No matter how much I try to tune out the news, Covid-19 is now everywhere. It’s in my thoughts as I prepare a weekly grocery list; it’s in the back of my mind as I chat on the phone to my elderly aunt who now almost never leaves her home; it’s buried in my subconscious as I wake up every morning.
The one place it cannot reach me, however, is on my makeshift 100-metre track a few minutes’ jog away from my front door. As I push the pace on my 10th rep, trying to keep my speed up without sacrificing my running form, my mind is completely empty for a few seconds.
I focus on my breathing, on my feet hitting the ground, on the solitude and feeling of escape. I am in a world without the Coronavirus.
Running as Escapism
Going for a run has never been as much of an escape as it is now. It’s akin to reclaiming my personal freedom and space in this “new world” where I can only go out for one hour a day and have to stick to a perimeter of 1 km from my home.
I live in the French Pyrenees and can see a 2,785m high mountain from my kitchen window, so I am lucky in the sense that I’m surrounded by nature. I’m also painfully aware of the limitations imposed by the quarantine, as every morning the sights around me are just teasing temptations I am not allowed to give in to: I can’t run too far, I can’t climb the nearby ridges, I can’t ski or cycle.
What I can still do is walk and run – one hour a day, no further than 1 km from home. So that’s what I do every day. I lace up my running shoes, take a deep breath, start my watch, and go.
When I run, my mind is empty. I measure my breathing and my stride. I count the intervals between speed work and recovery. I set myself small challenges. This is the one hour a day that just flies by, where I actually hardly meet anybody but enjoy being alone.
I no longer care about the anxiety-inducing grocery shop, or the concerning news bulletins. It’s the closest I’ve come to actual meditation (despite downloading several apps to help with the latter, unsuccessfully).
How to Use Running to Balance Yourself
We are told running is healthy and will help balance your inner demons. If this applies to you, putting on your trainers and getting out the door will be a blessing.
Here’s some advice about how to use running to help you through these difficult times:
Go Out First Thing In The Morning…
Set your alarm half an hour earlier if you need to, and jump straight into your running clothes once it goes off. Have a light snack and head out. However long you run for doesn’t matter.
Use this time for yourself, to clear your mind and think of the day ahead with a fresh pair of eyes. Maybe listen to a podcast, or music, or just the sound of the street.
Going out in the early morning is great at the moment as you’re less likely to encounter anyone, so it’s safer, too.
… Or Head Out After Work
Going for a quick jog is great way to break up work time and home time, especially if you’re working from home and feeling like office and family space are merging into one.
Heading out for a jog once you’ve turned off your computer is guaranteed to help your mind re-focus, rest your eyes, and help with your hunched-over posture. Some fresh air will revitalize you as well, which is no bad thing when you have a million chores waiting at home.
Set Yourself Goals
I always find my sessions are more fulfilling if they have goals written down beforehand. That way, I have something to work towards and I won’t give up on my interval training when it gets tougher. Even if you aim to go out just to clear your head, it helps to keep a diary of when you want to run, for how long, how far, and maybe what type of run you’d like it to be (easy, medium, fast intervals, shooting for a time target…).
Go Somewhere New
Whilst it’s important not to go far from home during lockdown, take this opportunity to explore your neighbourhood. Maybe try an “every single street” challenge where you try to run down every street within a given distance from your front step.
Or head out in one direction down the canal towpath and see how far you’ll get in 20 minutes. Rediscovering your neighbourhood is a great way to mix up your running and bring something new into what’s become a mundane routine.
Set Your Mind Free
Running can be a form of meditation, depending on how you choose to direct your thoughts while you’re outside. When I lived in suburban Birmingham, I used to count how many cars of one particular make I could see around our neighbourhood on one lap, then change to another make for the second lap. Boring topic, but great for clearing my head!
If you’re blessed to live in a less urban setting, count the birds or the squirrels. Or just try to empty your mind completely.
Remember that running is time for yourself, to enjoy your own company and embrace solitude in a different way. Enjoy it for what it is – pure escapism, one that you can maybe take with you into whatever the “new normal” promises to be after lockdown.
Bio
Alecsa Stewart is a freelance writer and ultra-runner living in the French Pyrenees. When she’s not writing about her adventures, she’s out making new ones. Alecsa is currently training to run 100 miles this October and battling with the strict French quarantine rules whole doing so. You can check out more of her work at www.alecsastewart.com.
