STAY HOME AND GO RUN!
The series of 3 specialized guidelines created by Sport Med Lab Team continues today with a very useful article dedicated to Pro & Amateur runners, written by an amazing sportsman during his own struggle with the current isolation.
This project ” The series of 3, for humans” is about helping you seeing further than the fear, excuses, limits. George is a Pro runner, a husband, a father of two, and a workaholic, and here you’ll find 3 of his advices on how he managed to keep his hobby, without excuses, yet with social & health responsibility.
“Being quarantined isn’t nice. And it doesn’t feel nice either. No argue with that. Yet, no sensible person could also argue with the necessity of the restrictive measures. So what do we do? We make do!
Individual exercise in exterior environments is not prohibited, so why not go out and run! It’s as easy as any natural thing comes, it’s healthy for body and mind, it’s free – if you don’t already have one, you only need a pair of good running shoes (no need to be expensive or stylish) that suit your specific running needs – and it’s fun! That is, hit the road Jack… but do come back!
If you are known to be “The Running Man”, then you don’t have to change anything in your routine during the lockdown period. Moreover, if you are a city runner, the conditions are now optimal, better than race-like: You hardly come along an automobile, you inhale less carbon dioxide than ever, you may as well run on the asphalt for your entire route and nobody (including yourself) will ever worry!
If you are a casual treadmill runner and your gym is locked down, whine no more, because this is your chance. Outdoor running is second to none! Try it and compare. Now, come on… Be honest. The only thing more boring than running 3-4 kilometers on a treadmill is running 5 kilometers on a treadmill!
If, nonetheless, you’ve never been much of a runner, then you won’t find any better conditions to start exercising and less excuses not to!
Nevertheless, no matter how much you love running, you may want to spice things up a bit, particularly if this is your only escape from the domestic routine in the coronavirus era. There might be a couple – or more – variations one may include in their running plan, in order to keep the anticipation for the next run high enough:
- Alternate your routes as often as possible. Fatigue is partly cerebral (in another article I’ll elaborate in spiritual levitation!), so you can play a trick on yourself! If the scenery changes, your mind gets distracted by analyzing the new surroundings. In the meantime, you swallow up distances hardly noticing it! If, on the other hand, there is nothing to catch your eye, you’ll end up getting tired by constantly thinking “how much is now left?”. Unless you are a pro runner, a target-oriented workhorse, that tip might make an actual difference.
- Tech up! Utilize the available technology (or the non-available, if you work in a secret high-tech lab) for your sake. Nowadays there is an expanding gamut of wearables that can measure your runs with great precision. Smart watches, satellite watches, shoes with integrated chips, high accuracy apps for smartphones, all at your disposal. Seeing the route you covered in an e-map, reading detailed stats for your run, comparing the numbers among your weekly running workouts, all enhance the running experience and provide some motivation that derives from the tangible (in figures and graphics) result of your effort and the tempting option to see if you improved from last time.
- If it is permitted by law, run alongside a friend! Running with somebody else is a motive for a lot of people to get out and exercise. Personally, I prefer to run alone, change pace at will, but I know many people who are company-driven. If a running-buddy is the case for you too, then find a peer, a person with – more or less – the same level of running experience with you, and… hit the road, Jack and Mary! Did I write that before? Almost…
- Are you a remorseful type of person? Eat a lot during the lockdown! Then, surely, you shall desperately want to quench your guilt, and eventually, you’ll force yourself to go out and do some serious calorie-burning! Actually, this is not a decent way to motivate somebody… It is unethical for me to mention it. I plead guilty. What? Am I remorseful myself? Anyway, I’ll seek guidance from experts later. You do stick to tips one, two, three!
Please keep in mind that if you go out and run/walk, avoid crowded routes. If you feel weak or sick in any way, stay home. Be responsible.
Now run on!”
A spiced-up article written by George Eco, from whom you will be reading again here, at Sport Med Lab!