Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Training and racing in 2020



No one would like the situation we’re in, but we’re here and we need to make the best of it. Clearly a number of events are going to be cancelled or rescheduled in such a way that it might as well be a different event.  I’m not a professional statistician, but a few predictions regarding endurance events:

April events 99% probability of cancellation
May events 80% “”
June events 60% “”

I would not want to take a shot at predicting any further, but it will all depend on if we as a world are able to contain, cure, vaccinate, eradicate, and what the timetable for all that is.  Suffice it to say, the spring and potentially summer seasons appears glum with regards to large scale athletic events.  I am hopeful that things are under control for later summer and fall events.

What does that mean for you?  While it will be personally disappointing to have to miss your planned events, it behooves you to maintain your healthy life and exercise routines.  One part of having a strong immune system is being fit. Another is getting good sleep. A third revolves around a healthy diet. And lastly, avoiding stress (bad for your health) and panic (bad for your mental state).  So all the things you are doing well now, you should keep doing. 

We are going to face some challenges regarding access to pools, gyms, and potentially even group workouts.  We do have accessible open bodies of water, and if you don’t have a TRX type setup at home, now might be a good time to invest in one.  

As endurance athletes we have the mental fortitude to do quite a bit (or all) of training alone, so you’re ahead of the curve on this one.

Don’t get discouraged or depressed about things that are beyond your control. Do the best you can, and keep on keeping on!

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay positive.