b'Running During A PandemicBy Susan S. Paul, MS Training Program Director for Track Shack Fitness Club t is an understatement to say we are living in an I unprecedented time. In the face of a global pandemic with COVID-19, our deepest wish has been that all of you remained safe, healthy, and as protected as possible. By now, we have all become too familiar with the concepts of social or physical distancing and stay-at-home orders. In the midst of this, Track Shack closed its doors, abandoned group training, and canceled events. We watched as our entire community shut down and many jobs were lost. Its been challenging to say the least, but adversity is not an unfamiliar concept to runners. If running 26.2 miles were easy, everyone would do it, right? While the word adversity typically has very negative connotations and is most often associated with hardship and misery, adversity is the very thing we, as runners, embrace! Early mornings, muscle aches, blisters, long miles, speedand bone strength. Using our legs in weight-bearing exercise is critical for brain health too.Researchers have its been challenging found that moving the large muscles of the legs through weight-bearing exercise, like walking or running, triggers to say the least, the production of stem cells in the brain which help but adversity is that critical organ renew itself.Everything in our bodies benefits from movement.In fact, movement is so vital to not an unfamiliar our existence, that our brains evolved to give us a boost for exercising by flooding our system with endorphins concept to runners.and dopamine. These brain opioids are so powerful that by engaging in regular exercise, some experts believe work, hill runs, inclement weather, hitting the wall, andwe can actually improve our mental health by nearly so on, are all forms of adversity. Runners take adversity25 percent. This is so powerful, researchers suggest that and make it fun; as the saying goes, My sport is yourif they could put results like that in a pill, it would outsell sports punishment!Adversity is THE very source ofice cream.runner pride!Runners proudly wear their race shirtsThere is some speculation that the pandemic will result and display their race medals because they are proofin a new running boom and I can only hope that it does we faced adversity and won!So yes, while adversityfor all our sakes because the physical and health benefits may mean hardship and misery, it also empowers usof regular exercise are real and measurable. And, just and generates character in those willing to face theas it has done for so many years, Track Shack will be challenge.there as your community running resource. Like many But, the real challenge is not the pandemic, it isbusinesses today, we are adapting and modifying our ourselves. The real challenge is getting out of our ownpractices to fit within new health guidelines, including way and out the front door for a run, pandemic or not.our group training programs. We are adapting to smaller The real challenge is making exercise a priority.Forgroups, maintaining physical distance, wearing masks, and all the devastation COVID-19 has caused, it has alsocarrying our own water support. Runners are a resilient emphasized the need for better health and fitness inlot and it has been heart-warming to watch our runners all of us and motivated many to take up walking andrise to the challenge of running amidst a pandemic. The running. Movement is essential to our bodies and toocreativity, the tenacity, and the dedication of the running many of us dont get enough of it. Getting up andcommunity are inspirational. So please, keep running, moving triggers a cascade of physiological changes thatsafely, and within guidelines of course, but, adversity? No improve our cardio-respiratory health and muscularproblem, you got this!Run to TrackShack.com8'