Windham’s Tayla Pelletier is one of four returning Mainers who won New England championships in outdoor track last spring. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

Competing in high school indoor track in Maine is hard. Practice time at the few available indoor facilities is limited. Distance runners take to the roads, battling the winter elements to train. Sprinters dash through school hallways. Jumpers improvise practice space with mats, and shot putters find padded walls in windowless rooms.

They come back season after season, because when they do get on the track or in the jumping pit, the thrill of competition makes it all worth it.

Here’s a look at a few of the storylines to follow as the high school indoor track season begins.

What’s next for the four outdoor New England champions?

Maine actually had five athletes win New England championships last June, including Maddox Jordan of Noble, who won the 1,600 meters. He graduated, but four New England champions are back competing this winter at the high school level.

“I’m not sure that Maine has had that many athletes competing the next season who were New England champions the season before,” said Jason Tanguay, the Gorham boys’ coach.

The returning New England champs include three boys and a girl: Andre Clark of Marshwood (100 meters), Griffin Gammon of Gorham (high jump), Arnaud Sioho of South Portland (triple jump), and Tayla Pelletier of Windham (triple jump). Joining those four outdoor winners is Houlton’s Teanne Ewings, who won the 2-mile at the New England indoor championships last March.

Which Maine athlete is in best position to join those four as a New England champion this winter? It might be Portland’s Samantha Moore, who placed fourth in the mile at last year’s New England indoor meet.

SMAA sprinters in line for big season

Along with Clark, who owns the state record in the 55 at 6.38 seconds, the conference is full of speedsters. Max Shapiro and Ali Carter of Falmouth, Kyle Barron of Kennebunk, Rhylan Avery of Sanford and Windham’s Karl Longstreth, among others, are contenders in the 55 and 200. As the defending state champion in both races and the record holder in the 55, Clark is the favorite. But he’ll be pushed, and regular-season meets leading into the SMAA championships and the state meet should be interesting as they jockey for seeding.

The Class A girls’ 2-mile could be the most exciting race

Of the top 11 returning runners in the 2-mile based on last season’s times, Class A and B combined, 10 are held by Class A runners. Depending on which events coaches place athletes at the state meets, the Class A girls’ 2-mile could be won be any of them, said Ryan Dyer, Bonny Eagle’s cross country coach and the former girls’ indoor coach.

The top time belongs to Ewings, who is likely to dominate the Class B meet. After that, the next 10 fastest are in Class A. There’s Maggie Tripp of Thornton Academy, the defending state champion; Laurel Driscoll of Scarborough; the Cheverus trio of Grace Alexander, Paige Alexander and Allie Schmitt; Gretchen Plant and Zoe Castrucci of Hampden; Portland’s Maia Endicott; and Maya Sanzone of Marshwood.

“That event is stacked,” said Dyer.