The response to last week’s discussion was so fascinating — we have readers from as far away as Ireland, Brazil and Canada, as well as across the U.S. — that I thought we’d dig a little deeper this week.
What do you do in the world (when you’re not running), and how do you fit taking care of fitness and health into your life? I’m really interested to hear more about you all and learn more about the amazing things you’re involved in. 😊 — Terrell
I work at a law firm in downtown Washington, D.C. It is tough to sit for so many hours every day so I always try to plan creative ways to fit my runs and walks in each day. I had previously cut my evening commute in half by running to the metro in Arlington VA. This was a great workout and so much fun, but no one is really riding the Metro these days. I recently learned it will be closed until the fall, so a more sedentary lifestyle seems inevitable. I enjoy participating in chats like this to stay inspired and motivated.
I am an event director, I put on the Havasu Half Marathon in March and the Laughlin Half Marathon in December in a addition to some smaller events and now virtual runs like the Social Distancing 6K (please sign up :) ) https://www.letsdothis.com/us/e/social-distancing-6k-187564
I work from home and have some flexibility during the week, I go to a lot of running clubs in the Los Angeles area. I love my work but it does make it hard to get weekend work outs in since I am usually at an event on Sat & Sun.
I'm a software engineer, which is good and bad. Bad because I am SUPER sedentary during the day by requirement (I have to sit in front of the computer all the time). Good because my job is flexible and, if the weather sucks, I can wait until later in the day to run. I also work from home, so I have the option to take a break to walk my dog if I need to. I generally find that I still have to run in the morning so I don't get distracted and forget 😬
I work as a data analyst in Seattle. On my weekends and in my free time I can be found hiking, climbing all of the mountains of the PNW, caving, diving or traveling to exotic places where I can do any of those things. On weekends, mostly Sundays, I volunteer as a drug &alcohol counselor at treatment facilities in the area. I always run first thing when I get home after work 3 days a week, just a simple 5k or a little more, and then on my weekends I either have a big run day 10 - 20 miles, or go on a big hike (more than 3k ft gain) and do some cycling. We have this amazing 100 mile biking trail that I live close to so it's fantastic for cycling and running on as well. I fit everything in by just having a schedule and sticking to it. I'm a big planner. Right now it's nice because I can just take off for my runs from home right when I finish work. The bike trail has also been open so I've continued to run it on the weekends and ride my bike around. I also don't have a family yet, so I pretty much have all of the time in the world. I was raised in a household where all of our free time was spent being active so I think its the main reason my sister &I are still so active is just because we never stopped as we got older. :P
I have been working from home providing NTI assignments for my students since mid March, so it has allowed me to get more running in. In-person school has been cancelled for the rest of the year, but grades finalized, and curriculum for next year begins now, from home.
I am also canine mom/caregiver to geriatric and disabled/health impaired dogs. We have a 3-legged maltese, a blind pug mix, a deaf pug, a cart-bound rat terrier, and several that are in the 15 -17 yr old range, as well as assorted other ailments that deem them unadoptables. I also wear the hat of wife, mother to 5, grandmother to 11. In addition, we also assist my 90+ yr old mother, going to grocery, mowing her yard, etc... My husband and I ¨tag-team¨ the dog-children responsibilities as we both work full-time.
I am fortunate that most of the time, I can schedule my runs after school, get a quick 30-45 minutes in during the week, and at least one run in on weekend. Sometimes its a struggle as often my school day is 10-12 hrs. Sometimes, if no sports are going on, I will change clothes from school and get a couple miles in on the track.
My husband and I are retired. My husband (José Luiz) is Architect and used to work in a buildind company; I am a Nuclear Physic and was professor but now our days are quiet. Every day in the morning we run or walk and I do boxing classes twice a week. In the afternoon we read books, take care of the garden, meet friends and plan trips. We travel to know different cultures and to run, mainly half marathons around our country and the world.
I am in the leadership development and transformation profession…as an online adjunct instructor teaching for the Air Force. (Teaching leadership courses for Air War College as well as Air Command & Staff College.) This has been my primary focus for the past 12+ years since retiring from the AF (rescue helicopter pilot, staff jobs, and command opportunities). Online teaching is done sitting at my laptop, which requires me to intentionally “get moving” frequently. One nice feature is that while it is very engaging, our program is not “live” but what they call asynchronous—meaning at the same place but not necessarily at the same time. I also do some individual and small group leadership teaching, consulting, and mentoring. Running in Houston, TX is primarily a morning event…as summers are long, hot, and humid. And I think our “cool mornings” from the winter months are essentially over. During non-running days I exercise on a stationary bike and watch something on Netflix. Also, for the past six months I have actually spent as much time stretching as running following some running-related injuries to my calf muscles. Several months ago, I added foam rolling, too, and all combined seem to keep me healthy…and motivated to run.
I'm a 66 year old piano teacher. I work from home in Salt Lake City. About a year ago I was diagnosed with a torn meniscus which has limited my running. I have been doing physical therapy at home to strengthen my knee. I now run about once a week and walk the other days. Last Saturday I ran about two miles. I'm hoping to get back to running 5ks soon. The doctor told me I would not run again, but the strengthening exercises the physical therapist taught me have helped immensely. I'm trying to be very cautious and listen carefully to my knee.
Hi Everybody. I haven’t been able to write in for a while. A lot has happened in my family since the Covid crisis began. Essentially, my parents were living in a senior living center. Dad in independent living, mom in assisted living. My mom (Age 90) needed aides round the clock so we had some paid help and the rest of the time my dad and I split her care. Since I work in a drs office, I stopped working when things got risky and stayed home so I could limit my exposure and not bring it into the nursing home. My husband and sons did all the errands to again limit my exposure. Things were humming along until there was a case of Covid 19 in the room directly across from my mom’s. Within a short period, both my parents had symptoms and tested positive. Within another week I also became symptomatic and tested positive, and then eventually my husband and adult sons got it too. My dad (age 89) made it all the way to Day 12 managing symptoms and then his oxygen dropped and we rushed him to the hospital. He had viral pneumonia and needed oxygen but was spared a ventilator. He made it out of the hospital and is with us at home. I recovered after a week and as soon as I was 3 days fever free I was able to be back caring for my mom. I was able to spend 8 more days with her, and then 3 days ago I held her hand and kissed her as she slipped away, with my sister on FaceTime. After 63 years of marriage, my dad was unable to be with my mom for the last 2 weeks of her life. My dad, already fragile from the virus and pneumonia, is devastated from losing his wife and not being with her In her final days . We are all doing our best to support him and help him survive this. Through these tough days, there have been incredible kindnesses and caring support from friends and neighbors, and I saw such gentle, loving care from the aides in the nursing home. I feel like I was given an incredible gift to be with my mom in her last days, holding the phone in front of her so she could hear the loving words of her grandchildren, my sister, my husband, and my dad. My mom was a beautiful loving soul, and even through the dark stresses of the last 3 weeks, I saw so much love all around her, me, and our family, and many blessings. For our family’s story, there are tens of thousands versions like it around the world. With all the despair and daily sad news, we still have to focus on the many good things that happen in our own communities every day. I wish you all health, safety, and the opportunity to run. Let’s all keep hoping and praying for a vaccination that will help our world get to a better place. Not exactly what we had before, but even better.
When I’m not running, I’m a middle school English teacher at a school for the performing arts here in Las Vegas. Running after school is my way of unwinding. There is a lot of stress (& sometimes heartbreak) at work, so running is my time to get that out before I spend the evening with my family.
Currently, I’m working from home & running in the mornings, like I do in the summers. I am really enjoying it!
When I'm not running I'm reading books writing bring back issues of magazineseveryday I go out for 2 hours for a run or walk combination through my different apps I keep myself very busy right now because I'm not working so I have time to do a lot more training and a lot more time to do my reading and catching up in my magazines
I manage a software development team. We're located near Detroit and work for Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. We've all been working from home for 7 weeks and expect to at least until June. That has presented some challenges for work, but has actually helped me run more consistently. I normally run early in the morning, but due the the nature of our business many mornings end up getting taken up by work. Now when that happens I can do my run mid-day, take a quick shower & get back to work.
Hello! I’m from Brazil too! I’m totally a morning runner, I run everyday after taking the kids to school. I’m a lawyer at my own office in a city nearby São Paulo, so when I’m not running I’m working, taking the kids to their activities after school, cooking... always on the run and I love it 😉
Well I work in a hospital as a dietitian and it has been a bit stressful through this trying time. I work out in the early mornings as my energy is zapped by the time I get finished with work. The weather here remains very comfortable and I am thankful for that as it will soon be very hot and humid (Daytona Beach). Just a shout out that I love this group and am very thankful for the inspiration people bring to it!! Thank you Terrell!!!!
I work as a journalist in San Francisco. During the day, I mostly write, interview people, and do research. Outside of work and besides running, I enjoy cooking, reading, photography, and Muay Thai. I usually go to a Muay Thai gym, but we've been doing classes over Zoom. During quarantine, I've also picked up doing some fitness and yoga videos. Besides that, I do quite a bit of writing outside of work, including this weekly newsletter about stories by women of color: https://truecolors.substack.com/
I'm and executive assistant at a law firm in Palo Alto. My two sons are adults and unmarried, so not dealing with any kids right now. I had always loved going for long walks and running had never crossed my mind until a few colleagues talked about races they had done. So in 2013, I signed up for a charity half marathon for our client, The Ronald McDonald House, and they trained us for free. Something big to do for my big 50. I run about twice a week and strength train twice a week. Just trying to stay healthy. ( I have been taking care of my 84 year old mother for the past year and half who never exercised.) My husband plays on senior soccer teams and is missing it terribly as we have been SIP. He does not have the knees for running, especially on pavement and has only joined me twice in last sever years. We love traveling and have friends and family in Europe. (I did a half marathon in Italy in 2018 while visiting). Unless I know the country language, I probably won't do that again. :)
I love running,bicycling and yoga..and weight training..As a 63 year old preschool teacher,, I need to be fit to keep up with 3 and 4 year olds!! My husband has begun to bicycle along beside me as I run to improve his cardio! This is a great step for him @70 years young!! Praying he will continue and improve his aging process through the experience!
I’m a judge handling family law cases, married to my high school sweetheart 35 years this July, have 3 grown children & 1 wonderful 5 yr old grandson💞. I’ve been running since I was a kid! It has ALWAYS been my sanity!!! I’m a morning runner, I have to be b/c the days sometimes are long! I also do weight training w/ a trainer 2 x a week. Highlight of my running was doing a 1/2 marathon 2 years ago w/ my middle son🤗. He smoked me!!! Stay healthy!!!
I am a retired Informatics Nurse and worked as a Program Manager in the IT dept of a large hospital system. I’ve been run/walking at least 5 miles a day since the lockdown. It has been my salvation to be able to cope.
I like to read and belong to 2 book clubs and sing in our church choir but that’s all on hold right now. I sit on the Programs and Standards Committee of our local ARC. 2 years ago my husband came out of retirement to take a position as CEO/President of a federal credit union. My life got busier as well. My unofficial title is FLOTCU (First Lady of the Credit Union)!
Friday Open Thread: What do you do (when you're not running)?
I work at a law firm in downtown Washington, D.C. It is tough to sit for so many hours every day so I always try to plan creative ways to fit my runs and walks in each day. I had previously cut my evening commute in half by running to the metro in Arlington VA. This was a great workout and so much fun, but no one is really riding the Metro these days. I recently learned it will be closed until the fall, so a more sedentary lifestyle seems inevitable. I enjoy participating in chats like this to stay inspired and motivated.
I am an event director, I put on the Havasu Half Marathon in March and the Laughlin Half Marathon in December in a addition to some smaller events and now virtual runs like the Social Distancing 6K (please sign up :) ) https://www.letsdothis.com/us/e/social-distancing-6k-187564
I work from home and have some flexibility during the week, I go to a lot of running clubs in the Los Angeles area. I love my work but it does make it hard to get weekend work outs in since I am usually at an event on Sat & Sun.
I'm a software engineer, which is good and bad. Bad because I am SUPER sedentary during the day by requirement (I have to sit in front of the computer all the time). Good because my job is flexible and, if the weather sucks, I can wait until later in the day to run. I also work from home, so I have the option to take a break to walk my dog if I need to. I generally find that I still have to run in the morning so I don't get distracted and forget 😬
I work as a data analyst in Seattle. On my weekends and in my free time I can be found hiking, climbing all of the mountains of the PNW, caving, diving or traveling to exotic places where I can do any of those things. On weekends, mostly Sundays, I volunteer as a drug &alcohol counselor at treatment facilities in the area. I always run first thing when I get home after work 3 days a week, just a simple 5k or a little more, and then on my weekends I either have a big run day 10 - 20 miles, or go on a big hike (more than 3k ft gain) and do some cycling. We have this amazing 100 mile biking trail that I live close to so it's fantastic for cycling and running on as well. I fit everything in by just having a schedule and sticking to it. I'm a big planner. Right now it's nice because I can just take off for my runs from home right when I finish work. The bike trail has also been open so I've continued to run it on the weekends and ride my bike around. I also don't have a family yet, so I pretty much have all of the time in the world. I was raised in a household where all of our free time was spent being active so I think its the main reason my sister &I are still so active is just because we never stopped as we got older. :P
I am a middle school technology teacher.
I have been working from home providing NTI assignments for my students since mid March, so it has allowed me to get more running in. In-person school has been cancelled for the rest of the year, but grades finalized, and curriculum for next year begins now, from home.
I am also canine mom/caregiver to geriatric and disabled/health impaired dogs. We have a 3-legged maltese, a blind pug mix, a deaf pug, a cart-bound rat terrier, and several that are in the 15 -17 yr old range, as well as assorted other ailments that deem them unadoptables. I also wear the hat of wife, mother to 5, grandmother to 11. In addition, we also assist my 90+ yr old mother, going to grocery, mowing her yard, etc... My husband and I ¨tag-team¨ the dog-children responsibilities as we both work full-time.
I am fortunate that most of the time, I can schedule my runs after school, get a quick 30-45 minutes in during the week, and at least one run in on weekend. Sometimes its a struggle as often my school day is 10-12 hrs. Sometimes, if no sports are going on, I will change clothes from school and get a couple miles in on the track.
Running is my sanity saver!
My husband and I are retired. My husband (José Luiz) is Architect and used to work in a buildind company; I am a Nuclear Physic and was professor but now our days are quiet. Every day in the morning we run or walk and I do boxing classes twice a week. In the afternoon we read books, take care of the garden, meet friends and plan trips. We travel to know different cultures and to run, mainly half marathons around our country and the world.
I'm retired and before the quarantine, travel was what I did when I wasn't racing. Now I read books and wish I was traveling (LOL, LOL).
I am in the leadership development and transformation profession…as an online adjunct instructor teaching for the Air Force. (Teaching leadership courses for Air War College as well as Air Command & Staff College.) This has been my primary focus for the past 12+ years since retiring from the AF (rescue helicopter pilot, staff jobs, and command opportunities). Online teaching is done sitting at my laptop, which requires me to intentionally “get moving” frequently. One nice feature is that while it is very engaging, our program is not “live” but what they call asynchronous—meaning at the same place but not necessarily at the same time. I also do some individual and small group leadership teaching, consulting, and mentoring. Running in Houston, TX is primarily a morning event…as summers are long, hot, and humid. And I think our “cool mornings” from the winter months are essentially over. During non-running days I exercise on a stationary bike and watch something on Netflix. Also, for the past six months I have actually spent as much time stretching as running following some running-related injuries to my calf muscles. Several months ago, I added foam rolling, too, and all combined seem to keep me healthy…and motivated to run.
I'm a 66 year old piano teacher. I work from home in Salt Lake City. About a year ago I was diagnosed with a torn meniscus which has limited my running. I have been doing physical therapy at home to strengthen my knee. I now run about once a week and walk the other days. Last Saturday I ran about two miles. I'm hoping to get back to running 5ks soon. The doctor told me I would not run again, but the strengthening exercises the physical therapist taught me have helped immensely. I'm trying to be very cautious and listen carefully to my knee.
Hi Everybody. I haven’t been able to write in for a while. A lot has happened in my family since the Covid crisis began. Essentially, my parents were living in a senior living center. Dad in independent living, mom in assisted living. My mom (Age 90) needed aides round the clock so we had some paid help and the rest of the time my dad and I split her care. Since I work in a drs office, I stopped working when things got risky and stayed home so I could limit my exposure and not bring it into the nursing home. My husband and sons did all the errands to again limit my exposure. Things were humming along until there was a case of Covid 19 in the room directly across from my mom’s. Within a short period, both my parents had symptoms and tested positive. Within another week I also became symptomatic and tested positive, and then eventually my husband and adult sons got it too. My dad (age 89) made it all the way to Day 12 managing symptoms and then his oxygen dropped and we rushed him to the hospital. He had viral pneumonia and needed oxygen but was spared a ventilator. He made it out of the hospital and is with us at home. I recovered after a week and as soon as I was 3 days fever free I was able to be back caring for my mom. I was able to spend 8 more days with her, and then 3 days ago I held her hand and kissed her as she slipped away, with my sister on FaceTime. After 63 years of marriage, my dad was unable to be with my mom for the last 2 weeks of her life. My dad, already fragile from the virus and pneumonia, is devastated from losing his wife and not being with her In her final days . We are all doing our best to support him and help him survive this. Through these tough days, there have been incredible kindnesses and caring support from friends and neighbors, and I saw such gentle, loving care from the aides in the nursing home. I feel like I was given an incredible gift to be with my mom in her last days, holding the phone in front of her so she could hear the loving words of her grandchildren, my sister, my husband, and my dad. My mom was a beautiful loving soul, and even through the dark stresses of the last 3 weeks, I saw so much love all around her, me, and our family, and many blessings. For our family’s story, there are tens of thousands versions like it around the world. With all the despair and daily sad news, we still have to focus on the many good things that happen in our own communities every day. I wish you all health, safety, and the opportunity to run. Let’s all keep hoping and praying for a vaccination that will help our world get to a better place. Not exactly what we had before, but even better.
When I’m not running, I’m a middle school English teacher at a school for the performing arts here in Las Vegas. Running after school is my way of unwinding. There is a lot of stress (& sometimes heartbreak) at work, so running is my time to get that out before I spend the evening with my family.
Currently, I’m working from home & running in the mornings, like I do in the summers. I am really enjoying it!
When I'm not running I'm reading books writing bring back issues of magazineseveryday I go out for 2 hours for a run or walk combination through my different apps I keep myself very busy right now because I'm not working so I have time to do a lot more training and a lot more time to do my reading and catching up in my magazines
I manage a software development team. We're located near Detroit and work for Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. We've all been working from home for 7 weeks and expect to at least until June. That has presented some challenges for work, but has actually helped me run more consistently. I normally run early in the morning, but due the the nature of our business many mornings end up getting taken up by work. Now when that happens I can do my run mid-day, take a quick shower & get back to work.
Hello! I’m from Brazil too! I’m totally a morning runner, I run everyday after taking the kids to school. I’m a lawyer at my own office in a city nearby São Paulo, so when I’m not running I’m working, taking the kids to their activities after school, cooking... always on the run and I love it 😉
Well I work in a hospital as a dietitian and it has been a bit stressful through this trying time. I work out in the early mornings as my energy is zapped by the time I get finished with work. The weather here remains very comfortable and I am thankful for that as it will soon be very hot and humid (Daytona Beach). Just a shout out that I love this group and am very thankful for the inspiration people bring to it!! Thank you Terrell!!!!
I work as a journalist in San Francisco. During the day, I mostly write, interview people, and do research. Outside of work and besides running, I enjoy cooking, reading, photography, and Muay Thai. I usually go to a Muay Thai gym, but we've been doing classes over Zoom. During quarantine, I've also picked up doing some fitness and yoga videos. Besides that, I do quite a bit of writing outside of work, including this weekly newsletter about stories by women of color: https://truecolors.substack.com/
I'm and executive assistant at a law firm in Palo Alto. My two sons are adults and unmarried, so not dealing with any kids right now. I had always loved going for long walks and running had never crossed my mind until a few colleagues talked about races they had done. So in 2013, I signed up for a charity half marathon for our client, The Ronald McDonald House, and they trained us for free. Something big to do for my big 50. I run about twice a week and strength train twice a week. Just trying to stay healthy. ( I have been taking care of my 84 year old mother for the past year and half who never exercised.) My husband plays on senior soccer teams and is missing it terribly as we have been SIP. He does not have the knees for running, especially on pavement and has only joined me twice in last sever years. We love traveling and have friends and family in Europe. (I did a half marathon in Italy in 2018 while visiting). Unless I know the country language, I probably won't do that again. :)
I live in a farm so k have a bunch of animals.
I love running,bicycling and yoga..and weight training..As a 63 year old preschool teacher,, I need to be fit to keep up with 3 and 4 year olds!! My husband has begun to bicycle along beside me as I run to improve his cardio! This is a great step for him @70 years young!! Praying he will continue and improve his aging process through the experience!
I’m a judge handling family law cases, married to my high school sweetheart 35 years this July, have 3 grown children & 1 wonderful 5 yr old grandson💞. I’ve been running since I was a kid! It has ALWAYS been my sanity!!! I’m a morning runner, I have to be b/c the days sometimes are long! I also do weight training w/ a trainer 2 x a week. Highlight of my running was doing a 1/2 marathon 2 years ago w/ my middle son🤗. He smoked me!!! Stay healthy!!!
I always have this back pain after running and I'm only 21 years old. I
I am a retired Informatics Nurse and worked as a Program Manager in the IT dept of a large hospital system. I’ve been run/walking at least 5 miles a day since the lockdown. It has been my salvation to be able to cope.
I like to read and belong to 2 book clubs and sing in our church choir but that’s all on hold right now. I sit on the Programs and Standards Committee of our local ARC. 2 years ago my husband came out of retirement to take a position as CEO/President of a federal credit union. My life got busier as well. My unofficial title is FLOTCU (First Lady of the Credit Union)!