In Times of Uncertainty, Train On
I’ve written this post a million times in my head, but now that I’m actually sitting down typing, I have no idea where to start. Which I guess sums up how life has been for me and pretty much everyone the past few weeks (in some places, it’s even months now). It seems there’s coronavirus news every day and some days bring a barrage of it raining down so quickly it barely leaves time to react before a new development is made.
For those wondering, here’s a super quick bullet-point list of what has happened over the last week.
NCAA canceled the spring/summer seasons. For those that don’t know, most track athletes based in the US compete at these college meets as well, so with the season being canceled and schools closing down, the majority of track meets we attend to qualify for the Olympics is greatly reduced.
I decided to take a down week in training as I felt I need to take the time to recoup and to get my body back on track, as I was dealing with niggling injuries here and there.
I decided to go home to be with my mom in Connecticut. I drove back home with most of my “essentials” last Sunday. I figured if anywhere got locked down, I would rather be with her, smothering her with my worry in person, haha. Plus, I live near an outdoor track, so I can still get my training done when the week is over.
The Syracuse K-12 schools closed. So now I’m out of work for the foreseeable future.
Syracuse University shut down the campus for the remainder of the semester. So, even if I had stayed, I wouldn’t have been able to use the indoor facilities to train, as they are also closing.
Gyms in Connecticut and New York (and I’m sure in many other states) have closed. I own a few small weights, kettlebells, and med balls, so my weight training is going down to the very basic of basics.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) remains steadfast in their decision that the Olympics shall go on as planned, despite the fact that meets continue to be canceled left and right, social distancing is in full effect, facilities and gyms are closing, and travel is severely limited nationally and internationally.
Out of everything, that last point has been the most frustrating. It feels as if the IOC are living in some sort of alternate universe. Their statements are full of phrases like “let’s not be too hasty” and “everything will be fine in a few months”, just as forecasts from around the world say that this crisis might go on for months on end. While China is in the midst of its recovery, the rest of the world is either in the beginning of their pandemic fight or smack dab in the middle of it. If things don’t return to some sort of semi-normal state until May, then that leaves two months to get back in peak shape AND find a meets to run at to qualify and then somehow peak again at the Olympics?
Please. Make it make sense.
I don’t mind continuing training. No athlete minds. In fact, it’s the only normal thing we have. But to say everything is fine and that you’re not even thinking of alternative plans is a disservice to everyone, athletes and fans included. Various countries’ situations may worsen and training may become more and more difficult and the IOC is essentially telling athletes to choose between doing the right thing by keeping those around them and themselves healthy and doing whatever they can to get some sort of training in. It’s just wrong.
I wrote this at the start of this week and by now many athletes have started chiming in with their thoughts and opinions. At the bare minimum, people just want clarity. We all understand it’s hard to make decisions in this tumultuous times. But give us something. A date for a final decision. Some real thoughts on where the committee is at. Some sympathy and/or empathy for athletes and our various situations. Any little crumb to keep those of us who aren’t always the strongest mentally going.
I didn’t announce this on my blog, but I was planning on making this year my last year competing in track and field. I wanted to go out with a bang - competing in Tokyo at the biggest sports event in the world. I wanted to see the culmination of my four years of hard work and sacrifice laid out in front of me in one last amazing push to the end. Obviously, things aren’t going to play out in exactly that fashion.
I think Stuart McMillan has summed up my thoughts best in this Twitter thread:
Re whether the Olympics should be canceled or not —> a thread
— Stuart McMillan (@StuartMcMillan1) March 18, 2020
1st - let’s flip the question around a little: “under what circumstance can the Games go forward?”
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I’m constantly anxious about the uncertainty of it all. I’m anxious that the IOC will continue to be irresponsible and make this crazy time of uncertainty even worse when it doesn’t have to be.
I think they should postpone. And move the qualification period as needed to give athletes a real chance at this.
Until some announcement of the sort is given, I just have to continue on with as much training as I can get in.
My down week has just started and it’ll be filled with ab workouts and yoga. Luckily my mom owns a treadmill, so if I can’t find my way to my closest outdoor track, I can keep up some sort of physical fitness with that.
I think the next few weeks will test coaches’ abilities to get creative with workouts. Obviously the goals have to change. We’re all just trying our best to maintain fitness at this point. And hopefully stay fit enough so that when the time comes to get back into things, the transition can be as easy on our bodies as possible.
I hope you all are doing your best to stay healthy and safe out there. Wash your hands again. Eat some fruits and veggies. Take a break from the constant news and do something non-productive for a bit. Be kind and compassionate out there. We all need it. Send love and appreciation for all the essential workers risking their own health for others.
Take it all one day at a time and just stay calm and informed. That’s what I plan to do.
<3 Gemma
