People tackle their morning jog or afternoon bike ride with distancing measures in mind

Staying in shape under the statewide Stay-at-Home mandate has presented some new challenges, but it has not created an impossible task.

People are still allowed to venture outside for a morning jog or an after-dinner walk, they are just being required to keep their distance when encountering someone else in their path.

“I’ll still go for a run or a bike ride — all of those things are still available — the main thing is to be wise and to keep your distance,” said Sandy High track and field coach Anouxa Vixathep. “When I got for a run, I might see one other person out on the trail — it’s not that difficult to be mindful of other people.”

Scott Pesznecker, a member of the Eastwind Running Club, has had to juggle his routine a bit. The area club has had to suspend its group-run activities — something they typically offer five or six times in a given week.

“It is difficult. Wednesday night runs have become a favorite part of my week,” Pesznecker said. “The people in the group are my friends, so it’s more than not being active, it is also temporarily saying good bye to a part of my social life.”

Nursing a sore hip, Pesznecker has climbed onto his bike for a lighter impact outdoor activity during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I’ve gone out bike riding a few times and generally try to avoid traffic. I’m lucky to live in a place where there are a lot of light-traffic options,” he said.

Pesznecker started a Year of Fitness group on Facebook years ago, challenging friends and family to be active for at least 10 minutes each and every day. Under the Stay-at-Home mandate, he often finds himself logging his 10 minutes in his living room.

“I’ve gone to TV-exercising. I’ll turn on a show and run in place, do some shadow boxing, lots of pushups and sit ups — anything I can do to get moving and work up a sweat,” Pesznecker said.

A healthy diet and proper sleep also play a big part in fitness, especially when it may be more challenging to get in regular exercise.

“You want to be careful about what you are eating and about getting enough sleep — those things are going to help keep your immune system up,” Vixathep said.

The two-mile wood chip trail around Glendoveer Golf Course saw regular activity during a morning stop last week, while also offering walkers and runners plenty of space to spread out on their loop. The trailhead sign at the east parking lot, includes a posted reminder about social distancing rules.

This story is scheduled for our Tuesday, March 31, print edition.