It has now been over a year since the start of quarantine last year. I believe no matter who you are, COVID-19 has made you a different person now reflecting back to who you were before enduring the hardships of an unprecedented disaster, whether physically or emotionally. For me, besides the ever-expanding list of changes I’ve undergone, one particular habit I’ve picked up over the break from our world was exercising. With me being at home from school more often, my mom has to utilize every single one of her brain cells to think of meals to cook every day (love you mom), which also meant that my belly was getting bigger. Experiencing some minor weight change, I noticed that quarantining has also eliminated my daily commute to school and back, which meant that I had to find that amount of exercise somewhere else.
Lisa and I, both decided to host a running challenge amongst ourselves where we would start with 0.5 miles and increase by 0.5 per day until day 7, and share our experience. With a twist that I’ll be running indoors while Lisa goes outdoors, to provide a possible contrast of our experiences.
Lisa’s Perspective:
Day 1 - Day 3:
For the first three days, I took my usual route of jogging outdoors under the summer heat, I went to the local parks around my house and used my phone to keep track of the distance. I usually run for 1.2 miles and so the first three days are pretty chill and normal for me ignoring the burning heat. Sunscreen, music, water, and of course with friends on the voice call. Jogging outside in summer during covid is an interesting combination, there are fewer people sharing the public space but you still don’t have the freedom of not wearing masks because people are constantly passing through you.
Day 4 - Day 7:
On the fourth day, the weather report warned me of the upcoming heat wave and to avoid a heat stroke I did not run outside. Instead, I jogged indoors with my AC and PC running for the chill and entertainment. Immediately I noticed the difference in average speed after the completion of the first indoor session, I was able to run at a consistent rate of 1km(0.62miles) per minute. The AC reduced my body temperature so that I need to take fewer breaks and I don’t need to worry about avoiding humans on the way. Nothing is better than ice cream after a workout.
Lastly, exercising is a choice and a way of life. Do not make it feel like a forced task or else you’ll lose the passion for it sooner than you’ll see the progress. Whether it’s Youtube, drama, or music. Keep yourself distracted and power through the struggles.
Dennis’ Perspective:
Day 1:
Today’s the first day. For me, I’ve been running for an hour each day on the treadmill for a little over a year now, so I think the first few days might be just according to my schedule. I decided that I was going with an old-fashioned karaoke session on the treadmill, listening to my favorite artists: Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Joji, Lana Del Rey, and many others! The 0.5 miles was way less than the usual amount that I run for per day so it felt like a break day to me.
Day 2:
Second day. To spice things up and not just listen to music every day, I decided to put a show to watch. I watched one of my favorite childhood T.V. shows and it went by in a blink. A part of me wished that I could be on the treadmill a little more than the required one mile to finish off the episode.
Day 3:
Third day. With it being the college applications season, I wanted to spend time with purpose. I watched episodes about tips to improve my supplemental essays and I definitely forgot all about it after the run, but I hope I’ll remember a random detail of the video and get to work. The 1.5 miles was approximately a little less than half of what I would run per day so the session felt short once again.
Day 4:
Fourth day. Today, I decided to take a trip down memory lane while I was on the treadmill. I made a side challenge for myself that I could only play songs from the 2010s (aka my childhood) and could not play them more than twice. I revisited songs that I haven’t listened to in so long like “Counting Stars,” “Nice For What,” “This Is Gospel.”
Day 5:
Fifth Day. Instead of running in the morning today, as I had to go out to complete a few personal businesses, I ran in the afternoon, which felt bizarre and rare. It definitely felt like I was in some sort of alternate universe but nonetheless I completed the run while revisiting one of my favorite documentaries, “Miss Americana.”
Day 6:
Sixth day. Since I have gone through shows, albums, and videos, I wanted to do something new to avoid repetitiveness. Today, I went on Twitch to browse random streamers that happened to be streaming early in the morning of where I was. It was something new that I had never done before, but definitely just as effective in making time pass in the blink of an eye.
Day 7:
Last day of the challenge (even though it goes on for me!). To close the challenge, I made the most use out of the time on the treadmill. I watched videos about cameras and photography tricks, like interesting ways to turn a boring photo into a mesmerizing one. Today, I completed my normal daily treadmill routine and it felt like a workout to me. I am glad that I did this challenge because not only did I exercise, I learned about more options I have to keep me entertained on the treadmill.
Commentaires