Mentality behind the meters

Inside the mindset of JMU track & field’s athletes

their own downfall. If an athlete makes a mistake on their first throw, it’s very easy for them to calculate in their head everything that went wrong, and think the same thing is going to happen during the next throw.

“You’re only focusing on what you did badly instead of visualizing like the greatness and visualizing the good things that you’re going to do,” she said.

Visualizing that the next throw will go better than the first is a huge component of keeping the little aspects strong, Staib said, Overanalyzing how you did in the moment will only hurt you, Staib said, as it’s better to reflect upon performances after meets conclude.

Taking breaks from the speed

A runner must contain as much mental and physical fortitude as a field athlete. Taking days to herself, whether it’s to journal or watch Netflix, is just as important as physical practices, graduate student runner Skyla Davidson said. Still giving 70% is better than nothing, and clearing your mind by telling yourself it’s OK is important, she said.

She’s experienced multiple injuries as a Duke, causing her to miss at least half the season every year at JMU except her junior year, where she still did not get to compete in the spring due to COVID-19. She said being injured throughout most of her time at JMU has taken a large mental toll on her.

During her sophomore year, Davidson decided to take a mental health withdrawal, feeling that she had “lost the love for the sport.” Experiencing injuries was also something Davdison never had to go through in high school, and she felt like she didn’t understand what she was doing.

Things like journaling, going outside to get some sun and just doing the things she loves to do has made a significant impact on her mental health, allowing her to tell herself she’s doing OK, Davidson said.

“I like to journal and write down all my goals and everything that I did at like either a meet or what I did that week at practice … just so I don’t forget that and I don’t lose sight of that,” Davidson said. “I feel like seeing myself journal means that it’s not in my mind anymore, and it’s out and it has cleared the slate.”

She came back for a sixth season, calling it “the best decision I’ve ever made.” This season, Davidson has set a personal record twice in triple jump (12.60m), 60m hurdles (8.72) and long jump(19 ft).

“I don’t think I would have ever been able to come back or be where I’m at mentally without everyone in my life right now,” Davdison said.

During the outdoor season, she’s been listening to her coaches for her best interest, as she trusts them, she said. She feels comfortable talking to them and understands they are supportive.

For example, Davidson’s coaches ensure she feels comfortable when it comes to practicing different techniques instead of just telling her to do them, such as making her run to the pit longer by two strides, she said. They focus on perfecting one aspect at a time before moving on to another exercise she said.

To practice her timing, Davidson uses short approach jumps. Taking just 8-10 steps, instead of the normal 16-18 steps a runner takes in a long jump, allows the runner to focus on the timing and learn how long to “hold each phase,” and when to take each step, Davidson said.

In her first year at JMU, assistant coach Rebekah Ricksecker has been pushed to learn both the individual and group dynamics of the team as she continues to try and find what motivates each athlete to perform, she said. She has also worked with the team’s nutritionist and psychologist at JMU much more than in the past.

Ricksecker is a big believer in team chemistry, but sees getting to know athletes and their goals on an individual basis as just as important. She wants to know how her athletes feel every day, makes it routine to talk to them, and pays attention to their training logs. This helps her determine the best workouts for athletes to participate in throughout each week.

“I try to enter them in races that are confidence builders so that they know that they can hit their goal at the right time,” Ricksecker said. “I view most of the season as build up races to gradually build more and more confidence each month, so that they’re most likely to hit their goal at the end.” from TRACK & FIELD, page 20

Each member of the team receives a practice schedule for the semester, which allows the team to “take it one day at a time,” Davidson said. “If I’m having a jump day on Tuesday, but I have sled pulls on Monday I don’t have to think about the jump day,” she said, adding that it allows athletes to better prepare for practice each day.

When Ricksecker makes the schedule for each of her athletes, they begin with the championship meets, as this is when it’s ideal for them to be at their peak. The rest of an athlete’s schedule is determined around the goal they choose to accomplish, she said.

“I do see every race as an opportunity to show where you are and push yourself, but I wouldn’t say that athletes should dig as deep as they possibly can every time because then they’re not going to have gas left at the end of the season,” Ricksecker said.

Races leading up to championship meets allow athletes to practice different types of racing strategies and different racing situations, Ricksecker said. Fitness and endurance are also increased during these meets, and athletes are not expected to “go into the well,” for every meet, she said.

One workout designed to challenge the endurance of runners is to move from 600m, to 400m, to 300m, to 200m, while progressively running faster. Runners choose to do as many sets as they want and are grouped with people doing the same amount. The team will also practice running 10 sets of hills, where they will sprint up a hill then jog down to recover, Ricksecker said.

For Ricksecker, it’s all about building up the team’s endurance throughout the season.

“The one or two days leading up to races are always more recovery days,” Ricksecker said. “Some of the early season races I don’t expect people to be running their fastest if they want to be running their fastest at the end during the championships.”

If an athlete is able to perform well throughout the season, their chances of reaching postseason competition are increased.

“Just deciphering which goals are more important for certain weekends, I think adds an element to track that may be different from maybe some other team sports,” Ricksecker said.

Not every meet is determined by overall team points, leading to some weekends being more individual based and allowing athletes to focus on records for themselves.

After heaving 48.92m earlier in the season at the Raleigh Relays, pressure has been relieved on meet days for Staib, she said, as the chances for postseason competition have been increased. The middle of the season has been focused on breaking down different techniques and still focusing on what she needs to work on, Staib said.

“Now we’re kind of taking a couple steps back,” Staib said. “One, to take care of my body, make sure that it feels good during my rehab

… for the technique I’ve been working on, and then we’ll be wrapping back up again for the end of the season to try to put those pieces all together and then project myself through to the SBC.”

Staib said her goal is to compete at the NCAA East Regionals for the third year in a row, but she’s experienced shoulder pain throughout the season. Her training is targeted toward being “explosive” and has consisted of high-intensity speed work with medicine balls in strength and conditioning.

Staib often uses medicine balls to replicate throwing a javelin and work on hip power and shoulder rotation. She works on explosive sprints through sled pulls. Three to four times a week, Staib rehabilitates her rotator cuffs, chest and shoulders to manage any pain and ensure her muscles are functioning properly and together for her throws.

For her runs, Davidson practices A-skips and B-skips, which focuses on her core and hamstrings. She ensures these muscles stay engaged throughout the entire practice.

“I like to try to train my mind and my muscles to do that during warmups so that when it comes to actually going over a hurdle or actually jumping, it just comes as secondhand and I don’t have to think about it anymore,” Davidson said, saying she makes sure she’s not skipping any part of practice so her muscle memory can become second nature.

As an athlete’s mental health is equally important as their physical health, Staib takes care of herself outside of practice by stretching before bed, doing yoga and hitting the weight room three to four times a week. Whether it’s at home or with a trainer, she said she’s always doing extra rehab and is always busy outside of practice. Davidson echoes a similar sentiment. “You can physically all be there and you can be physically in the best shape possible,” Davidson said. “but if you’re mentally thinking about something different, it can change everything.”

CONTACT Zach Mendenhall at mendenzl@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more track and field coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @ TheBreezeSports.