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The New Rules of Running Now The New Rules of Running Now
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Welcome to the Running newsletter! Every Saturday morning, we email runners with news, advice and some motivation to help you get up and running. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.Welcome to the Running newsletter! Every Saturday morning, we email runners with news, advice and some motivation to help you get up and running. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
Dear Readers,Dear Readers,
Here we are, another Saturday into our new, unsettled world. Are you hanging in there? I am, and doing better with the anxiety I wrote about last week (thanks in part to teletherapy). Running with my dog helps — I hope running is helping you, too.Here we are, another Saturday into our new, unsettled world. Are you hanging in there? I am, and doing better with the anxiety I wrote about last week (thanks in part to teletherapy). Running with my dog helps — I hope running is helping you, too.
As Jodi Kantor writes in the new “Dilemmas” column, it’s difficult to balance the risks of going outside against the benefits of going outside. A study published this week suggests that the virus can linger in the air for as long as half an hour, raising concerns about exposure even when nobody is around. In France, going out to exercise is now allowed only once a day, for one hour.As Jodi Kantor writes in the new “Dilemmas” column, it’s difficult to balance the risks of going outside against the benefits of going outside. A study published this week suggests that the virus can linger in the air for as long as half an hour, raising concerns about exposure even when nobody is around. In France, going out to exercise is now allowed only once a day, for one hour.
In the constant flow of distressing news this week, something that ordinarily would be a huge story may have almost gotten lost: the 2020 Olympics have been postponed to 2021. We have full analysis of that decision, and the monumental task ahead in making this shift happen. Want to know more about what’s happening with canceled sports? You can sign up for our Sports newsletter too.In the constant flow of distressing news this week, something that ordinarily would be a huge story may have almost gotten lost: the 2020 Olympics have been postponed to 2021. We have full analysis of that decision, and the monumental task ahead in making this shift happen. Want to know more about what’s happening with canceled sports? You can sign up for our Sports newsletter too.
Despite all that we know (and don’t know) about Covid-19, we know that with gyms closed, running is becoming increasingly popular right now.Despite all that we know (and don’t know) about Covid-19, we know that with gyms closed, running is becoming increasingly popular right now.
For all you new runners out there, welcome! Here’s some advice on how to get started:For all you new runners out there, welcome! Here’s some advice on how to get started:
Whatever shoes and clothes you have are fine. Normally I’d tell you to go out and get fitted for a new pair of running shoes, and to try to find clothes that are not made of cotton (because cotton gets wet with sweat and then flops around). But right now? Pick a comfortable pair of sneakers and whatever feels good on your body. Remember, Rocky became a legend in a gray sweatsuit. Your work-in-the-yard shorts or high school reunion T-shirt will do just fine.Whatever shoes and clothes you have are fine. Normally I’d tell you to go out and get fitted for a new pair of running shoes, and to try to find clothes that are not made of cotton (because cotton gets wet with sweat and then flops around). But right now? Pick a comfortable pair of sneakers and whatever feels good on your body. Remember, Rocky became a legend in a gray sweatsuit. Your work-in-the-yard shorts or high school reunion T-shirt will do just fine.
Pick an easy goal. You don’t need to run five miles or even a mile on your first go. How about around the block? Or to the mailbox and back? Or walk to that light pole, run to the corner, then walk to the next intersection? There’s nothing wrong with walk breaks. I still sometimes take them, and my running habit is old enough to be in high school.Pick an easy goal. You don’t need to run five miles or even a mile on your first go. How about around the block? Or to the mailbox and back? Or walk to that light pole, run to the corner, then walk to the next intersection? There’s nothing wrong with walk breaks. I still sometimes take them, and my running habit is old enough to be in high school.
Also record your workout: how far you ran, and in what time. You don’t need a GPS watch to do this. Your smartphone’s health tracker works, or you can use a free running app. You can also go back and trace your path with this pedometer. Writing things down allows you to chart your progress, which can provide a psychological boost.Also record your workout: how far you ran, and in what time. You don’t need a GPS watch to do this. Your smartphone’s health tracker works, or you can use a free running app. You can also go back and trace your path with this pedometer. Writing things down allows you to chart your progress, which can provide a psychological boost.
Leave the headphones at home. If you’ve never run, or haven’t run in a while, it’s easy to forget that it is a very strange feeling. You’re hurtling your body through space, then crash stopping it every time your foot hits the ground. Anything not strapped down is going to hurtle and crash with you. At the same time, it’s important to stay aware of your surroundings, so that if you are about to cross paths with another person, you can make sure to maintain a six-foot distance. Running feels a bit like a game of Frogger right now. You need to use all of your available senses to make sure you don’t accidentally run into someone. So headphones can stay home for now.Leave the headphones at home. If you’ve never run, or haven’t run in a while, it’s easy to forget that it is a very strange feeling. You’re hurtling your body through space, then crash stopping it every time your foot hits the ground. Anything not strapped down is going to hurtle and crash with you. At the same time, it’s important to stay aware of your surroundings, so that if you are about to cross paths with another person, you can make sure to maintain a six-foot distance. Running feels a bit like a game of Frogger right now. You need to use all of your available senses to make sure you don’t accidentally run into someone. So headphones can stay home for now.
Run again. That’s it! If you’re looking for guidance, our “How to Start Running” guide has an easy schedule. Consistency might be difficult, especially if you’re still heading into work and your schedule is all over the place, or you’re trying to work from home, or you’re trying to work from home and manage your kids’ schooling at the same time while also dealing with the crushing anxiety and stress of living through a global pandemic.Run again. That’s it! If you’re looking for guidance, our “How to Start Running” guide has an easy schedule. Consistency might be difficult, especially if you’re still heading into work and your schedule is all over the place, or you’re trying to work from home, or you’re trying to work from home and manage your kids’ schooling at the same time while also dealing with the crushing anxiety and stress of living through a global pandemic.
As with many things right now, be kind to yourself and your new running habit. A lot is going on. Running can help, but it shouldn’t be an additional stressor.As with many things right now, be kind to yourself and your new running habit. A lot is going on. Running can help, but it shouldn’t be an additional stressor.
And for everyone who is running in these difficult times:And for everyone who is running in these difficult times:
Most of us are running responsibly, but some are not. Crowds of people disregarding social distancing rules have been so bad in places like the 606 Trail in Chicago, Runyon Canyon Park in California and my beloved Valley Forge National Historic Park that all of these places are now closed. Do you want to be in a position where your best option to run a marathon is a balcony? Then knock it off.Most of us are running responsibly, but some are not. Crowds of people disregarding social distancing rules have been so bad in places like the 606 Trail in Chicago, Runyon Canyon Park in California and my beloved Valley Forge National Historic Park that all of these places are now closed. Do you want to be in a position where your best option to run a marathon is a balcony? Then knock it off.
My mom called me in tears Tuesday because she said she didn’t feel safe running outside based on how people were crowding her local park. Stop making my mom cry! (We mapped out a route that’s not as pretty, but less crowded, and she’s running again, while also doing workouts indoors.)My mom called me in tears Tuesday because she said she didn’t feel safe running outside based on how people were crowding her local park. Stop making my mom cry! (We mapped out a route that’s not as pretty, but less crowded, and she’s running again, while also doing workouts indoors.)
Updated June 30, 2020
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
When you run outside, keep six feet away from everyone else (except anyone you’ve been self-isolating with in your home). And no spitting! Let’s keep running outside an option for everyone.When you run outside, keep six feet away from everyone else (except anyone you’ve been self-isolating with in your home). And no spitting! Let’s keep running outside an option for everyone.
If you’ve tried running outside and just feel too anxious about crowds, Wirecutter, the New York Times’s product reviewing company, has treadmill recommendations. But if you are sheltering in place by yourself, you may not be able to safely set it up alone — take note of any recommendations of how many people are needed to lift the box the treadmill comes in (whether you’re buying from this guide or not). Wirecutter has also rounded up free workouts to do from home right now.If you’ve tried running outside and just feel too anxious about crowds, Wirecutter, the New York Times’s product reviewing company, has treadmill recommendations. But if you are sheltering in place by yourself, you may not be able to safely set it up alone — take note of any recommendations of how many people are needed to lift the box the treadmill comes in (whether you’re buying from this guide or not). Wirecutter has also rounded up free workouts to do from home right now.
How are you running through this? Let me know — I’m on Twitter @byjenamiller. New runners, send me your questions too. I’m here to help.How are you running through this? Let me know — I’m on Twitter @byjenamiller. New runners, send me your questions too. I’m here to help.
Run Well!Run Well!
Jen A. MillerJen A. Miller
Author, “Running: A Love Story”Author, “Running: A Love Story”
Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here.Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here.