Outrunning the Pandemic
Queensbury XC runners adapt to the challenges of competing under the cloud of Covid
By Brianna Lucynski, Co-Editor in Chief
Queensbury XC runners adapt to the challenges of competing under the cloud of Covid
By Brianna Lucynski, Co-Editor in Chief
This year’s fall sports season has been unlike any other, with most sports being cancelled and team sizes being cut in order to accommodate COVID-19 protocols. Student athletes this season have learned to adapt to the changes. I spoke to members of the girls cross country team; Lauren Trackey; girl’s team captain, and Gabrielle Reed; senior member of the team. They took me through the various protocols put in place this cross country season and how they have impacted the team.
When student-athletes walk into practice each day, temperatures are immediately taken and athletes find a seat, socially distanced on the gym bleachers. After arriving, coaches discuss the workout plan for the day. After warmups and drills, the team then breaks out into “pods”; these are groups based on speed that athletes workout with and run with during practice. “Each group is 5 people tops,” says Reed. The “pods” stay consistent every practice. Practice ends on the track, which is unoccupied by the football team this year, the team stretches and does “core”, all while masked and socially distant. “Whenever we’re not running we’re wearing masks,” says Reed.
This rule is followed strictly, during races and practices. In addition to changes in practice routine, this year's team has been cut down in size in order to follow COVID guidelines. “We would usually have around 70 people,” says Trackey, “but this year due to the restrictions, we could only have the top ten boys and top ten girls.”
In order to follow COVID guidelines during races, runners follow a delayed start. Trackey explains, “We start one minute apart, we have to put up our gator if we are passing someone, and we don’t linger at races, we leave as soon as we’re done.” Runners are set up in order from fastest to slowest in order to minimize passing each other. On top of that, the opposing team runs first and a ten minute break takes place before the home team sends their first runner. In the event that a runner does pass someone, both runners pull up their “gators”or face masks until they are 12 feet away from the runner. While these protocols are put into place for the safety of athletes and the community, they completely change the mindset of the runner. Reed says that the delayed start times, “Makes it feel like you’re running on your own.” It’s a change from past seasons with packed start lines and adrenaline that comes with a big race. She says, “It’s kinda hard not to feel like you’re just in a practice.”
Runners had to come up with strategies to overcome these feelings and stay motivated during a race. Different strategies include everything from, pretending to hear footsteps behind you to simply just trying to get the race over with as quickly as possible. Team captain; Trackey shared a unique strategy with me, “My biggest strategy was to wear my watch, check my split/mile times, imagine the person behind me was chasing me with a knife, and trying to catch up with the person in front of me. I have to say, this strategy sounds scary but it works.” While nothing compares to the adrenaline rush of a packed trail, cheering crowds and the fight to the end, runners have done their best this season to replicate the feelings of a real race.
However it was not possible to replicate the feelings of a true cross country season this year. This is in part due to the cut of many long time senior participants and hopeful newcomers to the sport. “As a freshman, I never would’ve imagined my senior cross country season being like this,” commented Trackey. Due to a lack of freshmen and seniors this past season the team dynamic has changed. There haven’t been any team dinners the night before big race days or the usual freshmen initiations. While Coaches and Teammates alike wish that the whole team could have been together this year they remain hopeful for the future. Trackey explains, “Motivation is what kept us going” and motivation will keep the Queensbury cross country team running ahead for seasons to come.
When student-athletes walk into practice each day, temperatures are immediately taken and athletes find a seat, socially distanced on the gym bleachers. After arriving, coaches discuss the workout plan for the day. After warmups and drills, the team then breaks out into “pods”; these are groups based on speed that athletes workout with and run with during practice. “Each group is 5 people tops,” says Reed. The “pods” stay consistent every practice. Practice ends on the track, which is unoccupied by the football team this year, the team stretches and does “core”, all while masked and socially distant. “Whenever we’re not running we’re wearing masks,” says Reed.
This rule is followed strictly, during races and practices. In addition to changes in practice routine, this year's team has been cut down in size in order to follow COVID guidelines. “We would usually have around 70 people,” says Trackey, “but this year due to the restrictions, we could only have the top ten boys and top ten girls.”
In order to follow COVID guidelines during races, runners follow a delayed start. Trackey explains, “We start one minute apart, we have to put up our gator if we are passing someone, and we don’t linger at races, we leave as soon as we’re done.” Runners are set up in order from fastest to slowest in order to minimize passing each other. On top of that, the opposing team runs first and a ten minute break takes place before the home team sends their first runner. In the event that a runner does pass someone, both runners pull up their “gators”or face masks until they are 12 feet away from the runner. While these protocols are put into place for the safety of athletes and the community, they completely change the mindset of the runner. Reed says that the delayed start times, “Makes it feel like you’re running on your own.” It’s a change from past seasons with packed start lines and adrenaline that comes with a big race. She says, “It’s kinda hard not to feel like you’re just in a practice.”
Runners had to come up with strategies to overcome these feelings and stay motivated during a race. Different strategies include everything from, pretending to hear footsteps behind you to simply just trying to get the race over with as quickly as possible. Team captain; Trackey shared a unique strategy with me, “My biggest strategy was to wear my watch, check my split/mile times, imagine the person behind me was chasing me with a knife, and trying to catch up with the person in front of me. I have to say, this strategy sounds scary but it works.” While nothing compares to the adrenaline rush of a packed trail, cheering crowds and the fight to the end, runners have done their best this season to replicate the feelings of a real race.
However it was not possible to replicate the feelings of a true cross country season this year. This is in part due to the cut of many long time senior participants and hopeful newcomers to the sport. “As a freshman, I never would’ve imagined my senior cross country season being like this,” commented Trackey. Due to a lack of freshmen and seniors this past season the team dynamic has changed. There haven’t been any team dinners the night before big race days or the usual freshmen initiations. While Coaches and Teammates alike wish that the whole team could have been together this year they remain hopeful for the future. Trackey explains, “Motivation is what kept us going” and motivation will keep the Queensbury cross country team running ahead for seasons to come.