Tarter's summer on hold

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Natalie Tarter’s summer has been a lot like her spring – injury-plagued and high on frustration.

The recent Batavia graduate will soon head to Madison, Wis., where she will be a freshman in the University of Wisconsin’s track and field program, but preparations this summer have been dampened by recurring soreness in her left knee.

“It’s been kind of an upsetting summer,” Tarter said. “I’ve just been laying around going to therapy and trying to get it better but I haven’t been able to sweat for anything ... except for on a hot day.”

Tarter was a state hurdles champion for the Bulldogs as a junior and entered her senior season with expectations to add another state title or two to her sterling track resume.

But hamstring and knee trouble became enormous obstacles as the season unfolded, ultimately forcing her to withdraw from the IHSA State Meet in Charleston.

Her hamstring has healed since then but the knee remains problematic. Tarter said one MRI came back offering little explanation for the lingering discomfort. In search of answers, she plans a visit to another doctor this week.

Tarter has spent much of her summer in physical therapy, and recently was given the green light to start jogging.

That’s a far cry from the intense workouts in years past that propelled her to a state championship level.

Tarter said the summer has “been OK,” and said he is enjoying spending time with friends before departing for Wisconsin in August.

But the sooner there is definitive information about her knee, the sooner Tarter will have peace of mind that is a couple months overdue. In the meantime, Tarter said she is trying to put the uncertainty out of mind as much as possible.

“It’s hard mentally I guess,” Tarter said. “I’ve always done training in the summer and been active ... I get bored easily.”