Running in the lockdown

Running in the lockdown

24 February 2021

WITH all club activity suspended since before Christmas due to Covid-19 regulations, East Down Athletic Club members have not been able to meet in their normal way. 

Many rely on running as a way to stay fit, to unwind or simply to get out of the house, but that does not mean that continuing to do so without the camaraderie of club mates is easy.

When it became obvious early January that things were going to be restricted for some time, the coaches decided that a January plan would be emailed to all members and in order to encourage the runners to be consistent.

They included an end of month goal. A 10K timed run was the target with the thought being, that some would be building up to being able to cover the distance comfortably, and others would be training in order to improve their previous times. 

As an added carrot, anyone who completed the timed 10k was to be entered in a draw for free membership for 2021/22. The coaches were impressed that so many stuck to the plan, logging their weekly workouts with each other as a way of proving that they were ticking off the sessions. 

The motivation gained by being accountable to others clearly worked, and despite the fact that January was the coldest in many years with several snow days as well as icy conditions which had to be overcome, there were 35 members who submitted their 10K times. 

Eamon Kelly was the lucky winner of the free sign-up, but all who took part were pleased to have stayed on track throughout January. In fact, the enthusiasm was such that they called for a February Plan and are now on week four, heading towards a 5K challenge this weekend. Good luck to all involved. 

Athletics Northern Ireland have also been setting some challenges for runners to keep them motivated. The most recent one was a five mile virtual relay.

East Down AC managed to field enough runners to make the mixed team entry of four males and four females.

There was a one-week window to complete the five miles and apart from covid-19 regulations, there was also the stipulation that the route taken had to start and finish at the same point (to prevent someone running downhill), not be loops of less than one kilometre and then the proof had to be uploaded to a portal by a set time. 

Neither of the two weekends in the window were tempting from the point of view of the forecast. Saturday, February 13, was snow-bound in many areas and last Saturday was extremely wet and windy. It was as much of a challenge to find somewhere sheltered which adhered to Athletics NI rules as it was to run the five miles.

Team EDAC kicked off with Aaron McGrady setting an impressive 25.44 on an icy day when cornering was an issue. Hannah Somani ran the same route the same day and produced an equally useful time for the female contingent with 31.23. 

Next to post a time was Jonny Holmes racing for the first time in EDAC colours. Edie Carroll did her bit during midweek and then the others, having held off for better weather, ran out of days.

With that, Saturday saw them forge their way in various locations close to home all as wet and miserable as each other. Bravo to Sharon Madine, Caroline MacNabb, Neil Curran and Barrie Atkinson for making the effort to represent the club. 

Some of them ran times short of their normal best due to the foul weather, but the main thing is that by completing their individual runs they gave East Down AC a team ranking — sixth place out of 12 is commendable, especially given that so many clubs failed to get enough runners to get a classification.

One runner who was supposed to run for the club in the Athletics Northern Ireland Road Relay was Gordy Graham. He normally loves to get out and push himself to the limit, but he was conspicuous by his absence despite having signed up. 

Letting down the team would of course be frowned on, but on this occasion he will certainly be excused. When he was supposed to be clocking up 5 miles, Gordy was doing laps of a different sort. He was anxiously pacing in the Daisy Hill Hospital and had been since early morning, waiting for partner Steph Girvan to give birth. 

He was over the moon when baby Lachlan appeared just before midnight. Both he and Steph were relieved that he finally put in an appearance and more than delighted to become parents for the first time. Exciting times ahead and all at East Down AC wish them well.

Lachlan Stephen George Graham completes a lockdown hat-trick for the club as two other active members have also added to the EDAC’s junior waiting list in the last few months.

Caroline MacNabb a long-time member of the club, gave birth on September 20 to a baby girl, Caoimhe. This little one is likely to be an athletics star in the making since, as well as having a highly competitive runner as a mum, her dad Conaill is a keen triathlete. 

Another EDAC member, Ryan McVeigh, also became a father when his partner Natalie gave birth to baby Theo on October 27. It is great to be able to share good news in these somewhat gloomy times and we look forward to seeing these babies out and about at races in the not too distant future.

EDAC will hold their AGM tonight via Zoom. Current members are invited to log in online to hear the annual update and witness the election of officers. It will be a novelty to do so from the comfort of their own homes, and a historic first for the meeting to take place by video link. 

Although Covid-19 has closed the clubrooms since March and club sessions have been on and off according to the rules, the committee has continued to work hard behind the scenes to keep members informed and encourage them to keep training. Their efforts will ensure that the club will be ready for action when it is permitted.