Freshman Marissa Smith finished up her first season for Pacific’s track team where she broke three indoor records and three outdoor records. Smith needed no adjustment period to the college level from high school, as she set these records in the 200, 400, 4×100 and 4×400 meter races.
Hailing from Rancho Cordova, California, Smith quickly noticed the difference in the way the high school and college seasons compare.
“It’s a lot more independent,” said Smith. “There isn’t a coach telling you when to warm up or how to warm up. It’s all on you to make your own decisions.”
Smith also noted how hard it was to stay in the same shape that made her successful throughout high school due to the busy class schedules limiting her free time, as well as not eating as healthy as she did before.
As for her success, Smith attributes a lot of it to her offseason training. Crediting her high school track coach.
“My coach made sure I did a lot of repeat 200’s as well as 500’s and 600’s to help me build more of my stamina,” Smith said.
With this being her first year doing both an indoor and an outdoor season, stamina was a major factor for her. Smith also referred back to the struggle to stay in shape for the entire indoor and outdoor seasons.
Smith gave credit to the older teammates for helping her transition to an indoor track season. Smith stated that the older teammates made sure the newcomers didn’t fret about the different track. The indoor tracks are 200 meters instead of the usual length of 400 meters of an outdoor track.
“My older teammates made the transition into indoor a lot less stressful,” said Smith. “Instead of thinking too much into it, they helped me run and enjoy it more.”
It is important to note that two of these six broken records did not come alone for Smith. Fellow teammates junior Breezy Brookbank, sophomore Mikaela Bernards and freshmen Ary Burgoyne helped break the 4×100 meter relay record. Sophomore Jess Knoll and freshmen Megan Eberhardt joined Brookbank and Smith in the 4×400 meter record breaking race.
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