(Leah French, '24 going over todays workout plan with Crew Coach Jim Tucci.)
COVID-19 has had zero compunction in stopping our sense of normalcy. Education, sports seasons, traditions, daily routines, and, even, once-in-a-lifetime events found themselves “playing second fiddle” and forced to face a rescheduling or cancellation against this global pandemic--and rightfully so of course.
And thus, an age of a new normal was ushered in, filled with precaution, anticipation, and anxiety. Many Skidmore students return to campus expecting their days to occur squarely in front of a computer screen.
However, the Skidmore Athletics Department pokes at another option for “playing second fiddle”: adaptation.
As read from e-mails and the occasional poster, activity classes have been offered weekly since August 31st. While they cannot be taken for credit, the athletic faculty believe that this chance to “stay active” has equal merit and is equally beneficial as other courses.
Well, for one thing, these courses aren’t binding. So, all it takes to participate is wearing a mask, keeping your status updated with the Co-Verified app, testing negative weekly, and signing up at https://skidmoreathletics.com/sports/2020/8/13/fall2020.aspx?id=79--this should be no problem since we should already be in the habit of doing the first three. And leaving a course is as easy as just not showing up. With class held every weekday, there’s no hassle squeezing these into your schedules.
Now, that’s all fine and dandy but, if I were reading this, I wouldn’t be quite convinced by an outsider's perspective. So, what better way to report on these activity classes than to participate in one myself? They were made for students to join and I’m a student--what do I have to lose? I haven’t run long distance nor have I even been on a treadmill since we were banished to our homes. Still, I was confident and excited for the High Intensity Cardio Interval Training course that I signed up for two days earlier, and that I should be afraid of.
It didn’t take long for me to meet my first obstacle. It wasn’t understanding how hard it was to exercise in a mask, it wasn’t high winds or cold weather, and it wasn’t even confronting how out of shape I was. Well, it sort of was. It was dealing with my shorts becoming a size too big for me because I was one of those weird people who managed to lose weight during quarantine. But, the added challenge of occasionally pulling up my shorts didn’t stop me, and I made my way to the sports center. Now that was a new sight. The facility looks almost foreign. It’s not because of any drastic renovations but because of the lack of people. No people on treadmills, no trap blasting from the weight room, no teams running upstairs and through the hallways; just glass shields, hand sanitizer dispensers, and a nice woman at the front desk.
It turns out that this reminder of the times we live in was completely unnecessary because our class, and all activity classes, take place outside on the Wachenheim field. There, Lacrosse Coach Joseph Martin led my classmates and I through extensive stretching and warm-ups.
During our session, he spoke, joked, and maintained a much-needed welcome environment. Warmed up, we then began our sprints on the turf. From blue line to blue line and under 25 seconds, we were encouraged to complete twelve sets. Filled with breaks and the option to skip sets, this plan was adapted from his own Lacrosse training plans. Along the vein of “adaptation”, all activity classes are run and planned by Skidmore’s coaches who draw from their respective expertise. Skidmore’s Baseball coach instructs long distance running. Skidmore’s Basketball coach instructs basketball drills and conditioning. Whether you want to hone a skill in a sport that you like, or try something new, you can be sure that an expert will be behind you.
My first three sets felt like I hadn’t even taken a day off. However, like almost anything, it became harder as I continued. My mask kept getting in the way of the deep breaths I needed to take, the rest periods helped me recover less each time, and, somehow, my back started to hurt. Although it hurt, and still hurts, it made me feel happy. Something about being outside, engaging in physical activity, challenging myself and sharing the time with my own little team, made the experience actually fun.
It was different. It was invigorating. It was worth it.
I plan to add Wednesday sprinting to my weekly routine.
Still, I don’t think I successfully show off what these special classes offer. I guess, like me, the best way to really find out is to try it out yourselves!