MADISON - It's been almost two years and former Monroe High School athlete Jake Hirsbrunner has yet to don an official University of Wisconsin uniform and run in a track meet.
Hirsbrunner redshirted his freshman season last year at Wisconsin, and this year he suffered a stress fracture in his left tibia that has wiped out most of this season.
Now, Hirsbrunner is healthy again. He has been doing workouts in practice for one month and is ready to make his debut with the Badgers by running the 800-meter race in the Wisconsin Twilight meet Friday.
"I'm just getting back into the swing of it," Hirsbrunner said. "I'm excited. I have been here two years and I have yet to wear the Wisconsin jersey because of redshirting and injury. Anyone who knows me knows I'm champing at the bit ready to go race again."
Hirsbrunner suffered the stress fracture around Christmas break, and it robbed him of the indoor track season.
"It really hit me hard because I love to compete," Hirsbrunner said.
He planned on competing in the decathlon and 800 this year. While recovering from the stress fracture, Hirsbrunner decided to focus on the 800 to close out the season.
"It's too much stress on the fracture," he said of trying to compete in the decathlon after losing so much training time. "I'm always running, jumping and planting in the high jump, pole vault and hurdles. That takes a pounding."
Hirsbrunner said the biggest difference between high school and college track is the time commitment.
"We have 20 hours a week of practice here," he said of Wisconsin. "We are weightlifting three times a week and then rehab with ice baths or in the sauna."
After his injury, Badgers coaches consulted Jake's father, Dave, to develop a modified training plan tailored toward getting Jake ready to make his return for the three-day Big Ten Outdoor Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska, that start May 13.
The training focused on getting Hirsbrunner back into shape to run the 800 at full speed, rehabbing his leg and building endurance again. The workouts have focused on running six or seven miles in practice, striders and running a 600 last week to gauge where he is at. He hasn't run an 800 at full speed yet.
"I can't run too much or my legs will be toast," he said. "The Twilight meet in Madison will kind of be my time trial. I always talk to my mom and dad. My dad knows more about it (stress fracture injury) than anyone else I know. He really helped me through it."
He gained 30 pounds since high school to get stronger for the decathlon. Now, he is working to eat healthy, so he can finish strong in the 800.
"Hopefully, I'm faster or at least the same as I was in high school," said Hirsbrunner, whose personal best time in the 800 is 1 minute, 53.5 seconds. "I just want to run a good time in the 800. My expectation is not so much time, it's placing at the Big Ten Championships. That is all that matters."
The three-day Big Ten Championships is set to start May 13. The Badgers finished second at the indoor championships to Nebraska.
"We are really hoping to win the Big Ten Champion-ships," Hirsbrunner said. "That is the goal."
The top 48 times across the country will then move on to the NCAA regional championships. Hirsbrunner said the time he will likely need to move on in the 800 is a 1:49 or a 1:50.
He's not giving up the challenge of competing in the decathlon. It will just be put on the shelf for the rest of the year.
"That is the goal," Hirsbrunner said of competing in the decathlon. "We have a lot of guys in the decathlon. We are low on guys in the 800. We will see after the championship season in track."
When he's not running or studying, Hirsbrunner enjoys hunting and catching up on sleep.
"Any extra time I have I put into school," said Hirsbrunner, who is majoring in mechanical engineering. "I have to make time. The last thing you want to do when you get home is do homework, but you just have to man up."
Hirsbrunner redshirted his freshman season last year at Wisconsin, and this year he suffered a stress fracture in his left tibia that has wiped out most of this season.
Now, Hirsbrunner is healthy again. He has been doing workouts in practice for one month and is ready to make his debut with the Badgers by running the 800-meter race in the Wisconsin Twilight meet Friday.
"I'm just getting back into the swing of it," Hirsbrunner said. "I'm excited. I have been here two years and I have yet to wear the Wisconsin jersey because of redshirting and injury. Anyone who knows me knows I'm champing at the bit ready to go race again."
Hirsbrunner suffered the stress fracture around Christmas break, and it robbed him of the indoor track season.
"It really hit me hard because I love to compete," Hirsbrunner said.
He planned on competing in the decathlon and 800 this year. While recovering from the stress fracture, Hirsbrunner decided to focus on the 800 to close out the season.
"It's too much stress on the fracture," he said of trying to compete in the decathlon after losing so much training time. "I'm always running, jumping and planting in the high jump, pole vault and hurdles. That takes a pounding."
Hirsbrunner said the biggest difference between high school and college track is the time commitment.
"We have 20 hours a week of practice here," he said of Wisconsin. "We are weightlifting three times a week and then rehab with ice baths or in the sauna."
After his injury, Badgers coaches consulted Jake's father, Dave, to develop a modified training plan tailored toward getting Jake ready to make his return for the three-day Big Ten Outdoor Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska, that start May 13.
The training focused on getting Hirsbrunner back into shape to run the 800 at full speed, rehabbing his leg and building endurance again. The workouts have focused on running six or seven miles in practice, striders and running a 600 last week to gauge where he is at. He hasn't run an 800 at full speed yet.
"I can't run too much or my legs will be toast," he said. "The Twilight meet in Madison will kind of be my time trial. I always talk to my mom and dad. My dad knows more about it (stress fracture injury) than anyone else I know. He really helped me through it."
He gained 30 pounds since high school to get stronger for the decathlon. Now, he is working to eat healthy, so he can finish strong in the 800.
"Hopefully, I'm faster or at least the same as I was in high school," said Hirsbrunner, whose personal best time in the 800 is 1 minute, 53.5 seconds. "I just want to run a good time in the 800. My expectation is not so much time, it's placing at the Big Ten Championships. That is all that matters."
The three-day Big Ten Championships is set to start May 13. The Badgers finished second at the indoor championships to Nebraska.
"We are really hoping to win the Big Ten Champion-ships," Hirsbrunner said. "That is the goal."
The top 48 times across the country will then move on to the NCAA regional championships. Hirsbrunner said the time he will likely need to move on in the 800 is a 1:49 or a 1:50.
He's not giving up the challenge of competing in the decathlon. It will just be put on the shelf for the rest of the year.
"That is the goal," Hirsbrunner said of competing in the decathlon. "We have a lot of guys in the decathlon. We are low on guys in the 800. We will see after the championship season in track."
When he's not running or studying, Hirsbrunner enjoys hunting and catching up on sleep.
"Any extra time I have I put into school," said Hirsbrunner, who is majoring in mechanical engineering. "I have to make time. The last thing you want to do when you get home is do homework, but you just have to man up."
