Pandemic Purpose

My daily, solo sunset rides have been a wonderful way to find peace at the end of each day.

Pandemic Purpose

Chris Palmquist

It has been months since I have blogged – since right before the pandemic was declared. That was when everything about being an endurance athlete and coach changed. As I searched for the answers for my athletes and myself in this new world, I was hesitant to write anything for fear that it would be flippant.

I am still hesitant but as difficult as this year has been, I am seeing successes in my athletes and myself. These successes look much different than the race results of years past but many of them are triumphant and life changing. If we can move each day, we have preserved some control over our destiny in a year where much feels out of our control.

Athletes who are now working from home can now fit in a run or bike instead of having to commute to and from work every day.

Athletes who feel anxiety about an upcoming race can now focus on the joy of the training journey without that pressure.

Getting outside is generally the safest thing that we can do. And nothing is better for our mental health than to move through the outside air under our own power.

Things that are working:

Distance challenges – the GVRAT has an astonishing 19,000+ participants running and walking 1000+ km across Tennessee virtually.

Frequency challenges – Bianchi’s August Riding Challenge - ride your bike every day in August (outside and at least 5 miles) – a fun way to make sure you move each day.

Speed challenges – athletes working on getting their one-mile time down this summer with speed sessions and time trials at the track.

Strava challenges – finding segments and crushing them on Strava.

Nutrition challenges – eating at home allows us to reduce processed foods and substitute healthier options.

Team challenges - our team of five cross country coaches successfully completed the “Calendar Challenge” in April - running together the same number of miles as the day of the month.

Strength challenges – planks, push-ups, pull-ups and other body weight exercises require no gym and make a big difference.

2020 goals must fit into our lives right now. The stress of our daily lives is high – our goals cannot add to that in a negative way. Find a challenge or a goal that fits in and gives you the purpose that you need without adding to the stress.

Keep moving forward

In the end, we love endurance sports for the challenge of the journey, the friends that travel with us and the satisfying feeling of a goal accomplished. A pandemic cannot take any of that away from us. Keep moving forward and we will get to the other side.