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Apr 18

Vermonters get fitness creative | Pandemic 2020 – Rutland Herald

Fitness Comments Off on Vermonters get fitness creative | Pandemic 2020 – Rutland Herald

Stay at home doesnt mean stay on the couch.

From rediscovering the outdoors to online exercise classes, Vermonters are taking a number of approaches to keeping fit amidst the isolation measures triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Public health officials have advocated using Vermonts outdoor resources for both physical and mental well-being during the ongoing pandemic. Outdoor options are limited, though. Earlier this month, state officials closed several trails, citing mud season conditions and unnecessary risk of injury at a time when our sole focus should be on supporting Vermonts efforts to combat the COVID-19 crisis with all available medical resources and not diverting them to emergency response actions. Closures included the entire Long Trail, the VAST and VASA trail systems, and numerous local trail networks.

One set of trails still open is Rutlands Pine Hill Park, which organizer Shelly Lutz said is seeing one of its busiest springs.

If you go on a nice day, sit in the parking lot from 11 to about 3 or 4, youre going to see a lot of cars, Lutz said. Youre going to see a lot of first-time users, and youre going to see a lot of families. Were going through trail maps at the end of March and in April at an unbelievable rate.

Fortunately, Lutz said its been the sort of winter and spring that the trails are up for the added traffic.

If wed had last spring this year, wed be in a world of hurt, she said. The parks in great shape. If you go out on the Carriage Trail, the Redfield Trails, there are some wet spots, but the park itself is great.

She urged everyone not to do something stupid that might prompt the parks closure, such as an incident after Pico closed were a skier tried to hike up one of the steeper trails in his ski boots, failed miserably, was badly injured and had to be retrieved by rescue workers.

Prior to that incident hardcore skiers had been able to snowshoe up and ski down if, perhaps, unofficially.

The combination of that idiot and the people in the parking lots were hanging out, not doing social distancing the ski areas put the kibosh on it, she said.

Lutz said in addition to Pine Hill Park, the rail trail in Castleton is seeing a lot of use.

I know people are hiking Bald Mountain because Im seeing pictures on Facebook, she said. You definitely dont want to go up in elevation too much because there is still snow up there.

Both the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and the Green Mountain National Forest have issued guidelines for using the outdoors during the pandemic. These include staying at least 6 feet apart from others, keeping dogs not just leashed but close by, exercising caution by choosing low-risk activities, staying out of closed areas and taking trash with you when you go. Restroom facilities are closed and people are asked to prepare accordingly.

Runners already are accustomed to using the outdoors to get in shape, but some have had to change how they do it. Marble Valley Runners in Rutland no longer does weekly group runs, but founder Joel Flewelling said theyve been using Strava, an app that tracks mileage and lets groups of athletes challenge one another.

Right now we have a challenge 100 miles in April on the Strava group, he said. Were trying to motivate each other to stay active even though we cant do our group run.

April Rogers Farnham, of Plainfield, a marathoner who has had several events canceled due to the pandemic, said she was quarantined for about six days in March.

I noticed people were quoting things about being depressed, not moving, jokes about gaining weight, she said. I was on a run, and while I was running, I thought, this is magical. What can I do to get people outside?

Farnham created a Facebook group called Magic Miles, which encourages people not just to get outside, but to pay attention to the outside while there. It includes ways to incorporate childrens education into outdoor time, such as noting what sort of plants you see and encourages people to post pictures from their excursions.

Its about accountability, perseverance and coming together without being together, she said.

Of course, you dont have to go outdoors to keep fit. Inspiration and guidance are just a click away.

Kellie Ettori taught yoga classes at Rutland Free Library before it closed. This week, she started offering them online through the librarys website. Ettori said she originally wanted to do the classes over Zoom, but the library determined they would be more accessible if patrons could watch them at any time rather than a scheduled event on software that might raise privacy concerns.

Its strange, she said of recording the lesson. Part of the whole beauty of yoga at the library is its a community thing. ... I did something larger than I usually do. It was longer. I talked more. ... I had to clear out space in my house. ... Im not that tall, but I had to have the computer far away so you could see my whole body as I was standing.

An upside to the isolation, she said, has come in different area of health.

Ive been cooking a lot more, she said. Ive been cooking more healthy foods. Its easier to do when youre at home.

gordon.dritschilo

@rutlandherald.com

Read the original here:
Vermonters get fitness creative | Pandemic 2020 - Rutland Herald

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