craigdailypress.com

Craig — Twenty-two days.

It has been that long since the Moffat County High School track and field team last competed in a meet.

Since then, spring break has come and gone, the snow has begun to melt and the team has moved practices outdoors.

"We haven't been inside at all," coach Gary Tague said. "We've been outside since the break, and we haven't been inside ever since. It's always good to be outdoors in this sport."

MCHS will take its newly acquainted feeling for being outdoors with it to Rangely today, to compete in the Rangely Invitational.

Tague said the focus for the team today is geared more toward "feeling out" individual athletes, rather than trying to win it all early in the year.

"At these meets that we go to before regionals, our goal is to never try to necessarily win the meet," Tague said. "It's always 'what can we do best with the individual to help them reach their peak performance for regional and state?' That's all we look for."

At this stage of the season, the Bulldogs are in the midst of what Tague called the team's "breakdown phase."

And, despite it's name, Tague said he wants to push the team, but not to the point of injury.

"We're in the breakdown phase," Tague said. "That's where we work their butts off. They may even, possibly come out with some sore legs."

Two MCHS competitors are limited at today's meet with tired legs already.

Tague said seniors Mike McNicol (Achilles) and Josh Classen (tendonitis) will run lightly today - if at all.

MCHS team physician Jeff Pleasant of Rehabilitation Services of Craig recently released both, giving them the green light to compete

"It's not a coach's call," Tague said. "It's a professional, medical person's call. We want to be covered and make sure we don't hurt people."

MCHS also will be short some of its athletes because of a school field trip to the Grand Canyon.

But, despite the shortages, Tague said the team still will be working as if they had a full roster.

"We are in the midst of conditioning right now," he said. "We use these early meets as a part of that conditioning. That's just part of the season-long plan. These meets are like work."

John Vandelinder can be reached at 875-1793, or jvandelinder@craigdailypress.com