Senior track star Anna Niebrugge kicks off the start of her season by breaking two records at an indoor meet in Hononegah on Feb. 22 and breaking another record the week prior. The reigning state champion is ready for her final season and is prepared to reach all of her goals in order to be ready to continue to run track at Butler University in Indiana.
Q: How long have you been running track? How long at Prospect?
A: I started in like eighth grade, but it was COVID, so it was just for fun. And then I started freshman year. I’ve been doing it ever since.
Q: Why did you decide to start track?
A: Because I didn’t want to only do one sport, because I played basketball, and I didn’t only want to do one sport, and my friends were on it. So I was like, oh, like, it’ll be fun, hang out. I did not think I was kind of wrong, but I did not think it would be super difficult, but it kind of is.
Q: What made you keep on going? Why did you not stop freshman year?
A: Definitely the team I like, really, I love, like, training with the girls. And it also just keeps me motivated. And I feel like everything that I do, like, train for track helps me, like, in my life. And stuff like lifting weights, helps with everything, and same with, like, eating healthy, and just like, it kind of keeps me, like, on track with everything that I probably should be doing in my life to stay healthy.
Q: What events did you run in? What event did you break the record in?
A: I ran the open 60 dash in 2:60. They have a facility record. So it’s just like on the track, how fast we run. So I got that one, and then it was like a 7:74.
Q: What are you most proud of so far from this season?
A: I am most proud of the effort that I’ve put in, because sometimes it can be hard. I’ve been training all year, and sometimes, like in the fall and winter, it can be hard when I’m like, not competing, and I still have to go to practice or I’d go to crunch like every day. So like, that was hard. But I went with two other of my teammates, and they would force me to go, like sometimes I didn’t want to go, and they’d be like, no, you have to. So that was what I’m most proud of. And that was one of the reasons I was so happy with my race is because I was like, oh, it’s working.
Q: What are some of your goals for the outdoor season?
A: For outdoor, I’ve always been really close to the 200 state finals. I’ve always made prelims. I’m really close to finals, so hopefully this year I can get a medal. [As well as] I mean I hope Prospect can win again. It’ll be really close.
Q: Which do you prefer, indoor or outdoor track season?
A: Indoor. It’s nice because you don’t have to worry about the weather and my performance is gonna be the same, like, every time. But for outdoor, it’s a little bit more [of your] place because if it’s raining, obviously you’re not gonna run a great race. But the events outside are so much better. There’s like the 100 and the four by one. The four by one’s my favorite, and that’s what I get most excited for, but it’s just the beginning is a little rough, but in May it’s so fun, it’s so perfect.
Q: What is it like running with your sister? Do you love it?
A: Yes, we’re not super competitive with each other. It’s just like fun, especially this year, hopefully we both get to be in some opens together. It’s not like we’re necessarily competitive with each other, it’s just fun. We like practicing together. We’ll, like, go out after meets, and it’s, it’s actually kind of funny. In the relays, we always hand off [the baton] to each other, and we’ve, like, never messed one up ever. And we always are, like, “it’s because we’re related”, but I don’t know if that’s true or not.
Q: How did you feel after you broke all those records? Did you celebrate? Were your coaches really proud? Were you proud of yourself?
A: It was definitely exciting, I mean, I was pretty tired and after everyone was like, smile. I was like, I don’t think I can. I’m really tired, but it felt really good. It’s fun, all the coaches, we have so many, they [were] all standing at the end, and [I] finished, and like, everyone was there […] There was another one of my teammates running. It was also fun because it was my club team. They’re from different schools, so [I was] just hanging out and stuff. It was honestly kind of just, like running against my friends, but it was fun.
Q: What is the hardest part about track?
A: Just staying motivated because at practice, it’s the same thing every single week. We do the same drills, the same flies. So just making sure you come to practice, and doing everything really well and trying your best, which can be very hard sometimes. Trying your best, and making sure you find a reason to come back every day. Also keeping your body healthy, because it’s a long season. So it’s important that you roll out and stretch and go to the trainer, if you feel something is wrong.
