five ways runners can stay healthy in a pandemic

To stay healthy in a pandemic is a fairly important goal. As our area faces a dramatic upswing of positive cases, it’s more important than ever to engage in good health practices to boost the immune system and stay well.

Stay Active

The easiest way to get or injured is by pushing yourself beyond the limits. In a lot of cases, many of us have extra time on our hands, and we’ve been filling it with extra miles and workouts. Physical fitness has been touted as a great way to stay ahead of any ailments, and it’s more important than ever to keep it up! Run, bike, swim, row, hike, lift. Do whatever it takes to break a sweat and keep moving.

Don’t Push It

Of course, the easiest way to get or injured is by pushing yourself beyond the limits. In a lot of cases, many of us have extra time on our hands, and we’ve been filling it with more miles and harder workouts. That’s great, but be smart. Make sure you’re getting sufficient cross and strength training. Definitely challenge yourself but listen to your body, too.

Get Sufficient Sleep

Lack of sleep can easily weaken the immune system and lead to all sorts of health issues. Anxiety, stress, excessive screen time, and poor diet can all lead to insufficient sleep, so do your best to mitigate the hurdles where you can. Aim for a reasonable bedtime, step away from your devices about an hour before you want to go to sleep, and do your best to get solid rest.

Eat (and Drink) Well

I’m the first to admit falling prey to stress eating when things are out of my control. Snack cakes often make my grocery list (Yum. Snack Cakes). However, now, more than ever, it’s important to fuel with all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals we can get our hands on. Also, make sure to drink enough water. Again, I’ve had more than my share of extra glasses of wine since March. It’s perfectly ok, but good hydration makes it that much easier to stay healthy in a pandemic.

Take Recovery Seriously

Even though many businesses are open, massages and PT might be a little harder to come by with social distancing guidelines. With that in mind, it’s more important than ever to care for your joints and muscles. Make use of compression, ice, stretching, and rolling. Take rest days. Cross train. Be good to your body so it can continue being good to you.

What are your tips for staying healthy in a pandemic?

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