COVID-19 has had an unprecedented affect on society. Canceled seasons, closed schools, shelter in place orders, postponed races, limited access to facilities and other resources have all culminated into an atmosphere of uncertainty. In uncertain times it can be hard to maintain focus or motivation, after all what is the point of running if all the competitions are cancelled? Personally, the answer to that question boils down to running is ingrained as a part of my personality; my identity. I don’t know when competitions will pick back up or when races will be rescheduled but one day they will, and I will be ready for them. Getting into a routine is very important, especially now that our normal routines have been disrupted by the fall out of the coronavirus. Being forced to stay home presents the opportunity to structure your day around quality running but it also has the potential to become lax and slip into an unproductive routine. For me I sat down and blocked out each day of the week into rough schedule accounting for a morning run, classes, meals, second run, homework and a supplemental exercise. Most every weekday I get up in the morning, start the coffee pot, have a cup and get out the door for a shakeout run. Rain or shine. During the day I focus of logging on to my classes and working on homework, then in the afternoon I’ll go on my second, bigger run. Twice a week this second run will be a workout, sometimes on a track, sometimes on the roads. Most other days my second run will be between 8-12 miles. After that I will try and do a supplemental exercise like a core routine, hip flexibility, intensive stretching/rolling, or yoga. Forcing myself to follow this routine everyday has kept me productive, both in training and daily activities. Soon the morning runs become second nature and its not a struggle to get out of bed and hit the streets. Keeping this routine has helped me see some of the most consistent weeks of training that I’ve ever had as an athlete. Since Illinois issued the shelter-in-place order back on March 20 I’ve ran 385 miles—an average of almost 13 miles a day.

The routine helps. It makes each day a manageable checklist. Completing each task, staying healthy and increasing fitness. With all the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus I like the structure that training brings. It makes each day more manageable.

Follow along with my training here.