Due to the sudden emergence of COVID-19 last year, there was a cancelation to the 2020 track season. For distance runners on the Track and Field team it has been more than a year and a half since the last time they were able to compete. 

With the season finally back in action, there are high hopes for the distance athletes to compete at the conference championship and a new “normal” for them to combat.

“In the past we went all five days of the week and would meet up on weekends on our own,” senior distance runner Donovan Barnhart said. “Now we really only meet for short meetings and our shorter recovery runs are done individually or with our houses.” 

Being back together with the team has been a big accomplishment for the team. 

“It is nice to have the structure back with a goal of competing and the ability to practice with the group,” Barnhart said.  “People are getting more comfortable, and everyone is getting better each week.”

With the team being somewhat back together there is a bit of normality to the lives of these athletes. Senior distance runner Rajesh Gill said another challenge these athletes face are mask requirements.

“When we do track workouts and when we aren’t running hard we have to wear a mask,” Gill said. “It takes a little bit to recover because it is hard to breath.”

While Gill said, “he has gotten a bit more used to it,” he said there is no doubt that the masks make it very hard to put out the best performance possible. 

“When competing, athletes get to compete with masks off because of our weekly testing,” Kevin Adkisson, head cross country and track & field coach, said. “When they check in, athletes get to remove their mask at the line.”  

A final challenge these athletes face is there is always a chance for a positive test to come up. 

“We have been so prepared to change at a moment’s notice,” Barnhart said.

According to Adkisson, there have already been a couple of positive tests that have halted practices for the team, putting into perspective how easily COVID-19 can ruin the season. 

Adkisson gave a lot of thanks to the administration and health community who have worked hard to get the team where it is today. There is also credit given to the athletes on the team who have worked to stay healthy during this year. 

“When taking the full squad to the meet we take two busses and to get on the bus the athletes have to do a symptom check and have their temperature taken,” Adkisson said.  

These two procedures, combined with the weekly testing, can bring about a varying degree of uncertainty and anxiety, both of which can impact how an athlete competes. 

Adkisson said he is very excited for the future and that, “a few people, that had a challenge with motivation or health, are ramping up.” 

According to Adkisson the team is scheduled to have six meets left this season. 

With the future looking bright, Gill explains that, “the last week of competition is GNAC,” and that, “a lot of us are looking to rank in the top 16 and compete at GNAC’s.”

According to Barnhart, there are some underclassmen such as Shawn Clough, Ethan Lapic, Katelynn Strate and Molly Mattson, who have done really well so far. 

Barnhart said that he, “expects these athletes to continue to grow.”

All these challenges aside, the team has made great strides in both their training and performance since the beginning of the year, with many athletes posting great times so far. 

Gill said, “there are many things to expect in the future for this tight group of friends that works every day to be the best versions of themselves.”