With various groups now returning to Morton Stadium for training from tonight the club captains have updated the lane allocation and timeslots for track training in Morton Stadium for the club’s athletes. This is set out below. A few important points, however, before that:
There is always room for flexibility – it is a matter of coaches talking to one another on the night in question, in particular during the cross country season many groups will not always be training in Morton Stadium on Tuesdays as Trinity Sports Grounds will be available from September onwards. So flexibility is key. Likewise Thursdays are not as busy on the track is Tuesdays.
The club captains would ask all groups to please follow track etiquette:
Do not start your group session before your allocated time, unless the previous groups are finished and the track is clear. (Or you have the agreement of the particular coach).
Strides must be done in an anticlockwise direction – it is completely unfair if juvenile athletes are doing their session and they round the bend to be faced by senior athletes running straight at them doing strides. Strides should be done, at the Clonliffe side on the long jump runways (if long jump not in use) or in your groups allocated Lane (if not in use). Over at the main stand side – strides to be done in Lane 9 7 10 (from 7.30pm only), on health & safety grounds in an anticlockwise direction.
Please, please, please no recovery or jogging on the lanes which are in use for sessions – athletes should step off the track onto the infield for all recoveries. If for example your group is doing 300s it is not acceptable for the last 100 to be jogged in the ‘fast Lane’.
Do not go onto the track until your entire group is ready to go, we cannot have a situation where there are a group of 10 athletes standing on the track doing a countdown before starting.
All warm-ups should be completed off the track, unless the track is completely clear, likewise cool down after training should be completed off the track – the infield may be used, subject of course to the infield being clear, all are reminded to be mindful that the field events athletes may be training at the same time – beware of those javelin throwers!
The club HP Gym is available to all on Tuesday and Thursdays.
Finally, things will happen – athletes will ‘get in the way’, there will be ‘slower athletes’ on the track – but at all times absolute courtesy must be observed between all athletes and groups. Everyone is entitled to their training slot.
As always coaches please feel free to talk to any of the club captains if any issues arise going forward.
The club captains wish all a successful cross country season. Nil desperandum!
