Switching it up during COVID

Training and Race Cancellations

We started to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously at the running track in early March 2020.  Our three-day-a-week Master’s track group went from hug-greetings, to elbow bumps, to toe-taps to the complete cancellation of all training sessions. Then the news came of all the summer’s track meets being canceled; then the fall ones too!  Thankfully I attended 2 indoor track meets in February before all the shut-downs! 

The provincial parks closed, including my favourite trails on Newcastle Island Provincial Marine Park.  And worse still, my beloved Vancouver Island Trail Race Series was canceled.  Road races canceled too! Then the ultimate cancellation (or postponement), the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Not that I was (ever) in contention, but I’m a very competitive cheerleader! For an extroverted runner who likes to do it all (trail, road, track, and even watching running), this was devastating, not to mention all the lack of socialization! 

Fitness Classes Cancelled

Meanwhile, in January I had started teaching a weekly hour-long exercise class in our local community centre, with its fabulous sound system.  Attendance was great and I found I loved putting the music together with the different exercises (something I’d been taught but really never excelled at… but practice, practice, practice).  I focused on strength, balance, and coordination as we all need that as we age.  There was a great deal of satisfaction amongst the attendees, plus my running legs were really benefiting from this extra exercise – so many squats! Again COVID changed all that. The community centre was closed. We were turfed out.  What to do?  How was I going to keep my dedicated and energetic group together?  How was I going to stay focused without any motivation? 

There was one more fitness activity that had to change too. For more than a year I led fitness classes at a Nanaimo senior’s home. OMG, I loved that group of 80-100-year-olds. They were so enthusiastic and they all benefited from staying active.  I would stay after classes to share stories over coffee. We would laugh and have a great time.  You guessed it… COVID halted that too.  I miss that group the most! But it was and still is so critical to protect this age demographic from this terrible virus, so no visits!  Someday I hope to see them again. Luckily I see some of them via social media.

So Much Free Time

For one thing, this freed up a whole bunch of time!  Group training sessions faded into the past. I used to commute from my home, via bike, boat, and car to the running track. This was usually a 2.5 hour round trip, including the 1.5 hr practice.  Occasionally I would also add additional coaching activities to those times, plus there were track meets about every second weekend (2 days for each) in the summer.  There was also the additional trail running practices a couple of times a week, mostly with friends on trails all over Nanaimo and beyond, with a race once per month at some wonderful Vancouver Island location. Those were pretty much 6-8 hour affairs, including all the travel, racing, and post-race events. When I think about it, that is a lot of time spent running, but I never begrudged it.  I loved it.  I craved it. 

So with coaching, training, races, leading exercises classes all halted, what was a girl to do?

Celebration of Movement, Training & Running

At first, I stayed very local, running with close friends (socially distanced of course) or on my own. Then in early June, I saw an event that turned my fitness and running life in a better direction. It started with an intriguing Facebook notice from badass Canadian runner, Gary Robbins, of international ultra-running fame and the founder of Coast Mountain Trail Running (trail race organizers).  He clearly understood the suffering that competitive runners felt over all these race cancellations with the potential to slack off on our usual training.  So he and a bunch of colleagues dreamed up the CMTR Summer Scavenger Hunt.  They threw in something for everyone, from road, trail, and track runners; whether you are fast or slow; whether you liked hills or cross-training or were a morning or evening runner. They dubbed it a Celebration of Movement, Training & Running, and dreamed up 30 different challenges (with 5 earned bonus challenges) that had to be completed in 100 days. 

I was smitten the moment I saw the notice!  What better “event” for me?! I signed up and immediately started with the first challenge, “Home Run”.  This involved 60 minutes of running without going more than a Kilometer from your home.  I contacted a running friend, who was also feeling bummed about not running as much as we used to, and away we went. 

As of this writing, I’ve completed all of the challenges.  Most of the challenges (running without a timing device, running and listening to a podcast, running backward for 500m, running 2x in one day, scavenger hunts on the trails and roads, hill running, etc.) could be completed on my home turf or close to it, thereby complying with Bonnie Henry’s recommendations, to get outside, exercise, and social distance (plus lots of handwashing).  And above all to have fun! 

There were over 2000 world-wide participants in this “event”. Besides keeping active and fit, I’ve formed Instagram connections with crazy runners all over Vancouver Island, Canada, the United States, Australia, and Japan. About halfway through the summer, we were all shipped a bag of buttons each representing one of the challenges, plus a lanyard.  After the completion of each challenge, we could pin the appropriate button on the lanyard and then proudly display it with other medals and ribbons. These were all part of the good things that competitive runners need, except the large gatherings, but we are keeping safe, fit, and healthy! I’m just hoping that this same group does a winter challenge to keep us going for another few months of no competitions. 

Outside Fitness Classes

But what about my exercise classes?  Well, there were some determined people in that group! After the inside sessions were canceled, we decided to move it outside to a park.  I set up the rules, which involved social distancing and no sick attendees. The first outdoor class on a cool, but sunny day in mid-March was fabulous.  We held it in a local park and following the class I proudly posted about it on social media, hoping to attract more attendees who wanted exercise in a COVID-friendly manner.  Then the shaming – warning of dire health consequences – began.  That was a total shock to me given how we followed all the proper protocols, ala Bonnie Henry. I felt the pressure and I halted the classes.

However, my students were determined to not let these classes end!  They found an out-of-the-way location in a dog-legged cul-de-sac.  We formed a clandestine email group and set to keeping these outdoor classes alive.  I picked up a Bluetooth speaker – using the songs on my iPhone as the music source. And away we went.  It was very hush-hush.  No photos. No social media.  After a few once-a-week classes, most of us found that we had time on our hands so we started meeting three mornings a week and only skipping days when it rained.  

I’m so pleased with how these classes turned out. The folks who regularly attend are getting so fit – as am I – and we are having so much fun.  With all the squats and lunges, we all have quads and buns of steel!  I let kids come for free with an adult. I change up the songs with each class and vary the exercises a bit each time too.  We went through an all-Canadian music phase for a bit (around Canada Day), then there was 80’s and then 90’s hits. Now it’s back to a mixture of great tunes.  What’s not to like? Singing along is encouraged! 

As summer progressed, and more COVID restrictions came off, I started to promote these classes to a wider audience, especially given that we were following all the COVID rules. There are still those who will not mingle with others even at a distance, so those people don’t attend.  C’est la vie and I respect that. With colder weather coming, we’ve now found a new location with a covered roof. We’ll see what the weather and COVID brings, but in the meantime, we are boosting our immune systems through outdoor exercise.  

Returning to the track and my beloved seniors

Even though some of the Master runners are returning to the track for practices, they, unfortunately, practice exactly the same time as I lead the exercise classes.  Except for my need for speed, in spiked shoes, I like the stay-close-to-at-home part of my exercise routine rather than crossing the water to train for events that might never happen.  I’m contributing to my own community. I will continue to run on trails close to home with friends and I may try to fit in the occasional track workout, just for variety and to connect with old friends.  I’m still not back teaching the seniors and may not be for a long time.   When I do eventually return, I’ll be so ready for them!

The new Normal

The strange thing about this COVID situation is that although it has changed our lives in such profound ways, some things have actually changed for the better. We’ve all had to make choices and decisions about what is best for ourselves.  Maybe that is to stay at home and perhaps take in a Zoom class or two. Maybe that is to defy all rules and just get outside and party like there is no tomorrow? Wait, that is completely NOT recommended, as it is not just YOUR tomorrow. I believe the best option is to find a balance where you stay safe, respect others, but keep moving. What will be the new “normal”? What will we leave in and what will we leave out? If nothing else we’ve been given a chance to re-evaluate what is important in our lives and make appropriate adjustments for this new reality.  It’s funny how a pandemic was necessary to do that for so many.