TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH LOCKDOWN
By Kate Dzienis
The last few months have been stressful for millions of Aussies, with so many dealing with grief, stress, financial difficulties, job losses and isolation caused by the pandemic. Right now, all across Australia, we’re dealing with either a lockdown or some form of COVID-19 restriction.
Before we continue, this is just your little reminder that exercise triggers a release of endorphins into the bloodstream, relieving pain and producing a feeling of well-being. As ultra runners, we all want to stick with our routines, especially our training programs, and keep our eyes on future events that hopefully won’t get cancelled or postponed – yet it can be hard to find that motivation sometimes, and that’s completely understandable.
We spoke with 8 AURA members who provide their tips and tricks to staying active and sane during lockdown.
ISOBEL ROSS, VIC
“I get up at the same time in the morning as when I am working. 5.10am and go through the same routine and head out for my run at 6. If I allow myself to think ‘I have time now that I’m in lockdown’, well then it just downs to happen! As soon as I get home from my run I shower then eat. Once again, easy to think that it doesn’t matter about showering because you can’t smell on zoom, but it’s about maintaining routine and pride in yourself which is important for avoiding depression. I still do weights. I do that later in the day and out on motivating running videos on YouTube whilst I workout. This really helps. I believe while in lockdown it’s super important for your mental and physical health to maintain routines.”
STEPHEN REDFERN, NSW (AURA SECRETARY)
My main advice is to stay positive. When waking up in the morning look out at the beautiful day and enjoy the rays of sunshine coming in. One can always stay active. This is the greatest part of our amazing sport of running. All one has to do is put on the running shoes and just get out there (within the limits of restrictions). Think of a new route to run or even walk each day, and go and enjoy it. There is always somewhere new in your local area that is worth exploring. I am always thankful that our sport allows us to keep enjoying it no matter what the situation is.
MARITA EISLER, QLD
Queenslanders have been lucky so far in that we are still able to leave our homes to exercise. One challenge has been dealing with the uncertainty around last minute event cancellations and staying motivated to train for events that may not happen. The good thing about being an ultra runner is having a great fitness base that can be transferred over to other sports and activities that we might not be so inclined to try when we are focused on a particular running event. I’ve been hiking and cycling more and have enjoyed learning new skills and finding areas where running has (believe it or not) left gaps in my overall fitness.
JOHN YOON, VIC
Now that the realisation of ‘this situation is not going to change in a hurry’ has sunken in, it’s very tough. It’s still about focusing on your goals and at the same time learning to relax a bit to look after your body. I still try to keep a routine by getting up early to run and get changed for work even though I’m working from home. I will sneak in a 20 minute workout during the day, then an easy recovery run after work. After that it’s time to relax with bit of music, cooking dinner and a glass of wine.
MATTHEW ECKFORD, QLD (AURA VICE PRESIDENT)
Staying active for people who know how to remain active regardless of circumstances is pretty easy in my opinion, but remaining sane can be much harder to master when stuck indoors, particularly with kids staying at home all day, every day. This is what has worked for us:
- Start the day by making your own bed
- Coffee first up in the morning is quiet/quality time between parents, kids breakfast/needs come after that
- Audiobooks instead of TV
- 12pm to 1pm is quiet time so sleep, read a book, self-entertain, parents time to work
- Get the kids to help out with x3 chores each during the day
- When kids are entertaining themselves, use that time work
- Do one fun thing/something the kids ask you to do for play, per day
- After the kids go to sleep, it’s quality time for the parents, not time to work. If need be do an hour of work, then come back together
KAY BRETZ, VIC
Just in time for the first lockdown in 2020, I moved from Sydney to Melbourne. Great timing to fully embrace five lockdowns so far. My tip is to have a daily outdoor exercise routine to keep sane. Enjoy your runs and, most importantly, don’t dwell on the frustration of not knowing when lockdown will end. On rest days, I recommend going out for walks.
EWAN HORSBURGH, NSW (AURA PRESIDENT)
Making the most of working at home by running at lunch times, or the occasional dog walk, bush walk or jog around the block with the kids is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise.
CASSIE SMITH, QLD
I have to say that Queensland was amazingly lucky when it came down to lockdowns. Speaking to other interstate friends, they were going mad though so how it has affected me personally was like a bit of a brick in the head. I’ve been dealing with some serious mental health issues since late 2018 and just as I was starting to feel well enough to strap the shoes back on, contact my coach to get the program ready and enter some races, COVID hit with all of its rules and regulations. All that said, my tip to staying active in this lockdown is mental stimulation. Our lockdowns were short and sharp but I did find myself ignoring a run from my program using COVID as an excuse. The cancellations of local events also made it tough as we would usually use them as training runs so I got into the habit of running my eyes over my training runs and sit for ages looking at my running photos from when I was really fit. I thought to myself that if I could stay onto it mentally by looking at all of the huge wins I had experienced in the past it would help. That was my strategy and it worked most days. So I guess, apart from my personal situation, but you want to know something, once you get out the door it is fan-bloody-tastic!
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