At the end of November, the majority of counties in the state of Virginia began their indoor winter track season. Indoor winter track is track and field but indoors, sometimes on a smaller track and usually resulting in slightly slower times due to decreased air supply, and smaller tracks that require more turning.

While many runners in the 4A classification are training and competing throughout the winter months preparing for spring track, runners in Loudoun County have a 3 and a half month offseason.
Many Loudoun County runners wonder why Loudoun County (the richest county in the country according to Forbes magazine) does not have an indoor track program. Distance runners especially feel at a disadvantage to the fact that their competitors run 3 seasons a year, maintaining their fitness from the cross country season and carrying it all the way through spring track.

Winter Indoor track and field has never been approved through the budgeting process, although it’s been tried. It has not been approved mainly because there is a lack of indoor facilities in our area. Finding a standard indoor track close enough to provide transportation to in northern Virginia is quite difficult.

Loudoun County also holds a tight athletic budget, which makes it hard to introduce a new sport.

Although Loudoun County runners feel as though they are at a disadvantage, Brian Schmidt, Dominion head cross country/distance track coach as well as 4 year 3-season runner at Herndon High School has a different opinion.

“The lack of indoor track has more positives than negatives”, Coach Schmidt said. Having coached all 3, Schmidt has seen how this extra season affects an athlete. “If not handled properly, it can be detrimental to an athlete”, Schmidt said.

“Having a season off from competing allows us to work on body strength”, Schmidt said. Also, a mental break is much needed especially by athletes coming out of a strenuous cross country season. Really, the only negative noticed by Schmidt is not getting enough ‘turnover’ before outdoor season.

However, Joe Fleming, athletic director of Dominion says that if an indoor facility becomes accessible, and “the student athletes show interest”, a proposal could be made and indoor track would have a fair shot at becoming a Loudoun County sport in the future.