The Final Rep, Issue 2: Finding Connections on the Run
How exercise helps me offset loneliness, even when I go it alone.
Like many runners, I have a love-hate relationship with the sport. One day I’ll feel like I can run for hours, and the next it takes a pep talk just to slip into sneaks, let alone put one foot in front of the other. But thankfully, I’ve been on a pretty long stretch of daily running as of late and I thank two things for that: Michelle Obama and shelter-in-place orders.
I have admired my girl, Michelle, for quite some time and not just because of her Let’s Move campaign. Last year, I fell in love with listening to audiobooks on long runs thanks to the former First Lady. We hung out basically every weekend in the spring of 2019, as she told me about her time in the White House and how she and Barack met and fell in love via her book, Becoming. I credit my Saturday morning dates with Mich (we’re totally close enough for nicknames now) for convincing me to sign up for the Philadelphia marathon that fall because she made running even more fun. Since then, while on the move, I’ve listened to Glennon Doyle talk about setting yourself free and living the life you want in Untamed, Emily Nagoski discuss sexuality and the accelerators and breaks that lead (or don’t lead) to intimacy in Come As You Are, and I keep coming back for more Brené Brown monologues about shame and vulnerability in any book I can download with her name on it. If you’re sensing a theme of self-empowerment, you are correct, and it is one of my favorite ways to mentally fuel movement.
Listening to each of these books gives me something to look forward to when I’m out on the road and even more so, it provides a sense of connection and validation. I can find common ground with these women’s stories (yes, even with the extraordinary Michelle Obama who experiences ordinary struggles, too) and learn a little about how to be a better person through their advice, all while moving my body. And that leads to the second thing that’s kept me on my run streak.
Since quarantine kicked off back in March, I’ve spent a lot of time alone. But exercise continues to keep me from getting too lonely too often, even at a time when I don’t get to hang out with fam and friends as much as I’d like. In the before times, I usually worked out solo, so doing so now feels somewhat normal. Even more important: I’m doing something I enjoy, that feels good, and that I know is good for my health, and those factors keep me from feeling isolated.
Also, while audiobooks foster connections to the authors and the people they talk about, sometimes I prefer running or walking sans earbuds, giving me a chance to focus solely on my stride and whatever runs through my mind. As I test my endurance on the run, strength with kettlebells, or resilience in HIIT workouts, I learn more about how I react to different experiences and I can better witness the growth I’ve gained over time.
Whether I’m running around Prospect Park or on the D&L Trail by my parents’ house in Pennsylvania (both places I’ve spent lots of time this year), I feel closer to nature and my neighborhood too. And as sappy as it sounds, being out there provides a sense of belonging—a space where I’m joined by other people chasing similar goals of moving our bodies, clocking some cardio-heavy miles, and likely, just finding a way to get out of the damn house. In 2020, cultivating connections outside our four walls can sometimes prove pretty difficult, but exercise seems to make it easier. Michelle Obama helps too.
A few other people’s words about workouts I’ve read (and loved) recently:
1. “Lauren Fleshman’s Feminist Approach to Coaching,” in the New York Times discusses how many female athletes feel pressured to lose weight in order to succeed in their sport—and how Fleshman is aiming to change that. In Bend, OR, she coaches a team of women runners, focusing not on the scale, but how they feel mentally, emotionally, and physically, and paying attention to their overall health too—a revolution in athletic leadership. (If you haven’t read Mary Cain’s op-ed, which is mentioned in this article, that is also DEF worth a read.)
2. “Kipchoge is not only the fastest, most consistent marathoner in history. He’s also running’s philosopher-in-chief — a DRI-FIT wearing Yoda who has redefined human limits and thinks hard about the meaning of his quest.” If that line about Eliud Kipchoge, also from the New York Times, and the fact that he broke two hours in (an albeit well-controlled) marathon, doesn’t make you want to read more about him, then I’m not sure what will.
3. Not technically about exercise, but if you couldn’t tell from my writing above, the outdoors certainly serves as a sanity-saver in these times—which makes me a wee bit worried for winter. This story from Elemental, “A Pandemic Winter Doesn’t Have to Defeat Us: Lessons from Norway” made me feel slightly better. I’ll be over here looking forward to skiing and lots of time under a blanket come the cold months.
The latest updates on the fitness industry:
· The North Face pledged $7 million toward a global initiative, dubbed “Reset Normal,” aimed at diversifying the outdoors. They plan to do this with the help of the Explore Fund Council, a global fellowship program created with Lena Waithe and Jimmy Chin.
· Peloton and NordicTrack continue to battle for access to your living room. First, Peloton sued Icon Health & Fitness (makers of NordicTrack) for patent infringement in May, now Icon Health & Fitness is suing Peloton for patent infringement. We’ll see who makes it to the top of the leaderboard (Peloton fans, see what I did there?).
Here’s one form cue that always resonates with clients…
These words tend to work for individuals I train as an ah-ha moment for feeling stronger in a move or activating the right muscles. In a glute bridge, make sure your back is flat against the floor at the bottom—a slight pelvic tilt toward the ceiling will make that happen and fire up the core more. Then, as you lift the hips up, drive the floor away with your full foot, squeezing your butt to initiate the movement.
One move to add to your exercise routine…
Single-leg deadlift with a cross crawl. I’m a big, big fan of deadlifts to work the back of the body and this variation turns up the balance challenge while getting the core even more involved. To do it, start standing on your left foot and holding a weight in your right hand (or skip it the weight). Keeping a slight bend in the left knee and your body in a vertical plank position, lower your chest to the floor as your right leg lifts behind you. Press back through the right heel and move in one straight line. When you’re about parallel to the floor, drive through your left foot to stand back up. At the top, without putting your foot down, drive your right knee in toward your chest, connecting your left hand to your right knee and engaging the core. Repeat, then switch sides.
For a full workout, try…
As I mentioned last week, dance workouts have been my JAM through quarantine—305 Fitness specifically. I followed this 30-minute dance cardio routine this week and I challenge you to finish it without giggling or smiling through most of it. I just don’t think that’s possible but, hey, report back if I’m wrong.
For those who don’t want to let loose in a shake-it-out sort of way, I suggest Alex Silver-Fagan’s “Focus & Flow Yoga” session in the Nike Training app. The flow lasts about a half-hour and features deep breathing and spicey stretching.
The gear I’m loving to get me out the door…
I just have to give a big old shout out to the Asics Nimbus, my favorite long-distance running shoe and best running buddy. I usually grab the 20, but there have been a few updates since that one. My gait strikes neutral to under-pronating, so it might not work for those who overpronate, but I believe it’s saved my knees from lots of stress. (I’m also a heel-striker.) They’ve gotten me across the finish line of two marathons and a bunch of half-marathons, and I’ve kept every pair along the way. They’re like trophies, always reminding me that hard work pays off on the course.
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