WOODBURY — The Nonnewaug cross country and track and field seasons are ones of consistency, where each season brings new opportunities and challenges.

The fall cross country season brings a sense of community, as everyone on the team does the same routines together during practices and running together in large races.

By comparison, the spring outdoor track and field season is more individually oriented with a focus on each athlete’s specific interests and strengths in certain events, while the group mostly comes together at meets. 

This leave an opening during the winter, which is filled by the sport not everyone knows: indoor track and field.

Indoor track often includes challenges with messy and cold weather, a more inwardly focused direction when it comes to exercise, and a change in the overall tone of things due to being in the weight room and hallways.

When it comes to attending meets — which usually happen at faraway venues and can involve dozens of teams — they’re nothing like the fall and spring competitions.

“Indoor track is very chaotic,” senior runner Dylan Duda said. “So many people come up to me and ask about what time their events start because everybody looks to me for info and knows that I’m a very polite athlete.”

From December through February, the team works on building strength through various workout routines, refining their form in specific events, and overcoming adverse conditions and obstacles on both a mental and physical level.

“For me, the winter can be tough because I’m not used to running in colder temperatures,” Duda continued. “I don’t do as great as I’d like to. It’s just hard for training during the cold weather because it means we either have to work around bad conditions or we are confined to the school where you can’t move around too much.”

On the other side of the coin, being indoors allows for a more casual environment during practices. Because the training isn’t as specific to each athlete, it means there can be more banter and fun moments just in doing the workouts themselves.

“There’s usually such a large group of people both at meets and in practice that it’s good to stick with your friends,” said sophomore runner Hailey Goldman. “Be it hanging out with a group between events or working together in the weight room, the cramped community is a big part of it.”

The Chiefs will compete in the state championships Feb. 9 and 10 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven.