For all runners crying about missing outdoors due to COVID-19, read this post.

Yeah life is always at risk for all of us, especially people with conditions that make it all too easy for them to die from something like the flu that's normally treatable. We don't know nearly as much about coronavirus as we do other illnesses and that makes it more dangerous for people who are really susceptible. Just because YOU probably wouldn't face any long-term consequences if you got infected doesn't mean that everyone is that lucky. Even if you're asymptomatic, you can be a carrier and you can spread this to someone who could be in huge trouble because of it. Please consider that not everyone is fortunate health-wise and that these cancellations are designed to save their lives.

Sorry if this came off as rude because that wasn't my intention. I understand that you're frustrated and a lot of us are in the same place right now, but running isn't being taken away from us. We can run without coaches telling us what to do and without access to specific facilities, which is more than a lot of other sports can say. Hopefully things go back to normal soon for everyone - the sooner we do things to keep this virus from spreading, the sooner we can move on with everything else in our lives.

not true wrote:

Please don't spread false info regarding running unattached. The NCAA considers unattached competition utilizing eligibility, with exemptions for national team qualifying meets (ie. U20s, USAs). It's why we've seen open or redshirt runners disappear from collegiate meets since the early 2000s.

Unless they override this, club/AAU etc. racing this spring during the standard season dates due to faulty advice will lose students their outdoor eligibility.

The outdoor season could be later applied to a 5th year if properly maintained through following policy this spring.

The college I ran for redshirts most of the freshmen every year and they race unattached several times throughout the year. If running unattached isn't allowed then a major team is jeopardizing eligibility of all of their freshmen every year and not getting caught. Are you sure you are understanding the rule correctly? I don't think they would do this and get away with it if it truly was violating an NCAA rule in this way. I ran a full track season the year I redshirted by running unattached as did many of my teammates (this was 2nd half of 2000's, but I know the team still does this.)

pretty sure this is allowed. If its not so many are doing it, so no one must care. not true sounds like the kid who waits for the light to turn at the crosswalk on an empty street while in the middle of a run.

Free willy wrote:

Even if "open meets" exist, you are not respecting the need to reduce the risk of spreading if you go.

That's nonsense and an ignorant thing to say.

You sound like a person who doesn’t understand what the flu is and have never experienced success in this sport

There is merit in your feelings but the people really getting screwed are -

1. Families who rely on income that doesn’t exist anymore and so cannot pay for electricity or food or rent

2. People who are desperately ill and dying

3. Carers of people who are desperately ill and dying.

4. Small business owners who have to pay staff that are unable to come to work for weeks and weeks - thus causing untold financial hardship

Perspective would show that there are countless - literally countless - groups of runners alone who are worse off than you. In running, seniors in college, seniors in college who would have won national titles, Open age runners who would have won national titles, runners who would have made their first Olympic team, runners who would have won an Olympic medal, runners who would have won an Olympic gold medal. And that’s just one part of one sport .....

There are periods in history when the common man has to “take one for the team” - you aren’t the first and certainty won’t be the last.

So we can feel empathy for your plight but try to feel empathy for those around you who have much greater burdens to bear at this time. It might help you get through a difficult time.

and add:

5. Health care workers, including but not limited to nurses, physicians, surgeons, respiratory techs, radiology techs, phlebotomists, housekeeping, transporters, food deliverers etc, all trying to to their jobs without getting sick or transmitting the coronavirus, and being asked to do more when their coworkers call in sick or have to self quarantine.

This is how you do it. Small time trial/races and go after PRs. Puffer now has a shiny new 8:52 PR despite all races being cancelled.

Taylor Werner ran an NCAA record time in front of the nation this year, UNATTACHED. She did not sacrifice a year of eligibility.

" Secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer and 33,950 deaths from heart disease each year. Between 1964 and 2014, 2.5 million people died from exposure to secondhand smoke, according to the 2014 report from the U.S. Surgeon General.Mar 13, 2019"

"In 2016, 10,497 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for 28% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States."

"In 2018, the estimated number of murders in the nation was 16,214"

We don't "cancel the world" as a result of ANY of these things, which kill more people each year. I'm NOT saying COVID-19 isn't serious, it obviously is VERY serious. I'm just curious why the response is SO MASSIVE, yet we don't have anywhere near the same reaction to all these other EPIDEMIC type situations in our country.

You're normally just an LRC annoyance but during this time of crisis your posts are potentially dangerous. Stop being a selfish, ignorant idiot.

Stay home, engage in distancing, listen to the medical experts. You are going to get somebody killed you fool.

That is not true. Scholarships will be honored. An athlete may not have eligibility but they will be financially cover if on scholarship.

What does this do to my chances of getting laid?

As the current growth of infected people, the medical profession can handle everyone infected. However, if these precautions are not taken, then a spike will occur in the number of people infected, and there will not be enough personnel and resources to keep up. Many would un- needlessly die.

NewNormal wrote:

" Secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer and 33,950 deaths from heart disease each year. Between 1964 and 2014, 2.5 million people died from exposure to secondhand smoke, according to the 2014 report from the U.S. Surgeon General.Mar 13, 2019"

"In 2016, 10,497 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for 28% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States."

"In 2018, the estimated number of murders in the nation was 16,214"

We don't "cancel the world" as a result of ANY of these things, which kill more people each year. I'm NOT saying COVID-19 isn't serious, it obviously is VERY serious. I'm just curious why the response is SO MASSIVE, yet we don't have anywhere near the same reaction to all these other EPIDEMIC type situations in our country.

These "What about this other illness" arguments are tremendously naive and misleading. Our cowardly President explicitly stated that he "liked the numbers" where they were and is more concerned about the artificial optics of having a low count of cases. In turn, the administration put pressure on people to not test and severely limited the testing procedures. We don't know the real COVID numbers, so comparing them to automobile deaths and murders is useless.

To your point, perhaps we SHOULD have a similar response to murders and drunk driving, which are also problematic.

If you're in the best shape of your life, keep getting in better shape. It's not like illness or injury has taken that away from you -- I've seen plenty of seniors careers end that way which isn't any more fair.

Hopefully, you're already accepted at a college you want to attend even if you don't run. Do the work now and try to walk-on in the fall. Runners do it every year. Two guys who walked on to our D-1 team are among our top-ten performers. Running, like life, rewards those who do the work, and persist.

Bob Washington wrote:

Yes, later exists, but I’m a senior in high school with a legitimate shot at a pair of individual titles and my team has a shot at winning. I’ve never experienced a track team championship or an individual in xc or track. I can’t get this year back. It sucks, but I also know that “if sport is the most important thing in your life, you’re living a good life”. Don’t make it something smaller than it is though, because all the seniors out there are getting screwed.

Man I could'a won state if not for that dang coronio virius,