Well that escalated quickly…
I have started several blogs only to have the corona virus situation throw us another curve ball. So I started thinking about what can I write or contribute that has some use to our runners and friends, no matter what the situation? Then I spoke with my friend and fellow coach, Michael. Always a thinker and a man of interesting perspectives, we chatted about the need to be realistic about the situation that we find ourselves in, whatever that looks like.
Personally, I have been trying to remain as positive as I can. That is reflected in the books I am choosing to read, the music I am listening to and the podcasts I am churning through. However, whilst being positive is fine, if I am honest, I was basically trying to gloss over or ignore the realities of the situation. ‘If I lie here reading all this positive stuff, then it can’t affect me, right?’ Wrong… As President Obama said in his final presidential address, "reality has a way of biting back."
So, whilst we all go through the process of grieving this situation at different rates and different times, the following points simply reflect some of my realisations and reflections over the past few days as I go through my own processing of our new running reality...
As runners, we invest heavily in our craft, whether that is emotionally, physically or financially. We don’t like not having race plans or control of our training. This crisis has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons and with no group training, no races in the diary and so much fluidity, expect for your emotions to be all over the place. Now, some people will tell you to see the bigger picture and that sport is not important in the bigger picture of global health. Thats fine and true, but it doesn’t help you regain your suddenly lost identity as a runner, your routine, or those amazing running connections who you see most days, not in the short term at least. If you are anything like me, so much hinges on your running and exercise. Food choices, work productivity, social network, a large part of your identity and more. Call me over invested, but thats my reality. What is yours?
In terms of what is going on all around us, and is likely to happen, your guess is as good as mine, but I think there are certain things which now seem inevitable. This situation is going to get worse before it gets better, and as individuals we have so little control over that. We will go into gradually tighter and tighter restrictions which will limit the things you can do, the places you can go and the training you can get done. If you have perfectionist tendencies like me, this will f**k with your brain! Get used to it. The context is changing almost hourly and the messaging about what we can / can’t do in Australia is about as clear as mud. Don’t get hung up on every update or every word, or it will drive you crazy. Our often mentioned principle of 'control the controllables’ comes into play here. We can’t control this situation, but we can control our response to it. Be realistic about the energy toll that this situation is taking on you. It can be all consuming, tiring and for sure at times, it will be tough, so cut yourself a little slack at times.
So...With this new reality, what can you do? Here’s 5 suggestions...
Prepare to go into tighter lock down mode. What will your training place look like in 2 weeks? How are you going to keep fit and sane in a restricted environment?
Drop the perfectionist tendencies. This doesn’t mean drop your standards. It just means being realistic. Rather than being down because you haven’t got a treadmill or a home gym, (neither have thousands of other successful athletes in the history of sport), focus on what you have got or can get now.
Share your training within a group. If you are anything like me, I really value the group that I am part of and the value and vibe it brings. The new reality is that we can not run in groups and that is unlikely to change any time soon. Recreating the group dynamic is now easier than it has ever been through online platforms, forums, messaging and video. Use it and share what you are doing. At GoRun we are encouraging virtual running efforts, online run challenges and Strava art competitions as a start and trying to encourage as much dialogue within the group as possible. That support is invaluable in that new reality where people are more physically isolated, not only for you but your post might motivate someone else to do their exercise and so the ball keeps rolling…
Remember that the same principle of consistency still applies. As a coach, I bang on about consistency all the time. Just because this is our new reality, does not mean that this principle does not still apply. How you go about achieving that consistency is different for sure, with whatever restrictions we are / will be under. If you can keep consistent during this time, you will not only stay ahead of most people, but you will also prove that you can keep consistent during any crisis. Prioritise consistency as the restrictions get tighter.
Keep talking with your coach. Be honest with your coach and yourself about what works best for you under this type of stressful situation. We all react differently to stress. I tend to eat chocolate and go very quiet and introverted, as I attempt to figure out what the hell to do. Trust me, the brownies, Mars bars and Lindt blocks have been taking a pounding recently, but I’ve also been chatting to my coach about what is / isn’t working for me. The last thing any of us want is more stress. Coaches are here to support us and help guide us through some of this maze.
At GoRun we are trying to find ways to help our runners in this new and ever-changing situation, and are happy to help others. As part of that commitment, we will be posting more blogs about with ideas to help you get through this new reality in the coming days, weeks and months. I hope these musings are useful for you and help in some small way. Let’s all continue to help each other get through this.
If you feel like we can help, drop me an email chris@gorun.com.au or connect with us on Facebook or Instagram and we would be happy to see what we can do to help.