While the pandemic has forced every high school sports team to make adjustments, one of the more unusual is that the indoor track team has mostly moved outdoors this winter.

During the usual indoor track season, distance runners would often run in the third-floor hallways after school. But this year they have had to run outside, in the winter weather. 

The traditional indoor track meets, which usually involve many high schools competing indoors at Edinboro University on winter Saturdays, have been canceled.

Smaller meets, involving a few high schools, have been scheduled for outdoors. Some have been canceled due to the winter weather, but the team did have a meet on Wednesday at Peters Township High School, and they have an optional meet on Saturday, which will end the season. 

Practicing outside in winter has presented a challenge for the team.

The runners have had to be careful about “muscle cramps, and the worry of slipping on ice, ” junior Olivia Macellaro said.

Sophomore Andrew Barrett agreed.

“We have to bring extra warm clothes and jackets and gloves because of the cold conditions, and the cold easily makes everyone fatigued easily,” Barrett said. “It’s a huge mental battle because people don’t want to run in the cold. We’re always dreading running outside.”

Also, some of the key aspects of indoor track have been removed.

“We can’t have relays,” sophomore Phillip Pegher said.

They also have to wear masks while running their events, which has taken some time to get used to.

“Masks limit running,” Barrett said. 

The pole vaulters and sprinters, meanwhile, are still using the Wallace building, but they have had to be careful for some of their exercises and practices to match the guidelines and follow safe procedures.

Also complicating the season was the three-week shutdown for all winter sports in the state early in the season and recent bad weather canceling some meets.

“We’ve lost a decent amount of time due to our late start this year. With the COVID cases rising, we had to push back the start of the season,” senior CJ Lucas said.

All the team can do is practice and hope that they get enough of their season in.

“I’ve been taking it one day at a time and focusing on each practice,” Lucas said.