Spacing Does Not Mean Disconnection

Dear Athletes,

I hope that you all keep running and training.

Yes, I know that there is a shelter in place order that went into effect today–and I want to emphasize that every one of us should follow the guidance of the government and health professionals.  At the current time, my understanding is that it’s OK to be outside and walk–or run–so long as you are six feet apart from anyone not in your household.  So we can walk and run and train, just with spacing.  Follow the rules, and be safe, and if the rules change after I post this then I want you to follow any new rules–never forget that, my first priority is for you to be safe.  

But I want you to run.

Here is my reasoning:

• First, our health.  Everything that I know is that a body that is fit and is getting regular exercise is going to be stronger, with a better immune system.  So if we continue to run and train, rather than sit, our bodies will be stronger and our immune systems more capable to fight disease.  (Bear in mind that I’m not a doctor, just a high school coach, but I have not heard anything to dispute that an active person is more healthy than a sedentary person.)

• Second, our mental state.  I think that running and training makes us forward thinking.  We are training towards something in the future.  We are training so that we will be faster and stronger and healthier in April than in March.  Even if we assume that this season is cancelled and there will be no more high school track meets, maybe the team can still get together at the end of the season to run a Carpe Diem Games II.  Even if that is not possible, then we can train towards the 2020 cross country season or our college or club team in the Fall.  Or we can join a 5km sometime in the summer.  Or maybe we just want to feel better when the shelter in place order ends and we start getting back to normal.  Whatever–we are running towards something, a future that does not have us home alone.  Looking towards the a future that is better is an optimistic act.  Acting optimistically will make us feel better and more optimistic.  Let’s act like we believe that there will be competitions in the future.  If competitions don’t motivate you, then run so that when we can get back together again, you can keep up with your friends on a conversational run.  Working towards a vision where you are running with your friends, whether on REI or a track at a meet or on Crystal Springs, helps you remember that those things will happen again in the future.  Working towards that future now is a mentally healthy, optimistic act.

• And third…there is connection with our teammates and the running and track community at large.  Spacing is not disconnection.  We are not alone.  Even if we run and train individually, with physical space, we are not alone.  We can trade our results with our friends and see who else got in some training and exercise.  We can post our results and send our splits to coach :).  We can encourage each other and remember we are with a team, a group of teammates/friends/colleagues and we are all in this together.  And we can work towards a future where we are all together again.

A newspaper reporter called me today (I first met Mr. Almond when he was writing an article about one of my ‘daughters’, Erica McLain, and we have stayed in touch off and on since).  The reporter is working on an article about exercise during the shelter in place order.  I shared with him my views and passed on some contact information for a couple people who are more knowledgeable than me (I doubt that I will be mentioned in his article, but my contacts might be).  Anyway, one of the things I encouraged him to do was to ask the county health people and others to clarify what they feel the population could be doing for exercise; it certainly seems like the goal is to be active and healthy, and being active and outside with adequate spacing is part of what we should be doing.  Let’s continue to follow these guidelines and be safe–and as active as possible.

I want to stay connected with you all.  For the last decade, when I am in California, my days and weeks have been organized around Monta Vista cross country and track & field teams; six days a week every week I either have an afternoon practice, a morning practice, or a competition as part of my day.  If cross or track is not in season, I’m in Oregon.  So being in California on a Saturday or a Monday and not getting to see my hundred kids is weird and disorienting.  I want to keep my connection with you despite the physical spacing.  Every time I post a workout, or when one of you sends me splits to record, we are connecting a little bit.  And I think that connection means more than you think.  It says that our relationships matter, and it says we are optimistically looking forward to the future when we are physically together again.  

For now, don’t forget that even if there is physical spacing, we do not have to be disconnected.  We are still a team if we say we are a team, and if we still act like a team.  Let’s train, and stay connected.  Reach out and tell each other about your runs and workouts and listen to others tell them about their runs.  Encourage and support each other.   As a team, let us work together towards a better future.

I will continue to post on mvrunning, workouts and inspiration.  If you have anything to suggest that I post, please send me a note.  And always know that you can reach out by email and phone if you would like and if I can be of any help, or if you just want to talk.

I love you and miss you.  I believe in you and want the best for you.  That is a connection.

Be safe and be healthy, and look towards a better future.

–Coach