Are you going out for exercise?

[TalkSenseIntoMe]

I feel stupid asking this but as the COVID rate is now up to 1 in 15 in some parts of London...are people still going out for exercise? I had planned a forest walk with my DC today but now I’m wondering if I’m being irresponsible? We know the virus doesn’t hang around in the air but the message seems so clearly focused on STAY AT HOME. Exercise is allowed, I know, but it seems at odds with the stay at home message. Maybe the new variant does hang around in the air? Oh I’m being hysterical aren’t I? Tell me to get a grip and go out please.

Yes. But I’m lucky. I can choose a time of day where I know it’ll be quieter and live in a smallish market town. I C25K each day. It makes me feel better, gives me a bit of a boost, as it were and miss it if I can’t do it. I wear a mask too. People look at me a bit but frankly I don’t care.

Also, have to walk the dog but she just plods so, I don’t really count that. Exercise for me, is something which gets my ❤️ going.

Yes every day. I know the quiet streets or paths, have a common or park to choose from, so keep away from others when out.

Yes, in London and right next to some huge parks. Still going for an hour's walk early each morning (or sometimes I go at lunchtime instead).

The new variant is more infectious but still appears that risk of catching it outside with social distancing - which most people in my neck of the woods seem to be doing - is very low.

I have done a walk in the park every single day since March. Am sure it has done my physical and mental health a world of good.

I normally go out everyday for a walk which I started doing during the first lockdown. I am really looking forward to Tuesday when my SI finishes as I currently have Covid. Being diabetic walking helps keep my blood sugars down and my diabetic nurse told me that because my blood glucose level was so much better it meant I was no more at risk of severe Covid than anyone else. I just feel like I have a cold.

I'm in London and avoiding parks. They're rammed round here with people standing talking with pushchairs blocking the paths

Yeah we are, we’re in London and our parks aren’t busy, we go to the playpark most days, we have enough that we could just walk to another if one is busy. We were the only ones at the playpark this morning.

Yes daily running and daily dog walks; I live rurally, rarely see a soul and can keep plenty of distance if I do. I often run in the wee small hours too, from as early as 0330 so no people about at all. I appreciate that I am fortunate in this respect.

Yes absolutely. The weather is glorious at the moment instead of the usual drizzly January we normally get.

If you can walk to the forest and go at a quiet time yes. If you’ve got to drive it goes against the advice to exercise locally and just helps the spread go from area to area.

I walk my dog each day. I feel anxious before, but when I’m out I feel so much better. We are in Surrey with high cases, but everyone is out walking. I just cross the road when we see someone coming. In fact when my dog sees somebody coming, he looks at me as if to say, are we crossing over.

I am-wlak every morning for an hour at 6 before work and justin from and enforced walk with ds over the fields.rarely see anyone though as we are semi rural. On the occasions we have gone to localpa4ks they've been very crowded-at theweekends the carpark have ben closed by 11. I'd go if I had no other options though, over staying in as I think there will be different problems if all outside exercise is ceased for the forseeable-it's pretty low risk, and one I would be willing to take.

I try and do 5 miles a day. I'm in countryside 10 mins walk from my house. I walk in all weathers.

No. I only leave the house to go to work, I do my exercise at home.

Londoner

I go out for a walk every day (almost always solo) and do other exercise at home (eg zoom classes - if I have to join at a set time chances are I'll do it, use stuff that's always there on YouTube and I'll procrastinate forever)

There were police in the park this morning, talking to people who were just hanging around chatting or (accidentally?) in more than pairs. I think this is the policing by consent approach to get people to reduce contact. There were a heck of a lot of people there (way more crowded than a weekday when it's only dog walkers, runners and those with very small DC) and I guess they're aiming for well spaced use, not busy with apparent mingling.

(I could manage without my outdoor walk if push came to shove)

I'm opting to go out in the evenings instead. Too many people congregating on pavements, chatting with coffees at the moment. Probably safeish but it makes me anxious so would rather avoid.

Yes I've always walked the dog an hour a day, every day. I've never stayed in because of covid 19. Just walk somewhere quiet.

Going out a lot is key to protecting my mental health.
No afraid of virus but yes afraid of MH breakdown. So easy decision.

I guess info is still emerging, but every time someone tries to check on where transmission happened, outside places don't seem to feature at all.

I'm in north London, every time we've gone to a park it has been really busy, and sometimes hard to get away from people if the grass is muddy and there's a thousand kids zooming at you on the path with bikes.

Going to try my hand with a kettlebell and youtube instead for a bit!

I would wear a mask outdoors only really if standing near others for any length of time. (remember the main transmission vectors have been where there has been a lot shouting, singing, gathering indoors or when in unventilated space with an infected person for more than 15 minutes. I would wash my hands before touching my face or food. You are right to be cautious but you also need to be active and get fresh air. If you are following the advice you are helping yourself and others, but being outdoors is important.

I walk everyday I'm not at work, so four times a week. I'm live in a village so it is easier to social distance whilst out. This morning my car was booked into the garage for a service at 8am so I walked the 3 1/2 miles home. Much easier in a more built up area at this time in the morning I wouldn't do this route mid-day.

Yes, I took the children on a long scooter rider down the promenade this morning, I doubt we could catch anything as we didn’t see anybody bar a few cyclists who were going so fast that it would be very unlikely to catch Covid, Kids need to be tired out they are going mad! I’ll be taking them out tomorrow too!

Yes, on the days DS is at the childminder I go for a run at lunchtime, the days he is home I go out for a walk with him (he goes outside with the cm when there, I try and make sure he is out everyday so if we then have to isolate the garden will seem exciting again as he isn't spending all his outdoors time in it now).

We’re going for walks around the block and we play on a bit of council owned grass at the back of the housing estate. I think it’s fine as long as nobody else is there. We don’t have a garden so this is the only way DC can get some fresh air.

Yes I am. Don't buy into the hysteria.

Yes, 2 year old would go stir crazy if we didn't and he got a scooter for Christmas. We live by the coast and thankfully our local council has now shut all seafront parking as we were being swarmed by non local people coming for a walk in a more scenic area