It’s one step forward and two steps back amid Covid havoc
We all know that up to last weekend, Westmeath was at level 3 of the Plan for Living with Covid-19 but with the number of cases across the country continuing to rise sharply, it was obvious that we had to move to level 4 at least, with every possibility of level 5 down the road unless there is a clear improvement in the coming weeks.
At level 3 we were allowed to train in pods of 15, and that’s the same with level 4, but level 5 could put paid to that.
Mindful of the deteriorating situation and in light of developments with regard to Government restrictions, Athletics Ireland issued a press release last Friday from the Competition and Juvenile Committees reaffirming that they will be doing all they can to facilitate the hosting of the National Cross Country Championships.
While there are numerous other considerations to take into account, it has been agreed that national cross country competitions may be pushed out as far as the end of February 2021 to ensure they can take place.
Among the considerations that Athletics Ireland has in mind is the prior holding of regional cross country championships, including the Leinsters, and it is quite possible that these too might push into the new year.
Even if held in 2021, they will still be regarded as the 2020 Championships and the 2020 juvenile ages will still apply.
The press release concluded by urging all Athletics Ireland stakeholders to continue to be vigilant to limit the spread of Covid-19 through social distancing, regular hand washing and sanitising, together with the wearing of face coverings and strict adherence to Government advice.
For now, we must redouble our efforts to make training as safe as possible at the Club grounds during the week and in Belvedere at the weekend with strict adherence to the Covid-19 guidelines, especially social distancing not only among athletes and coaches but among parents too dropping and collecting their children at training.
We all must play our part to try and suppress this virus or we face an end to Club training, which for some is their only exercise outlet and it would be sorely missed.
We’ve had a few very cold nights at training recently, so it’s a good time to remind everyone that they should wear appropriate running gear for the cold weather, especially as the hall is currently out of bounds due to Covid-19 restrictions on the use of indoor facilities.
Warm clothing is essential and that includes going to and from training. A pair of lightweight gloves, a woollen hat and a few layers of warm clothing is all it takes. Having a warm sweat shirt, fleece or jacket for after training is especially important.
Parents of younger juveniles should insist that they wear the proper clothing. Also, lightweight running tights or leggings are recommended and will give much needed protection against the cold. Athletes not properly dressed for the cold weather will not perform to their best.
We can see the floodlights coming on earlier and earlier every evening at the Club, which acts as a reminder for everyone running from the clubhouse on the roads to take road safety seriously and wear reflective clothing.
If you do not wear reflective clothing, how can you expect drivers to see you? It is very simple, if you are not wearing a reflective bib, you should not be running on the road at night.
For the latest news, results and details of fixtures check the club’s Facebook page or the website at www.mullingarharriers.com.