We’re All in this Together!

By Skip Holmes

This year has been one of the most significant challenges for those of us who are engaged in our choice of sports or fitness activities. Several earlier attempts to write this article have left me wondering what the result would be or how to even begin.

For many of us the year began with developing a list of events, goals, and travel plans to participate in activities that we uniquely enjoy. The list is long and varied with it ranging from having qualified to participate in an Ironman event in New Zealand, flying to Majorca for a cycling spring training camp, planning an adventure cycling solo journey to Iceland and Norway, solo cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway, or running the Boston Marathon.

We began training for all these amazing and wonderful journeys. The training consisting of not only the physical component but the mental toughness, the emotional tasks, and the financial aspect as well. Then suddenly we had to step out of our cocoons and look at the broader picture of what was about to deflate our hopes, dreams and aspirations.

At first it seemed to be just a short delay in what the year might allow us to do. Then, many event organizers began to see the insurmountable challenges facing them in organizing an event for hundreds if not thousands of participants, as well as the spectators who would come to watch friends and family. The communities that would hold the events had to consider the ramifications of bringing many people from other regions, states or countries to the host community. Quickly this became a series of dominos that fell in rapid succession.

We first reacted with guarded optimism that the events would only be postponed. Many event organizers then started to realize that the entire spring events calendar would now have to be squeezed into an increasingly smaller window of time. Within a short period, the realization that this would cause events to have smaller participation levels with multiple events falling on the same date gave promoters and organizers serious headaches. Then began the difficult choice of making cancelation decisions to reschedule events to 2021. Financially this caused many issues for both organizers and participants. Who gets a refund or who takes a financial hit for expenses already incurred? This is actually a window into what has happened in every sector of the economy all over the world.

In a global pandemic like this that all of us have never experienced, it became a time of adaptation and innovation. Instead of cycling or triathlon group training, it became solo endeavors, indoors or outside, and then using social media to share the routes and results. Indoor training using smart cycling trainers turned into routes that you could compete on.

The spring hiking season became a series of solo or small group hikes or walks, with photos shared to show that you did it. Downhill skiers started using specialized equipment to skin up the mountains to maintain fitness and ski down. Runners had their workouts at fitness facilities or groups runs shut down so they had to adapt to running on home treadmills or outside on roads or trails in the cold early spring weather.

It turns out that we outdoor athletes are adept at improvising ways to continue our athletic endeavors. This may be the hardest part as we move forward in a period of significant uncertainty. Trying to maintain fitness for events that may now be a year or more away. Consider what it must be like for athletes who were to be in Japan this summer for the Olympic Games. The level of disappointment had to be huge. Even Emma White from Delanson who was selected to participate in the cycling events for the Team USA has to wait it out. It was exciting to listen to her share her plans and dreams back in January when she was thrilled about being selected. Events I personally signed up for are no longer scheduled.

So how important is it as we try to maintain motivation and fitness while having to live through such a time of uncertainty. Perhaps we should take this time to consider what really is important to us, our families, our communities, our country, and even the world. 

Developing resilience, a sense of purpose that extends beyond our personal goals, an attitude of kindness, and perhaps a realization that the world we have known may be inextricably changed in ways that we have yet to fully comprehend.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from a wonderful older gentleman many years ago who was personally suffering from the effects of living a long and productive life was “Get up and keep moving every day.”

So how do we support each other in this world where everything is more uncertain and evolving each day? Start by finding time to be kind to yourself and those around you. We have no idea what the person next to you has, is or will be dealing with on a daily basis. When out for a walk give that person going the other way a wave, say hello, and even a socially distant smile. If you see a cyclist or a runner, wave hello. Thank the clerk is the grocery store for coming to work. Adopt a dog and take it for so many walks it finally begs for no more at the end of the day. Cat lovers can also do that! Plant a garden of flowers and vegetables. Even a small one makes a difference. Flowers can help the bee population. Buy local food from local farmers. It supports the local community in so many ways.

Even though gas prices are really low consider driving less. We may not get to take that much coveted summer vacation to some exotic location. Flying is a challenge now anyways.

Bicycle stores were declared essential businesses and have seen a significant increase in bike sales, as have paddling shops, and now running stores have reopened. I’ve had people call me asking about getting a bike after not being able to find one from a bike shop. Conversations with several local bike shops reinforced the news that some bikes are in short supply. 

We have become used to having a supply chain that has been able to deliver goods on very short notice. Now it’s common to get an email saying that you won’t get your order for a week or longer. Perhaps we need to reset our internal speedometers to a different calibration.

Many of the changes we’ve experienced or will have to consider this year will have positive effects on our environment. Air quality has improved, water quality is improving, we have consumed less resources, and perhaps a little less junk food. We have recycled many articles in our homes and apartments as we sat in isolation for what seems like forever. Take advantage of the gently used items for sale online. You get to recycle it for further use and someone who may need money to supplement their family income that may have been impacted by this crisis will appreciate it. Perhaps even give them the asking price. The ‘free’ sign on the front lawn with many household items has become a new normal.

Above all, use this time to reset your expectations. Give yourself and others common courtesies, and allow yourself to remain hopeful and optimistic. If you ever watched the Red Green Show, his favorite quote was ‘Remember, I’m pulling for ya. We’re all in this together!’

Skip Holmes (serottaskip@gmail.com) of Delmar teaches sustainable building design at RPI and provides training programs for Urban Green Council of NYC. He is a member of Mohawk-Hudson Cycling Club and Capital Bicycle Racing Club, and can be found road and mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, hiking or Nordic skiing.