Coping During Covid: Staying Active and Safe
I retired from flying on March 1st, 2020, perhaps the best time. It may also be the worst time to retire in general; my wife and I were supposed to be in Paris, Budapest and Prague during these past few months. As a member of one of the “at risk” groups (over 65), we have been especially careful and sheltering in place. We’ve had groceries delivered and done curbside pickup at Lowes and Home Depot as we leisurely finish renovating our house, for sale at some point in (hopefully) the near future. No use lamenting too much, we just deal with the current situation. Personally, I’ve found great ways to maintain fitness. My neighborhood sports a substantial hill which I’ve walked and run on numerous occasions, sometimes in the evening when foot traffic is almost nil. My bike rides usually encompass mondo hills in the local area. And now that many of the local parks have started to reopen, I can walk out my door and do any combination of hikes. In the following video I managed a 23 mile jaunt with 4400 feet of elevation gain and loss with only a small portion not on trail, the walk from my house to a trail connector. In-home exercises substitute for the gym, and I’m finding that these workouts can be very strenuous. Within the bounds of social distancing and safety, we can all find ways to get the exercise we need. Stay safe and please be courteous!