The Indiana Relays, which were scheduled to take place this weekend in Bloomington, were cancelled due to the unusually cold weather.
Bloomington experienced similar weather to what South Bend has dealt with, assistant coach John Millar said.
"We talked to the schools and decided it wasn't worth the effort," he said.
Millar said the cancellation will have mixed effects on the team.
"I think it helps some, and I think it hurts others," Millar said. "It allows the people going to the Mount SAC Relays to get a little rest and a little training. They would not perform well in those conditions anyway."
The Mount SAC Relays start next Saturday in Walnut, Calif., and annually draw some of the nation's top athletes from powerhouses all across the country.
However, Millar said the cancelled meet this weekend hurts the athletes who don't get as many opportunities to compete on a regular basis. The smaller format of the race would have allowed for many of those athletes the chance to show what they can do.
Millar does believe that despite losing one more chance to compete, the cancelled meet should not have a drastic impact on members of the team who are currently battling to qualify for the end of year Big East and national tournaments.
"We have enough competitions coming up," he said. "Those that will qualify for the NCAAs will do it."
The Irish squad will split up this weekend as many of the top runners will travel west for the Mount SAC relays, while other members will remain in the Midwest to compete at the Indy Relays which start Friday afternoon in Indianapolis.
