Welcome to my running journey

Keep Calm and Run On

Well that escalated quickly. The threat of Covid-19 or Coronavirus is infiltrating every single aspect of our lives – work, school, vacation and socialization. Adjusting to this fluctuating quarantine situation has been chaotic and emotionally taxing. However, I’m holding onto the fact that this, like all chapters of our lives, is only temporary.

Throughout the world, we are hearing the collective sigh of athletes as races are canceled or postponed. I’m sure weddings are being postponed along with first communion and baptisms at churches, high school and college graduations, birthdays and family reunions, not to mention spring break vacations. And that’s the fun stuff!

Since all the CDC and WHO guidelines remain fluid, what a popular word that has become, it’s difficult to find control throughout this chaos. Schools and churches have closed, restaurants and bars are now closing, coffee shops and restaurants are drive-through only, for now, and grocery stores are cutting hours. I expect more changes to come.

My college kids are each adjusting to online learning at home just as their professors are figuring out how to online-teach. I was just notified that we have to move the rest of my son’s belongings out of his dorm because he will not be returning this semester. The kids will finish this semester at home and the summer term may start using online learning too. This is a huge learning curve for all of us! As with every other national disaster we’ve witnessed, we need to make uncomfortable adjustments as life continues.

What can we do to make our lives somewhat normal right now? I’m still harping on my kids to work hard at school. My husband is working remotely for a while and it’s really nice to have him home for a change. For me, it's still running.

I’m reminding myself to “Keep Calm and Run On,” like the posters from World War II aimed at raising the morale of the British public that read “Keep Calm and Carry On.” We’ve cancelled our run club, like many others have done. I will miss that, but I’m still running. We need to carry on.

It’s hard to say whether my 50-mile race in May will be cancelled like all of my other spring events. Whether it is or isn’t, I am going to keep running and training. I’m not just training for this one race day. I’m training for my health, happiness and sanity during stressful times. Running is an escape, a method for dealing with life and a joyful part of my day. I run to enjoy my local community and the trails. I run to breathe fresh air, feel the sun (most days) and listen to nature. I run so that I can be patient, kind, caring and supportive of my family and friends.

Day-to-day life has changed, but life hasn't stopped altogether. I'm still making plans for the future. I plan to start some yard work and will write more. I also plan to do what I can to support my family during this quarantine situation. Today I'm baking treats. It’s likely I’ll run a few extra miles too.

I hope you can find something to make life somewhat normal again. Keep running if that’s your thing. If it's not, go outside and take a walk. Breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the blue sky. Appreciate this extra time with your family and keep in touch with family and friends that you can’t visit quite yet. Stay safe, stay healthy and Keep Calm and Carry On as best you can in this current situation.

Cancer isn’t going to wait for this Coronavirus situation to resolve itself. People will be diagnosed no matter what is happening in the world. Plus, the ones battling this beast right now are the people that our quarantine is most likely to save! If you want to help other people going through tough times, please make a donation to Fxck Cancer through my personal Fxck Cancer fundraising page. You can also purchase merchandise through the Fxck Cancer website and share this information with your friends and family. Thanks for your donation and support!