Field Ranks Fourth in Preseason Rankings

NEW ORLEANS, La. - The UNO indoor track and field team is ranked fourth in the annual pre-season rankings released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Tuesday.  The ranking come out in advance of the start of UNO's indoor season which begins on Friday, Jan. 14 at the Holiday Inn Invitational hosted by Nebraska.

Pre-Season

Only a couple more days until the 2011 season starts up- we head down to Lincoln for the Holiday Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The team has been training hard since school started in August, so we are all anxious to do something besides practice. I have been nothing but blessed these last couple of months with my teammates. I have two women I train with daily- Celeste Robinson and Anja Puc. If you haven't heard of them before, I am sure you will- they're great :) Anja is a 3 time National Champion, holds national track records in her country, and is a future Olympian. Celeste is a freshman stud from Omaha and is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. It's been great to train with the best these last couple of months, but it has been even more of a blessing to get to know them. God has big things in store for these two and the entire team; I am excited to be there with them.

2011 Track Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWk42LFOQXM

1 Corinthians 15:58
"With all this going for us, my dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort."

I love you all.
XOXOXOXOXO
Kayla