Madison’s runners succeeded as a team

MURFREESBORO – Blake Theus, Sam Tilleros, Harrison Holt and Wade Guthrie put in a lot of work in recent months to improve their 4 X 800 relay track team representing Madison Academic at Spring Fling this past week.

Enormous amounts of time running and building stamina were certainly a part of that process.

So was the part that is often overlooked in relay running: The passing of the baton.

“We work for hours on it over and over again until we get it right,” Tilleros said. “That’s a very important part of it because if you can’t get the handoff down, then you either slow down or get DQed.”

The group did a good job getting their handoffs done on Friday as they finished third in the state to bring rural West Tennessee one of its highest finishes in any event during the week at the tack and field championships.

Theus was new to the team this year. The other three were part of a team who competed at state in 2014, but one of the group graduated last year. Theus earned his spot with the group through hard work and striving for excellence.

“They already had their team down, so it was up to me to fit in with them,” Theus said. “It wasn’t about running fast to earn my way on necessarily, but about working well with them and making sure this team didn’t slow down.

“We all have to trust each other, and I had to gain that trust.”

Not only is there a mutual trust among the teammates, but Holt said there’s a commitment as well.

“We can see it as we’re running,” Holt said. “When one of them is running and he hands it off to the next guy and the next thing he does is fall out on the ground because he’s worn out from the effort he gave. That tells me I need to give it my all too and try to help this team achieve the goals we want to accomplish.”

Guthrie said he was glad to see that commitment, work and trust come together for the high finish at the final race of the season.

“It’s awesome to know we finished among the best in the state and possibly could’ve done better if we’d done the little things a little better,” Guthrie said. “But third place in the state is a good way to end the season.”

Brandon Shields, 425-9751