Ten events over a two-day period; shot put, 100-meter dash, discus, pole vault, hurdles, among others, finishing with the 1500-meter run.
The decathlon, clearly one of the most difficult events in all of sports, takes a special type of person to complete it successfully.
And over the last two years, junior Nick Trubachik has demonstrated that he is a force to be reckoned with in the Big Sky Conference and on the West Coast.
The reigning Big Sky Champion is also the school record holder in the indoor heptathlon and his decathlon personal record of 7,028 points was a mere 100-points shy of qualifying for the NCAA Championships last year.
Local roots
Trubachik’s success as a track and field star did not come as a surprise to those who know him best. After growing up on a farm just outside of Estacada, Ore., he starred at Estacada High School, lettering multiple times in track and field and soccer.
As a senior, he was state champion in javelin and triple jump and still ranks among the finest in those events in state history.
During his time in high school, Trubachik’s family never missed a meet in which he competed and they have kept that streak alive during his days at Portland State, even traveling to the Texas Relays earlier this year and to New York City for an indoor meet.
A grueling test
While his success in track and field started at an early age, he continues to be one of the hardest workers around. Trubachik says he trains 11 months a year and seven days a week for the demanding decathlon, an event in which participants receive points based on their times or marks in each event.
“The event is truly the ultimate test for a human being,” Truachik said. “It tests your mind, strength, character and determination, and challenges the human body.” He also added that a good decathlete has complete control over their emotions and the ability to forget their mistakes in previous events immediately.
To prepare for the intense competition, Trubachik often spends several hours each day working out for one or more of the 10 events. Decathletes must find the balance between gaining strength for throwing events, such as the shot put and discus, and maintaining the quickness and endurance of both a sprinter and a long-distance runner.
Seth Henson, Trubachik’s event coach, has served as a motivating force in many of the off-day workouts that have helped him reach the great heights of conference champion.
Championship aspirations
In addition to his strong performances in the decathlon and the heptathlon, Trubachik also has excelled in one of the other 10 events that factors into the decathlon total: the javelin.
His hopes of qualifying for the NCAA national meet in either the javelin or the decathlon are not unrealistic.
Success and goals aside, Trubachik remains a down-to-earth character who—when not training—enjoys playing guitar, fishing and playing disc golf.
“I love Portland. There is never nothing to do here,” he said enthusiastically.
Fans of the track team can catch Trubachik in action this weekend at the Oregon Relays at Hayward Field in Eugene or next weekend at the Pacific Twilight in Forest Grove.
Meanwhile, Trubachik and the rest of the Vikings are gearing up for the Big Sky Championships in Missoula, Mont., May 13–16. At that meet, Trubachik hopes to improve his already firm grasp of the decathlon in the conference.