News

A gentle approach to the return to training started on Thursday. Two groups of athletes from the Sprints and Endurance Squads were invited to try out the new arrangements for training. Entry through the gate, temperature checks on entry with contact details (for test and trace) of adults staying were collected. New signs both at entry, around the track and on the door of the Disability Toilet greeted athletes who were directed to the area they were training in.

Self-distancing was observed for all activities and no interaction between the groups were the protocols for all the athletes. This will be the norm as the Club continues its reopening from Sunday.

At no time will there be more than 5 groups be on the track and infield at any one time – usually 3 on the track and 2 on the infield.

We hope that by the end of September all our members who have indicated they wish to return to training will have been offered either one session a week or one a fortnight on the track.

It is hoped that invitations will go out for sessions each month and that we can gradually increase capacity. Sessions will continue to be invitation only until circumstances change.

Athletes will be turned away unless they have been invited and have pre paid for their sessions.

The Club will not be starting New Athlete Induction until January and only then if there is capacity on the track.

Stevenage Borough Council have informed us that the track will be able to finally reopen from Sunday 6th September. Next week we will be sending out invites to specific sessions to those who completed the survey. The email will explain the changes we have had to make due to Covid-19 as well as how you will need to pay for sessions as we will be operating a cashless system.

The club has been nominated in the Herts Sports Partnership Awards in the "Most inspiring club in Lockdown " category. The club was nominated for offering Zoom sessions, small group coaching, equipment loans and a training at home section on the website. It also recognises how the club's coaches have used the time to improve their coaching skills by completing a number of courses.

Abbie Pickard has been instrumental in many of these activities which has got her a nomination in the coaching section. She ran Zoom sessions for the long jumpers she coaches and the middle distance group. Since small group coaching has been allowed Abbie has been coaching long jumpers on the field by the track every week. All this while completing her event group coaching course in jumps (the highest level of course currently offered in athletics).

We now need you to please vote for both the club and Abbie as this is how the winner will be decided! You can read the full nomionations and vote at https://sportinherts.org.uk/hsp-lockdown-awards/ . The closing date for voting is Sunday 6th September.

Although the track at Stevenage remains closed due to ongoing water supply problems SNHAC Club Member Chris Westcott took part in the Milton Keynes 5km race last week. Waves of 10 runners set off 5 minutes apart, so in effect a mini race of 10 around Willen Lakes. He finished in 16:47 (chip time) which is his 2nd fastest 5km and the fastest for 3 years. With other local races and open meetings starting to appear on the calendar, albeit restricted events it will be good to see other members back in action in the early Autumn. Hopefully, the Club will be back training at Ridlins early September.

Unfortunately, we were informed by Stevenage Borough Council that the water supply at the stadium has still not been sorted out and therefore they are unable to open the track. We are hoping for a rapid resolution to this issue that has prevented us from starting back training and have been told that if the supply cannot be reinstated during next week the council will look at installing outside temporary toilets so that the track can be reopened. Provisionally, therefore the hope is that training can restart on Tuesday 1st September. Please remember that due to ongoing restrictions linked to Covid-19 sessions will be by invite only and should the 1st be confirmed we will be sending out invites to members who completed the return to training survey during the latter part of next week.

We will not be able to accommodate new members at the moment due to limits on the track but hope to restart new member induction later in the autumn.