Brainsport is urging the running community to take physical distancing seriously. This means not running outside if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who has the virus. If you are healthy, you should be running alone or only with people in your household and making sure you keep at least two meters between you and people you pass.
“I’ve been gathering people for Brainsport Run Club for almost 30 years. But getting together for group runs is about the worst thing you can do right now,” says Brainsport owner Brian Michasiw. “Let’s all run smart and safe.”
When walking or running outside, you should avoid touching shared surfaces, including benches and railings, and wash your hands when you get home.
If you are finding it difficult to maintain a two-meter distance from others on your runs or walks, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health recommends you try running at different times of day or on different trails. This could mean avoiding single-track trails and running around your neigbourhood rather than the popular Meewasin riverbank trails. If you have a home treadmill, doing workouts indoors could also be an option for avoiding people.
Many sidewalks and much of the Meewasin trail is not wide enough to accommodate runners or walkers passing each other while maintaining a two-meter distance. If you need to pass someone and there’s not enough room, please step off the path to do so.
In an effort to help walkers and runners keep a two-meter distance between them and others, the City of Saskatoon has closed pedestrian walkways on the Senator Sid Buckwold and CP Pedestrian bridges and is allowing just one-way traffic on other bridge walkways. People are asked to go through pedestrian tunnels one at a time.
With all spring races cancelled or postponed, there are no imminent events to be training for these days — and hard training may not be beneficial. In an article published by the Globe and Mail last month, sports science writer Alex Hutchinson, who has previously spoken at Brainsport, breaks down some of the science that examines the link between hard exercise and immune function. His takeaway? Keep exercising and don’t be afraid to push hard every once in awhile, but exercise caution if you’re doing long bouts of prolonged intense activity, for example by running a marathon time trial.
While other jurisdictions have rules in place around how often people or how far from home people can exercise outside, no such regulations currently exist in Saskatchewan.
Though Brainsport’s storefront is closed, the store is still offering online, pickup and delivery services. Visit our e-commerce site or send us an email at brainsport@brainsport.ca or give us a call at 306-244-0955 to place an order for pickup or delivery.
