How to Enjoy a 50K — Step 4: The Covid Question
To participate or not to participate, that is the Covid Question.
I’m officially five weeks out from the 50K. My training is ramping up–I run regularly, do aerobics with weights, I’ve been riding my bike. And I’ve started to go up to altitudes of 10,000′ and above to condition my body for the lack of oxygen and extreme sun exposure.
Overall it’s going well even though the pandemic quarantine obviously makes it tougher mentally and physically, and even though I’m getting up to altitude much later than I hoped.
The race coordinators have communicated that the race is on for August 1, as originally scheduled, with a slew of COVID-19 regulations to keep us as safe as possible. My intention right now is to train as though I will be participating on race day, but I’m honestly not 100% sure that I will.
I have no issues with any of the mandatory regulations being put into place–spacing out on the trail, wearing a face covering when passing people, no communal food–I support it all. It’s just that I’m not sure I’ll get the emotional support I know I’ll need on race day. At this point it doesn’t look like we can have support crew (friends on the course to cheer us on and bring us our favorite food or a fresh pair of socks), instead volunteers will drop our bags with what we need along the course. There will be no high fives or hugs, limited volunteers, few spectators, and the list goes on.
I think back to all the races I’ve done and it’s the crowds, the cheers, the high fives, the community, and the energy that makes it an enjoyable experience.
I’m not resigned either way, it just feels like it could turn into a very long and very lonely day–something I’ve quite frankly had enough of in my lifetime. Having never done anything this grueling (32 miles on foot at altitude in the dead of summer), I’ve been really looking forward to meeting the people who love it and experiencing it in a group. So we’ll see . . .
For now I will keep training and send some Love💛 & Light 💡from 10,000′ and above!
i’d love to be part of your support crew, if that means cheers and high fives, great! and if that means baggies with socks and snack to be handed off by volunteers, you can count me in for that, too. i’ll even slip a little uplifting note into the snacks, like mommy notes from elementary school. 😉 and if you opt out, i’ll be here to cheer and support your journey to that, too, because the effort will be no less, tho the path be diff’rent, as they say!
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I’m sorry I just saw this! You’re amazing – thank you thank you 🙂
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