The prevalence of Saturday’s Early Bird Meet at Lantz Fieldhouse has been amplified the workouts of the track team even more.

“Our practices are now harder than a normal meet,” said junior mid-distance runner Chris Wesson. “We’re gonna have a hard two weeks and then have a nice Christmas break off.”

Each different group of the track has a different plan and a different set of workouts.

In the mid-distance group, Wesson said the miles have been increasing.

“We go to go the distance and have some sprint in us,” he said. “You have to be able to sprint; you have to go long distances sometimes.”

Wesson, a captain of the team and leader of the mid-distance squad has said there are a variety of ways the mid-distance races are run.

“The 400, you get to the first 200 with a little bit of speed, but what really takes you through is the sprint,” he said. “And your lungs for the last 200.”

The mile is another race that the mid-distance group must perform.

“(In the mile) you got to use you legs, sprint to finish off the rest of the guys,” Wesson said.

The 800 is another mid-distance race runners compete in.

“The 800 is where you’ve got to bring both of those together,” Wesson said.

Transfers impact team

Two transfers have already made a mark for Eastern.

One of those athletes is junior hurdler Matt Fischer, who transferred from Danville Community College.

“We made some technical changes with what he’s doing hurdles wise,” said Eastern head coach Tom Akers. “He and a couple of other hurdlers will really help the hurdle group. He’s got a great start out of the blocks. He can score some real solid points in the conference meet.”

The other is sophomore long-distance runner Jeremy Wheeler.

Wheeler is a transfer from the University of Illinois.

“(Wheeler) sort of found that the grass wasn’t greener where it always was,” Akers said. “Jeremy’s going to be a strong middle distance runner.”

Because Wheeler transferred, the Panthers will not be able to use him until the beginning of next semester.

“He’s a really good runner,” Wesson said. “He’s very competitive. He goes out and runs with us and takes off because of that speed. He definitely puts five to 10 more miles than any other runner does.”

Competition comes to Charleston

Eastern will see competitors at the meet from Vincennes University, a junior college in Indiana to Division I school Western Illinois and Loyola (Chicago) and Division III Millikin.

Another school that brings competitors is Indiana State. The ISU men won the 2005-2006 Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track and field championship. Last year the Sycamores finished second in the MVC’s indoor conference championship.

“They’re coming off a strong cross country season,” Akers said. “They’re going to be really strong . With JUCO colleges, it’s really a hit and miss.”

Plans over break

During the winter break, Eastern will disperse and some of the athletes will head back home and train individually.

“Some of us guys that are going back up north, it’s cold up there and there’s snow,” Wesson said. “Training by yourself is a lot harder.”

Wesson is a resident of Elgin, which is about 50 miles west of Chicago.

“Being up there in the cold, makes it hard,” Wesson said. “The actual hard part is going out and actually doing some workouts.”

The benefit of the indoor track season is that most practices and training takes places exclusively indoors.

“When it comes to race time, you use that as an extra incentive,” Wesson said.

Wesson said it is harder to breathe in colder weather and his lungs usually feel like “their heavy.”