We’ve heard from ADM girls track coach Bart Mueller the past couple of days as he’s given us an in-depth look into why he has high hopes for his Tigers during this 2014 season.

But in order for the success Mueller wants to truly manifest itself, he’ll need his runners to stay healthy, and he hopes to develop a training regiment that helps them do exactly that.

“I’ve learned to really listen to the girls and especially let them correspond with the trainers.  You just have to monitor things and adjust the workouts–not all girls can do the same workout, so you really have to modify workouts for girls that are having certain soreness or have a history of a certain knee issue or challenge.  If you know this girl has had knee surgery or has been out for this particular thing, then we have to adjust things… we either lessen the workout or give them an alternative workout.”

Tailoring workouts to each individual athlete can be challenging at times for a track coach, but Mueller says he’s willing to cope with that challenge, so long as he helps get his girls to a place physically where they can peak at the right time.

“We’ve got to pace ourselves, give them the rest days and give them the days off.  And the end of the day, track–like many sports–you measure your season often by just the ending part of the season, maybe even most in track because you don’t go off of win and loss records; you go off of how you do at conference, regionals, state and Drake.  So, that’s when you want to be healthy.  Let them rest this time of the year, then modify things so they can go real hard and peak at the end of the season.”

Though Mueller would rather have his girls posting their best times at the end of the season, they’ve started this year fast out of the gate.  The girls’ 4×400 meter relay team of Torrie Hook, Brianna Mueller, Regan Engelman and Kari Dufoe placed 2nd at the A.D. Dickinson Relays earlier this week.

For full results from the ADM’s girls season-opening meet at UNI, CLICK HERE.