Running the Race: Seen On My Run: Lockdown Edition
We're on Day 16 of our four-week Coronavirus lockdown here in New Zealand and I'm still relishing my street runs on alternate days. In all honesty, I've had to drag my unmotivated body out the door lately, but, as I'm sure you can guess, I've never regretted getting it done. Exercise + fresh air is just such a potent mood booster. Plus, there's so much positivity and encouragement dotted through our neighbourhood right now! Here's a glimpse of what I saw during my runs this week:
Messages of encouragement written on the sidewalks...
Kia Kaha NZ (Stay Strong NZ)!
Games drawn on sidewalks to bring extra joy to kids out on their family lockdown walks...
And even sidewalk jokes...!
And then there's the great NZ Teddy Bear Hunt. People have started placing teddy bears and other soft toys in their car- and house windows in order to make lockdown walks more fun and exciting for kids. Some even go the extra mile by swapping out their teddies each day, elf-on-the-shelf-style, in order to keep things interesting. How awesome is that?! It sure makes my poor caged-in littlies smile!
There are neighbours dropping off bags of feijoas for friends and neighbours...
And even the flagpoles are spreading a little joy!
But perhaps my favourite sight of all is still this one: Our beautiful river with Kapiti Island in the background. I don't run on the riverbank or the beach for now, but can still catch a glimpse of both from my roadside turnaround point as I cruise the streets back home. Man, how I (and especially my knees...!!) will appreciate the trails once all of this is over...!
Labels: lockdown, seen on my run
Riana Scholtz 11 April 2020 at 18:08
Ons glo ook liefde en positiwiteit is oral, Saar, mens moet net met positiewe, liefdevolle oe kyk (soos julle!) Dankie vir die deel. DRRRRRRUK vir julle en lief julle en maak saam met julle hierdie kant. Palielie tog maar daai kniee, dis min dae en dan gaan dit tog weer soe lekker wees! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Karien P. 12 April 2020 at 06:21
Dankie, Liefste. Ek foam roll maar vir 'n vale, en probeer om ten minste altyd 'n dag tussen draffies te rus. En ek en Willie spot dat ek nooit meer as my "default factory setting" van 5 km op 'n slag hardloop nie, hehe!
Glo en vertrou dit gaan goed met julle viertjies ook - druk julle en lief julle en VERLANG na julle!!
Riana Scholtz 13 April 2020 at 04:31
Lol!! Default factory setting! Maar Saar, ek BEWONDER jou wat nooit n meter minder as 5 km hardloop nie, en altyd teen dieselle (vet) spoed! Hoe DOEN jy dit?! Ek sleep soms (veral nou) my liggaam voort teen n slakkepas wat 5km my n namiddag sal vat! Ek dink ek wil probeer weer soggens draf (ugh) want my krag is soms so min teen sawens.
Gaan verder baie goed dankie Liefste xxxxxxxxxxx
Karien P. 13 April 2020 at 07:41
Ai, my suster, die 5 km afstand is al so ingegrein oor die jare, ek druk net die Garmin knop, dan hol die lyf self! Maar ek dink en weet dit doen eintlik bitter min (of niks) vir fiksheid of mental toughness bou nie - dis bloot net maintenance. (Alhoewel ek definitief die mental- en gesondheids-perks van tog uitkom en oefen vir niks verruil nie!). Vra my om 'n tree verder as 5 km te hol, dan sien jy vir slakkepas...! Maar ek verlang en smag tog na die uitdaging van oefen vir 'n half-marathon of so... Die dag sal weer kom...!
Ek HOOR wat jy se oor die krag wat min is sawens, Liefste. Soggens is vir my ook makliker om dit gedoen te kry, maar dan betaal mens weer later in die dag die prys... Ek is nou daar waar ek op draf-dae 'n power nap MOET vat na middagete (al is dit net vir 15 of 20 minute) - anders raak die kragte later BAIE min. Og!
DRUK jou so oor die verte, Liefste. Een van die dae maak die races en die grense en die hekke weer oop en dan hol ons mit nuwe ywer!
Black Knight 20 April 2020 at 03:21
Glad you can run outdoor. In Italy it's not allowed again and we must stay home. I run around my garden.
Moreover here, in this period, people cannot stand the runners.
When a half marathon again?
Karien P. 20 April 2020 at 07:30
I am SO thankful that we're able to run outside, Stefano - it really does my mind good!
All of our races have also been cancelled, just like yours, and for now it seems that there won't be any for at least a few months. I'm itching to train for and run a half marathon, but we'll have to see when that happens... Some races have changed their dates to September, so fingers crossed...!