By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

Running is difficult. For years, coaches use it as a disciplinary technique. So finding the motivation to run as a sport requires some adjustment.

“It’s tough doing the same repetitious movement, time after time,” coach Grant Thierolf said. “It’s takes a special individual to do that.”

For Thierolf and Marion, 2018 will be about improving individual performances and building a base for the future.

“We haven’t had a full team here in a couple of years,” he said. “You just coach the individual.”

For sophomore Colton Boudraeux, focusing on his running means breaking the 20-minute mark and making it past regionals.

“We automatically make it to regionals,” Colton said. “I’m shooting for state this year.”

Junior Bethany Grimmett has a broader focus. To her, the goal is more about her rank at each 5K than what time she gets.

“To do better than I did last year and to place,” she said. “I didn’t really place last year.

As part of the base, Thierolf has his runners work in the weight room, making sure they have strength as well as stamina.

“We’re working in the weight room twice a week, which is going to benefit us as we go through the year,” Thierolf said. “Hopefully we’ll continue that through the winter, spring, and summer.”

In the early stages of the season, he wants to make sure the runners have enough endurance and adjust to the distance of a 5K. As the weeks progress, more emphasis is placed on aspects like speed and maintaining proper form.

“From a distance standpoint, it’s remembering your form as you get into that kick and to that final phase of it,” he said. “That’s where you just have to stay consistent, because you see people fall apart when they forget about form.”