As I sit here on the deck overlooking bushland just a kilometre away from Sydney’s Middle Harbour I know I’m extremely lucky to be where I am, but, at the moment it feels like I’m wading through custard, and boy am I uber-sensitive!
We’re several weeks into the ‘restricted movement’ that has been suggested for the way we now live our lives and there’s no real plan on how to navigate it and no-one out there to guide you or answer your questions.
When you decide to train for a race whether it’s a sprint triathlon, a marathon, whatever it is, you generally have a plan and you can easily Google research to see if you are on the right track, or your coach guides you with clarity. With the current worldwide pandemic, there is no plan, no coach, no race and no end in sight, well at least it feels that way.
World leaders have thrown out ‘their plans’ for ‘their country’ but there’s no unity in how we as human beings fight the Covid 19 virus. Finger-pointing has become a sport of sorts.
In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson wears his Covid 19 badge with pride but should hang his head in shame when you consider the mess that the UK is in when it comes to the NHS, prior to his need to actually have to use the public health service.
We have President Trump blaming the World Health Organisation for their lack of action over the crisis, whilst hundreds of thousands of his own people die.
Here in Australia Scott Morrison has wheeled out billions of dollars in economic support, but has left millions of hard-working people on their knees and in absolute distress about where the next meal will come from.
And then across the pond in New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adhern can apparently do no wrong.
But not one of these leaders can communicate absolutes and work together, instead, they’ve created a landscape of criticism, a kind of “We’ve got it right and you’ve got it wrong’.
When you look at the language they use it’s misleading. The rule book is open to interpretation and as human beings we will look for short-cuts and loopholes to get what we want.
In many ways, it’s like a race manual. Some people will read it and stick to the letter, others will look at it and think ‘that doesn’t apply to me’ and sadly there will be those who deliberately seek out a way to cheat and feel perfectly comfortable doing so.
When all this ‘social distancing’ ramped up here in Australia I was happy to abide by the rules. We didn’t use the car for two weeks, consequently, when we needed it, the battery was flat.
I’ve trained really quite well but I’ve stayed within a 3-4km distance from home because that was MY interpretation of the rules.
Three weeks down the track that compliance is weakening, not because I think it’s wrong but because I want some guidance on whether what I’m doing is right?
1.Do I really need to stay so close to home and if so why? And don’t tell me it’s because the hospitals are busy and me having an accident might add to their workload. I’m more likely to fall down our garden steps.
3.Why can’t I drive the car to a beach or a park and keep my distance? I hate people being close to me anyway so it’s no real hardship keeping away from others.
4.Why do I have to throw myself into the road because selfish people are queuing on the pavement 1.5m apart at the coffee shop?
5. How do people live with themselves when one minute they criticise others for their actions then do the same themselves or feel that it’s OK to start telling people off for not interpreting the rules exactly the way they have? People are just plain weird!
It’s all small stuff but it wears you down. And don’t start boasting about what’s happening in your country because in EVERY country there are idiots.
My point is – leaders, our coaches in this world crisis need to coach us with good reason. Just saying we need to stamp this virus out, we need to save lives, you have to comply, it feels like I’m being coached by someone who really hasn’t got a clue!
Good coaches will explain why they’re asking you to do something and will make it perfectly clear what will happen if you look for those ”loopholes’ or ‘interpret’ a swim/bike/run brick session as, ‘Nah, I’ll just do a swim today and might do the bike/run tomorrow”
I’m at the stage where the easiest bit of this difficult time is my training.
Jan is setting my program, I’m following it. At the weekend we had quite a funny Skype session as she tried to take me through two new strength sessions whilst we were both holding onto our phones.
I’ve temporarily solved the swimming conundrum after buying a 2.4m round inflatable pool and swim tether, but even that was sneered at by some people, (well I felt it was sneered at, told you I was uber-sensitive)
I’m really enjoying Rouvey rides especially the new AR platform. I’ve even felt mildly competitive a couple of times when there have been others on the course.
And of course, running where I live is bliss and for that, I am extremely grateful.
So, if the leaders of this world could bandy together and come up with a plan that tells me where I can go, how I can get there, what I can do and for how long that would help.
And think before they open their mouths.
I’m a bit of a cow to live with at the moment, that’s the state of my mental health. Allan is getting it in the neck, some he deserves. My neighbour is driving me nuts, yet we normally get on so well and to the guy who tried to push in front of me in a queue, well he nearly got his head ripped off!
Marks out of ten for coping – errr, 4? And I don’t mind admitting I’m lonely. I miss ALL you weird people and can’t wait to be infected with your weirdness soon.