Muleskinner

Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: Sports

Carlson [Click to enlarge]

Junior track athlete Anna Carlson describes the event as grueling, body aching and mentally draining.

"It's very trying," Carlson said, "but it's definitely an event where you be tested mentally. You just have to find a way to get through so that you have a good showing.

"No matter how your mind or body feels, you just have to forget about and be ready to go."

Through it all though, Carlson was able to compete and start her outdoor track and field season off on the right foot.

During 2008 the San Angelo Track Invitation this past Thursday and Friday in San Angelo, Texas, Carlson won the heptathlon event.

The heptathlon is a seven-stage event where runners combine scores in each event for a total score after two consecutive days of competing.

The events are the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, the shot-put, the 200-meter dash, long jump, triple jump and the 800-meter dash.

Carlson sees the heptathlon as an event where

"You'll have a great event that lets you take the lead to where you're excited," Carlson said. "Then again, you might do really bad in your next event, and find yourself behind 10 points.

"For me, it's two days full of different emotions."

Carlson won the event after placing in the top three in every event while winning the hurdles, the 200-meters and the long jump.

Carlson led a strong Jennies' squad that also saw freshman Jenna Schmidt place fourth and senior Haley Morrissey place sixth.

Sophomore Erin Eiken finished in seventh, followed by freshmen Leah Bateman in eighth place, and rounding out the top ten was Leslie Stanbrough.

Women's track and field coach Kip Janvrin was especially pleased by Carlson performance.

"She set her goals high," Janvrin said. "I was happy with her workman like performance. She just keeps going after it."

With her overall score of 4,860, Janvrin feels that it is a sure thing that Carlson will be invited to the national meet.

Although she came 20 points shy of reaching the automatic bid for the meet, Janvrin knows her score can be even better.

"Were sure that her score should get her into the national meet," Janvrin said. "I don't think that there are too many runners who are going get the same score as Carlson, so we feel safe.

"She has been doing this event since high school, so I know she has the ability to improve"

For Carlson, she was happy with her first performance of the season.

"Winning the heptathlon has given me a lot of confidence," Carlson said. "If I score this at the national meet, I should be an All-American, but I want to continue to get better."

Now that Carlson can take break before the team's conference season begins.

Janvrin knows Carlson can still improve; he just wants her to continue to have her desire towards being at her best before nationals.

"We just want her to keep training the way she has, and hopefully she can improver her score during the conference season," Janvrin said.

"I have great confidence in Calrson that when she puts her mind to it, she can continue to get better throughout the year."

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