5 weeks ago, I posted “you can’t close or cancel the outdoors”
Well, apparently you can.
Five weeks ago, I joked, “This better not last until tick season or we’ll all have Corona with Lyme!” Fast forward, we still have a global pandemic, the ticks are worse than ever…and I thought that was just HILARIOUS one month ago. I really never anticipated how far this would go. All spring races are cancelled or postponed, and across the US, rec areas and trails are closing.
But, I am still training.
I hope you are, too.
It’s easy to lose motivation. Here in the Finger Lakes, we are SO LUCKY that we are still able to use the State Park trails, including my favorites – Taughannock Falls State Park, and Robert Treman State Park, home base for Cayuga Trails 50, still on for 5/30!! (Disclaimer, this was written on 4/13, always check your own local park destination before heading out as things change daily.) In fact -- though I am still fortunate enough to be working from home -- without the drive in to work, social gatherings, dinners out and just general errands, I am training even HARDER than ever. I literally have nothing else to do. I have nothing else to look forward to but getting outside with a purpose. Who knew, it would take a pandemic to get me in the best race shape of my life...
While we might not all have 3 ultras lined up over the next couple months, I think we all need to embrace the fact that if we can still get outside right now, it is more than enough. Luckily, some great people are pulling together virtual runs to give the community something to work toward. With awesome folks from Trails ROC like Scott Parr (My Ultra Adventures) pulling together the community to sustain running businesses, and the team at the Finger Lakes Runners Club here in the Ithaca area coordinating a virtual COVID-19 run for the week of 4/27 (check it out and sign up here!) there is plenty to do to stay motivated.
There’s also plenty to do at home, with free workout apps offering services during this time where gyms are closed. For a little zen in your life, Ashley’s new practice, @WildFernYoga just launched and you’ll be in for an awesome experience.
So, if you’re struggling to motivate without race dates, sustaining life on Cheezits (oh wait, that’s just me) and just overall feeling stuck at home – don’t. If you can, get out there. If you can walk/run/bike/hike/whatever in your area, do it. Do it while you can and enjoy it, because who knows what tomorrow might bring. Just be smart, stay 6 feet apart, and keep training.
