Shaping Up For Our Return

One of the side effects of COVID-19 is we’re all driving and commuting less. So much less there are even news stories about insurance companies returning money to customers. Could this year get any crazier? In my need to go somewhere today two things happened; first, my son’s truck (also absent from the road) was dead in its parking spot behind mine. The battery died from lack of use over two weeks. Once, resolved I gladly hopped into my vehicle and took off. But something didn’t feel comfortable or was less familiar. That’s when it hit me – both examples just in a short time were impacts of the two-week absence from use. Which of course led me to the topic for this blog; Muscle Memory.
Over the past few weeks we’ve shifted to remote work. Our lives have been upended and we’re establishing new routines. But what about the old ones? It is true that in many ways we will return to a “New Normal” but in many aspects we will just pick up where we left off. But will that return be familiar or slightly awkward at first? In a first for my blog, I want to tap in to my own personal expert on training and muscle memory, an Ironman Competitor and Marathon Runner, and most importantly my friend Mark Fung. Think of this as a written “podcast” for the moment.
Mark, Is it possible to equate “Mental” Muscle Memory to Physical Muscle Training that you go through for a race?
Brent, absolutely yes! Studies show that at a molecular level, your muscles develop a ‘memory’ that lingers through a prolonged period of inactivity. Once we start training again, this ‘muscle memory’ could speed the process by which we regain our former muscular strength and size. In my experience, I take extended periods of rest and recovery after a big race. Once I’m ready to get back into another training cycle, my body hasn’t forgotten how to run at the previous paces. It just takes a few workouts to remember what that pace feels like, how much deeper I have to breathe, how much more effort I put into my stride, where I land on my foot. And after I get those feelings back, it’s like I never left!
Now translate this to your brain and actual memory. Our brains process memories and eventually convert short-term memories into long-term memories. Those long-term memories are stored indefinitely. So just because you haven’t accessed them in a while, it doesn’t mean your memories are gone, they just take a little work to remember how to access them. Once you rebuild the process to remember that memory, you have instant access, just as you did in the past!
Mark, this is great stuff! So, that feeling of awkwardness I had when driving will most likely be experienced in different ways by others as they return to previous routines. The important point to note is that it is completely natural and will go away once the process is rebuilt. Which leads me to my second question for you Mark. Since we’ve all been absent from our routines, we’re establishing new ones. Based on your training experience, how have you incorporated new aspects into your existing training routine. What tips or challenges did you encounter to integrate and create a new “normal” for your routine?
Brent, Great question! I think the first thing I needed to realize was that with a new ‘normal’, expectations had to be thrown out the window. I had to work with new parameters, when I could train, how I could train, where I could train (and still maintain at least 6 feet of separation!). Since this was uncharted territory, making any assumptions on gains or progress were going to be guesses at best. I had to acknowledge that ANY gain or progress was significant, and that even being able to maintain my previous gains was really a win as well. And that was really my biggest challenge, giving myself permission to be OK with just maintaining the status quo. I think in today’s Work From Home environment, this definitely carries over. We are all so used to having an office, dedicated time and resources to be productive at work, and a set schedule. These types of things are a luxury right now! So if you can figure out how to be productive in the new WFH world while balancing childcare, educational responsibilities, keeping sane, and recognize that just maintaining status quo is a success, you are in a great mental space to return to your previous routine.
Mark, these are great insights for many returning to work, hopefully soon! I’m really glad to see you highlight that acknowledging “ANY” gain or progress is significant. We’ve all endured so much more than I think we can fathom that the “awkwardness” I experienced just driving may be a bit disturbing to others if they’re not prepared. As I indicated last week, there have been so many aspects of our lives impacted through the act of Social Distancing and Remote Work. Our Mental Muscle Memory will take time to return to Pre-COVID-19 life, much like an athlete’s training program that Mark has so clearly laid out.
Mark, Last question. Just for fun, could you share with everyone some of the races you have run?
Brent, my most recent race was the 2019 Chicago Marathon, where I finished in 3:07:23, good enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon! I’m very proud of this one. And I took 2019 off of triathlon training to focus on running, but I’m cautiously optimistic I’ll be able to compete in the Traverse City 70.3 (Half-Ironman distance) this upcoming August.
Mark, WOW, I can’t even begin to think about how I would go about training for something like that personally. I can’t thank you enough for being a good sport for this week’s blog.
As we look forward to returning to our Pre-COVID-19 routines everyone is going to feel some angst or awkwardness. It’s to be expected and entirely OK to feel this way. We’re all going through the change and as Mark said “ANY gain or progress is significant” as we adapt. There will absolutely be things we look at differently and wonder, “why were we even doing that?” My hope is that as we return, we make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity to make changes for the better. The shackles are loosened, even off in some instances as to how work was done. We may all stumble together at first, but before we know it, we’ll be back on pace for that metaphorical marathon we used to run.