Boys track: Sophomore looks to lead 2012 season

Runners gasp for air sprint as fast as they can toward the finish. Sophomore Drew Bryan is among those using their last bit of energy to finish the two-mile race, but when he finishes, he feels the sense of pride and accomplishment.

Even though many runners dread distance races such as the two mile, Bryan finds it to be one of his favorites.

“I like running [the two mile] better because you have longer to pace yourself so even if you make a mistake, you have a chance to change it,” Bryan said. “Even if you run a slow first lap, you can fix that in the next seven laps.”

Bryan started running competitively in sixth grade. Since then, he has steadily improved from year to year.

Sophomore Daniel Martin, a runner alongside Drew, has enjoyed being on the team with him.

“I think he’s a great runner. He practices a lot and knows how to lead the team. He keeps on trying,” Martin said. “When we’re slacking off he tells us that we need to pick it up and do better, so his work ethic not only helps himself but also helps the team.”

Bryan thinks he can shave second off his times. “My mile time right now is 5:19. But last year, when I ran the 2 mile, it was 11:55. I haven’t run it this year, but I’m hoping to improve on that,” said Bryan.

Even though he is only in his second season of high school track, he believes that he has made some significant progress from his first day as a Saratoga High track runner.

“We haven’t had any meets yet, but I can already tell that I’m improving,” Bryan said. “I’m hoping to eventually run an under five [minute] mile and hopefully an 11:02 two mile.”

Spring is not the only time that Bryan can be seen flying around the Saratoga High track. Along with track, Bryan also runs cross country and feels that between the two, track is more demanding.

“We have a lot more workouts [in track] and there are a lot more speed workouts and sprints,” Bryan said. It’s a little bit more serious because we have meetings before every practice and it’s a lot more time based as opposed to cross country which is more endurance based.”

Bryan, beyond being a good runner, is an excellent teammate.

“He’s a great friend and is always encouraging,” Martin said. “We’re really lucky to have someone like him on the team cause of how much he contributes as a runner and a leader.”

While Martin believes that Bryan is an excellent competitor, Bryan maintains that running is nothing but fun for him.

“The meets are really fun because you get to see a bunch of people run,” Bryan said. “It’s also great when you finish running and you get to cheer the rest of your temmates on afterwards.”

For next year, Bryan hopes to lead the team and encourage new runners to work harder. “I just want to encourage people, and encourage them to try harder even though they’re tired,” said Bryan.