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Clonliffe athletes are reminded of the importance of being careful whilst training in Santry Park, particularly when doing sessions. The park is for the use of all, so be mindful of our Santry neighbors especially young children and older people. Please ensure that you give them plenty of room, and if you come a little too close to someone please apologize. Coaches before starting training it would be appreciated if you would remind the athletes in your group.

With Dublin to move to level 3 at midnight tonight there are a few changes that we will have to implement as a club.  The change is not that dramatic but it is vitally important that all fully understand and follow the suggested directives below:

On the face of it no competition is permitted during the level 3 period.

Training may continue with pods of fifteen.  This pod includes not only the athletes but also the coaches.  Please all stick to the limit of fifteen.  If as a coach you have more than fourteen athletes in your group you must split the group into two.  We cannot have a situation where there are twenty or twenty-five athletes training together.  This applies not only to the training session but also to the warmup.

It is advisable, therefore, that groups be split into pods and it is also suggested that the pods should not be interchangeable – in other words if athlete A is in pod A that athlete must stay with that group.  The two groups must not meet, if they are doing the same session they should do it in different sides of the track or on different areas of the park.  They should not meet for warmup strides, stretching or warm-down but must be kept entirely separate.

We must be vigilant in recording who is there at each session with their contact details.  Please, therefore, when you are booking your athletes into a training session (and this is not just for the track but is for any club training session) please make sure you book the athlete with their telephone number. This list is vitally important for contract tracing if needed by the Health Authorities.

It is suggested that all coaches should wear a face mask.

It is also suggested that athletes when arriving for training should wear face masks and continue to wear these masks when they are being given their instruction or are involved in static stretching etc. and only remove face masks when they are starting their warmup/training.

There can be no physical contact whatsoever between the members of the training group.

Social distancing of 2 metres must be strictly observed at all times during the training except whilst actually running – social distancing, therefore, should be maintained between reps.

Socialising before and after training should be basically cut out.

Athletes must continue to arrive for training ready to train. There are no dressing rooms/showers at this time.

Athletes to bring hand sanitiser and to use the hand sanitiser before starting training and immediately upon finishing training.

Athletes to bring their own tissues and wipes.

Athletes must bring their own drinks – under no circumstances can drinks be shared and drinks should be clearly identifiable as to who owns them and they should be kept away from other athlete’s drinks to avoid cross contamination.  Only athletes should handle their own drinks bottle. 

All to observe coughing and sneezing etiquette.

All to refrain entirely from spitting.

No-one can come to training, athlete or coach, if they have any symptoms of Covid 19 or flulike symptoms.  But rather those must contact their G.P. and follow their G.P.’s directions.

Likewise if anyone has been in contact with someone who has had Covid 19 within the previous fourteen days they should not come to training.

If anyone is waiting for the results of a Covid 19 test they should not come to training.

If anyone in the household is waiting on a Covid 19 test then the athlete/coach should not come training until after a negative result.

Anyone who has been outside of the island of Ireland (except from a green list country) cannot come training until fourteen clear days elapses.

For track usage, we will maintain the same training slots for groups. 

Please keep in touch with any of your club mates who may not be around the stadium during these challenging times.

Sunday training for Juvenile athletes resumes again on sunday morning 10.00 to 11.15. In recent weeks to facilitate our National Track & Field Championships Sunday training has been cancelled. Gladys’ group will once again be back at it from sunday.

Also Gerry Carr’s group resumes after their break on Tuesday the 22nd at 7pm.

With Covid 19 numbers rising in Dublin it is vitally important that all Clonliffe Harriers continue to meet the threat as we have to date.

In the interests of all it is not yet proposed to open the clubhouse. Toilets are available in the stadium. No showers at this time, arrive ready to train, and limit as much as possible congratulating in groups.

Training for Clonliffe members continues in Morton Stadium on Tuesdays/Thursdays 7pm – 9pm, Sundays 9.30-11.30am.

Training groups must remain in “pods” of no more than 15 to include coaches.

Bookings must be made by the group coach bookingsclonliffeharriersac@gmail.com

There can be no physical contact whatsoever between the members of the training group.

Social distancing of 2M must be strictly observed before training, doing warm ups, between reps and after training.

We would advise wearing face covering when meeting up, taking instructions etc before you start training. Remove face masks when training.

Please observe coughing and sneezing etiquette.

Please refrain entirely from spitting.

Wash your hands before you leave home to come to training.

Bring hand santizer and use it!

Bring tissues.

Do not share drinks, be absolutely careful that your drink bottle does not touch against another athletes drink bottle, do not handle another athletes drink bottle, it is vitally important that cross contamination is avoided.

If you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or flu like symptoms do not come to train, self isolate and contact your GP.

If someone in your household has had Covid 19 within the past 14 days please self isolate and do not come to training.

If you or someone in your household has had a Covid 19 test do not come training until there is a negative result. Do not coming training while waiting for a result.

If you have been outside the island of Ireland do not come training until 14 days elapses, unless it is from a “green” list country.

Please note that to facilitate the Stadium hosting the National Masters and National combined events over the next two Sunday’s there will be no Sunday morning training for Gladys’ group. Those youngsters can however come up over the next couple of Tuesdays instead.

Also training for other juvenile groups will resume on Tuesday the 8th.

Note from Gladys: With the poor weather this afternoon/evening training for the younger juvenile athletes tonight is cancelled. Please do not travel to Santry tonight.

Coaches and members attention is drawn to the new restrictions announced by the government in the fight against Covid 19 which apply between now and September 13th (see posting from Athletics Ireland and guidance from Sport Ireland). There are particular aspects that affect the club. Club training continues but groups (or pods) are now limited to a maximum of 15, including coaches. This applies to ALL OUTDOOR training not just training in Morton Stadium. Indoor training is limited to 6, to include coaches. Sports events, including athletics, (the Nationals have been confirmed), can continue but strictly on a no spectators basis. It ought to be possible therefor to proceed with the planned 1000 & 3000 races on the 27th. Please note that it is vitally important that social distancing of 2m is observed by all for all pre training instruction, warm up, rest between the session work and cool down. If your training group including coaches is 15 or less continue as before. If your group exceeds 15 it needs to be split. In that case the members of each pod must remain constant until September 13th or later as maybe advised..

Coaches must book track slots for the group 24 hours before the session giving their name, the second coaches name and the name of the athletes who will be at the session up to a maximum of 15 (including coaches) please also supply contact details for all. As per usual the booking is made by email to bookingsclonliffeharriersac@gmail.com . Individual club members not part of a training group can book the 8.30 to 9.00pm slot, again you must e mail with your name and contact details. It is vitally important for contact tracing that everyone adheres to this.

For Clonliffe Morton Stadium use the sessions time slots for Tuesdays and Thursdays have been allocated to all groups as follows:

7.00 – 8.00pm Outside Hammer cage for Throws.

7.00-8.00pm Javelin on infield.

7.00-7.30pm; Philip O’Doherty/Maurice Ahern/Eugene Coppinger (lanes 1-4)

7.00-8.00pm: Gerry Carr (lanes 6 -10)

7.30-8.00pm: Joe Cooper/Peter McDermott/Pamela Cooper (lanes 1-4)

8.00-8.30pm: Mick Fogarty/Noel Guiden (lanes 1-3)

8.00-9.00pm: John Shields/ Ciaran Donohue (lanes 6-10)

8.30-9.00pm; Open for club members, not part of a training group, limited to 15 athletes.

Sundays 9.30 to 11.30am:

Juvenile groups (Lanes as needed)

Lanes 1 to 3: Middle distance groups

Lanes 4 to 10 Sprints groups

(To be discussed and agreed by the coaches on the morning)

It is important that all stick to the rules, again no more than 15 (including coaches) per training group at a time. If your group includes more than 15 please spread the group over Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday morning if needed. Once again we remind all that it is the responsibility of coaches and athletes to be fully aware of the protocols in place and their responsibilities. Please coaches ensure that every athlete in your group has read and understands the content of our Covid-19 page.

In the interests of all it is not yet proposed to open the clubhouse. Toilets are available in the stadium. No showers at this time, arrive ready to train, and limit as much social congregation.

Please note the following:

There can be no physical contact whatsoever between the members of the training group. (No hand shakes, high fives, hugs etc)

Social distancing of 2M must be strictly observed, for warm up, recovery, cool down.

No social gatherings pre or post training.

Please observe coughing and sneezing etiquette.

Please refrain entirely from spitting.

Wash your hands before you leave home to come training, bring a hand sanitiser with you, do not press any pedestrian crossing buttons and if you are stretching do not use a railings or park bench or similar to support you while you stretch.

Do not share drinks, be absolutely careful that your drink bottle does not touch against another athletes drink bottle, do not handle another athletes drink bottle, it is vitally important that cross contamination is avoided.

If you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or flu like symptoms do not come to train, self isolate and contact your GP.

If you have been out of the Island of Ireland (save one of the green countries) you must self isolate on return for 14 days before you can return to training.

If you live in one of the counties that are currently “lockdown”, Kildare, Offaly, Laois you cannot train with the club at this time.

62 years ago today the Dream Mile as put together by Billy Morton took place in Santry before a crowd of some 25,000. That crowd witnessed history as five men went sub 4 lead home in a new world record by Herb Elliott.

Elliott in his autobiography recalled:

“whizzed round the turn and could feel someone dogging me.   It could have been Lincoln.   It could have been Delany.  I didn’t care.   I felt I could hold whoever it was.   And then there was the tape coming closer and closer.   I was through with the shouts of 20,000 Irishmen ringing in my ears.   I looked over at the timekeepers and they were bouncing up and down unable to restrain their excitement.  One of them rushed over his face flushed ‘fantastic!’ ‘it’s just fantastic! your time is 3.54.5

I grinned at him in disbelief.   But soon there was no doubt that it was true for the times were announced officially over the loudspeakers.   Above the noise of the crowd the announcer told the world: ‘Elliott 1st, 3:54.5 a new world record”. 

Ronnie Delany, 3rd on the night in 3:57.5 in his biography ‘Staying the Distance’ recalled that Santry night:

‘I had thought beforehand that Herb Elliott was vulnerable.  He had just completed an incredible mile and a half double at the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff.   I felt he might relax a little in Dublin.   In learned in Sydney many years later from my friend Albie Thomas that every detail of the race had been pre-planned and that I had been up against team Australia on the night.  I had trained to be able to run a sub 3 minute 58 second mile thinking this might be enough to win.   The pace was frantic from the start and it took my best effort to merely hang on.   I was never to prove a threat.   I was sick as a parrot and disappointed after the race.   And then Liam Browne the announcer said a new world record had been set.  My spirits lifted when I heard my time.   The disappointment of the crowd vanished when they realised that they had been privileged to witness the most extraordinary mile in the history of athletics’

So there you have it an historic day in the life of athletics and Clonliffe Harriers.

Club members if feeling in a charitable mood are referred to the Gofundme link below. A young boy who missed out on making his First Communion on Saturday instead is cycling a marathon to raise funds for St. Lukes/Irish Cancer Society where his Grandad was recently treated.

The Grandad in question is Clonliffe Harriers legendary athlete Des McCormack, International steeple chaser and still 50 years later the holder of the club 3000sc record (8.46.20).

The link is: https://www.gofundme.com/f/cycle-for-st-lukes-cancer-centre-beaumont

Members please note that in addition to all Clonliffe club activities being cancelled until at least April 19th, we have been notified that Morton Stadium is closed and cannot be used.

The following events are cancelled to date:

National 10k Road Championships/Great Ireland run

National Road Relays

Dublin Juvenile Track & Field rounds April 18th & 25th

National Juvenile Indoor Championships

Clonliffe juvenile trip to Leevale Open Track & Field

The Clonliffe Grand Prix Series (to be resumed whenever possible)

The Clonliffe 2 (to be rearranged later in the season)

Clonliffe Juvenile All Medal Open Sports

Other events will also fall moving forward, we’ll keep all informed as much as possible. in the meantime continue to train solo, follow your coaches advise/schedules, keep social distance (2m), wash hands going out and coming back, DO NOT PRESS ANY TRAFFIC SIGNAL BUTTONS WITH YOUR HAND, cough/sneeze into you elbow. Run safe, be safe. Nil desperandum!