What a difference a week makes?
When I wrote the last blog we kind of knew what was coming, but did we really?
Here, seven days on many people find themselves in isolation with restricted movement, some even in semi-lockdown, fortunately, at the moment few of us are in total lockdown.
It’s really interesting watching the rest of the world cope with the coronavirus and for some people, their level of isolation has become something of a sport, a situation they can boast about.
Here in Australia, the current situation is fluid, it changes from state to state and is very much dependant on the way people behave. If some members of society think coronavirus won’t get them and they continue to flout the rules, then a real sense of ‘lockdown’ may be heading our way.
As a triathlete, of course, I’m competitive but not when it comes to my safety and the safety of others, so I obey the rules. What I don’t want to be a competitor in, is frightening other people unnecessarily.
The definition of the word ‘lockdown’ is imprisonment and the last thing we need is to be made to feel like prisoners. We all have choices on how we run this particular race, but there are rules and a DQ is inevitable if you flout those rules.
As a journalist, I’m always conscious of how I communicate information, the facts that are necessary to have the desired effect, I don’t have to sensationalise to achieve that.
What many people don’t understand is that experienced journalists understand this, less experienced or so-called citizen journalists don’t and that’s dangerous!
Just like watching Jan Fredeno or Daniella Ryf tick off an Ironman race with apparent ease, so, an experienced journalist writes a concise, accurate report on a given topic. Fredeno and Ryf have spent years honing their skill, even the most talented age-grouper will never match that.
The same applies to journalism – the amateur can do more damage than good, the equivalent of the triathlete who blows him/herself up on the bike in five hours, only to hobble through the marathon in seven hours.
And then there’s bragging rights. We triathletes love to brag, even as an introvert, I secretly love the fact that I’ve done 17 Ironman races, (see, bragging). But bragging about ‘lockdown’ or ‘my country’s got it right and yours hasn’t’, come on guys, no-one knows yet whether they have got it right. The only certainties are those who ‘got it wrong’ – with the death toll being the facts!
So, as I sit on the deck after having a lovely long walk, keeping my distance from others, I can’t help but wonder where this time next week will find us.
As for my own personal motivation, well, it’s good. I’m loving the fact that whilst the pause button is on, the pressure button is off!
I’m motivated to train because I can. I’m fit. I’m healthy. I can get out and run without risking my health or anyone else’s. I have a gym set up downstairs and I’m eating extremely well, never had so much home-cooked food. But, I’m acutely aware that millions of others are not so fortunate, so I’m so very grateful for what I have, not what I’ve lost in terms of work, flights and races.
My friends are awesome! We are more connected now than ever before on a daily basis.
I’m sure there’ll be some people out there saying, “Ït’s alright for you, sounds like you have it made”, but there have been many times over the years where we as a couple have had to overcome some pretty crappy times, not least infertility treatment, moving countries not once, but twice, have friends let you down when you needed them most, the crap is there, just not at the moment, so I think that’s why we’re coping.
Anyhoo, life is what it is now. Eat well, exercise, enjoy the quiet aircraft free skies, the birdsong, the rustle of leaves in the trees and the sun or rain, because as sure as eggs are eggs, the busy-ness of life will return.