A Chinese runner under lockdown during the coronavirus kept his spirits high by running a gruelling 50 kilometres (31 miles) around his living room six weeks ago.
Pan Shancu from Hangzhou completed 6,250 laps of his eight-metre room in four hours, 48 mins and 44 seconds.
The amateur athlete said he “could not bear sitting down any more”, as he and many other people across the world have been confined to their homes for weeks.
Shancu has set the trend for others to follow, with a French runner tackling 3,000 lengths of his seven-metre balcony to complete the full marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres recently.
In Dubai, a South African couple ran the same marathon distance on their balcony last week, streaming it online to help people shake off the coronavirus blues.
Colin and Hilda Allin ran more than 2,100 laps of their 19-metre balcony in five hours, nine minutes, 39 secs.
“This is about giving people something else to think about,” Allin said. “It’s about getting people to connect, as everyone is worried about the impact of coronavirus.”
Wonderful day for us yesterday - my first ever marathon & to do it while under #lockdown in Dubai - beautiful family memories made forever! #Covid_19 #stayhome @collinallin @DXBMediaOffice https://t.co/YtC62C8wwu pic.twitter.com/N5lYEuw3lu
— KarooDaisy (@KarooDaisy) March 29, 2020
During these uncertain times, it is important to keep our bodies and minds physically and mentally fit while we come to terms with the ongoing spread of coronavirus.
It is normal to feel a bit more stressed than usual at the moment. Everything is affected, from our daily routine, eating habits, sleeping pattern and even a trip to the local gym.
With the recent Covid-19 disruption, many people are working from home, along with the local gyms shutting their doors.
In the midst of this, there are plenty of people taking advantage of the current restrictions of staying at home and keeping safe by exercising in their respective apartments.
You don’t necessarily have to run or walk around a small apartment, but the key is getting a daily dose of exercise to maintain energy levels and de-stress.
With gyms closed, it is easy to lose focus and slip out of your training schedule. Fitness routines can be forgotten about, but why fall into this trap when you can spend a small part of the day doing something that will make you feel mentally sharper.
Doing home workouts – simple and equipment-free – is a great chance to keep yourself in good physical condition. And if you are stuck or unsure of any ideas, there are any number of free home workouts uploaded on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram at present.
Between Joe Wicks uploading a 25-minute workout each day on his YouTube channel to a range of other trainers doing similar videos, it gives people the chance of following a video stream to make it feel like they are in the fitness class itself.
In the UAE, Mark Sumner has set up a Facebook page – Covid-19 Resistance Group – providing free daily programmes, while local gyms like Warehouse have a range of free workouts uploaded on to their YouTube channel.
If you are interested in mobility and stretching, Dubai-based sports therapist Lizzie Thomson has buckets of ideas and routines on her social media channels to help improve the range of your muscles and joints.
Footwear giant Asics are even organising a home marathon for UAE residents on April 10 where there are prizes on offer for the first three men and women to complete the challenging 42.195km distance from their respective apartments.
It’s fantastic to see people exercising in the midst of this crisis, maintaining fitness levels and keeping the mind fresh after a busy day at work.
Often, in the midst of a tough working schedule, it can be easy to forget about different activities we once enjoyed doing. Jogging, walking, yoga or home circuit exercises are ideal to keep the body and mind ticking over at the moment.
It’s all about finding something that makes you happy. If that’s going for a 30-minute walk around the house or doing exercises like press-ups or sit-ups for 20 minutes, the main thing is that you feel better after it.
People might think we have gone mad during the pandemic, but getting our daily dose our exercise key. Do your best to stay active, positive and keep things as normal as you can for the next few weeks.
Don’t let the disruption affect you and your health. Of course, the first thing you need to do is look after yourself and your loved ones, and look after your mental and physical health.
