An Ode To Outdoor Track: The Sad, The Bad and The Great

The Sad

I think anyone can agree that they did not see outdoor track season ending this way. Swiftly and suddenly. As a coach, I can say my grief snuck in quite the opposite. At first, I thought “this is great. The kids will be able to really focus on their training, have time to stretch and foam roll, sleep 8 hours, hydrate…it will be okay”. Then Governor Wolf closed all the schools and PIAA shuts down winter and spring sports...cue all sentimental Twitter and Instagram posts. Seniors leaving without their final races, teammates training without one another and coaches are left with weekly e-mails and Zoom meetings. In the end, the entire situation is incredibly sad. As a tribute to Outdoor 2020, I have complied a short list of aspects I miss dearly and other aspects…not as much.

The Bad

There is not much I dislike about outdoor track and field season. Behind every “bad” situation is probably a story that is hilarious or will be hilarious down the road. I can think of very distinct memories in each of these.

1. The weather: Let’s be honest. Spring in Pennsylvania is brutal. Two feet of snow during the first week of outdoor. Pours rain during your first dual meet. Whipping 30 mph winds. 85 degrees on May 1. Sun burnt necks and shoulders. Back to rain and wind on May 2. Truly special.
   
   
2. “Hey did the _________ get on the bus”: Outdoor season comes with many accessories. Discuses, javelins, shot puts, poles, tape measures, batons, tents, blankets, umbrellas…the list could go on. There is nothing worse than waiting to leave of an invitational, you turn around and ask the kids “hey guys – did the poles make it on the bus? Did the pole vaulters make it on the bus? Is pole vault even over yet?” *Insert story of Coach Brown at Great Valley*
   
   
3. Any type of crew: Hurdle crew, tent crew, jump pit crew, measuring crew, starting block crew, standards crew. You name it and there is a crew during outdoor season. If you have a great crew, then your invitational is golden. If you are herding your crew like lost cats, then bless your heart.
   
   
4. Starts: false starts, bad starts, long starts, fast starts, slow starts…can make or break a race. To be honest, starts really make or break the entire meet. No likes a false starts on the 15th heat of the 200m prelims.
   
   
5. My track bag: Or shall I call it my track suitcase? The amount of layers that my body requires during outdoor season is actually incredible. I am a smaller person so I usually wear my big black parka jacket until Penn Relays. I slowly graduate down to 2 lighter jackets and a vest…at once. During some invitationals, I will arrive and it is 36 degrees at 8AM. By 10AM, the sun will start to rise up higher and it will be a balmy 45 degrees and I can get rid of my first layer. Another 2 hours go by and I am shedding layers like a snake shedding their skin. Somehow the high for the day is 72 degrees with no wind and not a cloud. Usually, I can be found by the finish line stuffing my parka in my track bag like a Thanksgiving turkey by 1PM. Just to only to unpack my entire bag an hour later to find the rain jacket for the impending rain storm coming through.

The bad isn’t that bad. I would take all five of those not great aspects over our current situation. I truly would. I would even hurdle crew by myself to bring back outdoor season…don't get any ideas Coach Kelly!

The Great

Time for the great parts of outdoor season. I am an outdoor kind of gal. It was my birth into the running world. Hurdles and pole vault were my gymnastics-like track events . As I got older, I realized how running without barriers is much easier. Though I would do 300mH over 800m because 2 laps at fast speed looks terrifying. Outdoor really brings a lot of different people together. Let’s look at the greats of outdoor I am missing this season.

1. Breaking It Down: I love the technical part of outdoor. There is so much to improve upon all the time, especially in the events with all the implements. I love teaching the biomechanics of an event. The never ending drills to make an athlete better. Talking through each individual step. Giving cues. The timing. I could go on forever. Track is not just running in a circle. There is so much technique, finesse, and strategy to every single event.
   
   
2. Invitationals: I love invitationals. Whippet, Rustin, Warrior, Henderson, Kennett Novice…just to name a few local favorites. There is opportunity in each individual event from the first to the last. Standards are made. Records are broken. Races are competitive. Do they take forever sometimes? Sure. Even during those long days, it is so much fun to watch other events, get to know other coaches and bond with the kiddos.
   
   
3. Variety: There are so many events in outdoor season. Short running events, long running events, jumping into things events, jumping over things events, throwing events – outdoor has it all! This type of variety brings out so many different athletes. As a teacher, I love to watch my students succeed outside the classroom. Outdoor has the ability to bring a large collective of athletes together. XC, football, wrestling, diving, gymnastics, soccer – everyone from the other seasons can join the same team! It’s truly amazing to see the skill and talent that is on one team.
   
   
4. Fresh Air: Though I complained about the weather, there is something amazing about being in the fresh air. There is a type of tired from being outside that I love. During the winter season, I spend my time on a pool deck. Hot, humid, chlorinated. Outdoor track and field brings a sense of renewal from the very first day. Feeling the wind and sun on my face is a liberating feeling. Plus, I can rock a pretty good track tan by mid-May. “OMG! You’re so tan! Did you go to Florida for spring break?” Nope. Track tan. Only my face is tan.
   
   
5. Relationships: Do you realize how much time you spend with your coaches and athletes during outdoor season? It can be up to 15 hours a week based on your schedule. I have gotten to know so many people from outdoor season. The kids, coaches, other teams and their coaches. My favorite spot is at the finish line.  I like to practice my hand timing (I am terrible) while talking to my athletes. I like to congratulate athletes as they come off the track. I like to talk to coaches about splits. Holding a kid up after a hard race. Watching a relay celebrate. Discussing race strategy. All of these interactions equal relationships. Relationships are what make outdoor season great.

So there ya have it…the sad, the (not-so) bad and the great. Outdoor 2020 was never supposed to be like this. Of course, the weather has been somewhat tame this spring, which makes it a little be harder to bear. My heart goes out to the seniors who never got their last meet. Bigger things are coming your way, I promise. Our minds stay focused on the training, the process, the buildup. Before we know it, it will be XC season again. The leaves will fall, winter will come and we will find ourselves in outdoor season of 2021.

If you are finding yourself itching to race, then you can sign up for the Henderson Virtual 3200m race - free to sign up, instructions on how to participate in the event and how to enter your results. It will be a good time. Henderson Virtual 3200m. 

Ms. Ronayne and her hurdlers (2018)