The team at Subaru know it’s hard to stay motivated and active while we are all at home over this next month and limited with what we can do. However, the spirit of Subaru is ‘do’, and despite the lockdown in place due to Covid-19*, we’d like to continue enabling Kiwis to keep moving while still abiding by the Government’s Level 4 restrictions, and want to help you ‘do more with less’!
We created three different 8-week walking and running programmes with training tips in conjunction with Fitter Coaching and Hannah Wells for our partnership with the Round the Bays fun run earlier this year, and thought now would be the perfect chance to dust them off while we are looking for ideas to keep active.
Obviously, we are restricted to staying close to home, but it doesn’t mean that this next month isn’t an ideal time to create a good habit. Hopefully by the programmes’ last four weeks, we will have exited the lockdown phase and you’ll have a great fitness base to continue building on!
We know that the struggle is real for people who are still working from home and have cooped-up kids to try to keep entertained too. But these training programmes can help bring some sanity and some fun to your household too. You can get the kids involved by going out in the morning, or late afternoon to burn some energy off those little legs, build up your kids’ fitness, as well as getting out in the fresh air as a family. While not everyone has an abundance of spare time during this lockdown due to work commitments, it’s important to get out daily or as regularly as you can and keep your body active for your mental wellbeing.
We have three types of programmes. One for walkers, another for beginner runners and the third for intermediate runners. Choose the one that suits you best and enjoy getting into a positive exercise routine that gives you something to follow on a daily basis.
Our walking programme is something that people of all fitness levels can get involved in, and is a great one that the kids can join in too. It’ll ensure they are getting some fresh air and staying active (or expending some excess energy!). Your furry friends will appreciate a walk, and you can use the change of scene to listen to a podcast, simply enjoy hearing the birds singing, or call a friend so you have a virtual walking buddy.
For those of you who might never have tried running before but now have the time to start, or the established runners, who are keen to get the endorphins flowing, you can select either the beginner or intermediate running programmes. With daily run times and distances (don’t worry there are rest days), plus exercises to build strength, the programmes are easy to follow and great for motivating you to see what you can achieve by the finishing dates.
The three programmes are downloadable at the bottom of our article!
If you don't have a printer, be sure to screenshot them so you have them handy on your smartphone.
Top tips:
- To keep it local, it’s a good idea to choose some streets around your house that you can use to do laps around and take something like your smartphone, or wear a watch to keep track of time or distance.
- Think of some ways you can #doextra while you’re out walking or running, like dressing up, or wearing a funny hat to raise some smiles when you’re passing other people in the neighbourhood.
- If you’re taking the kids, keep them engaged by asking them to be on the lookout for teddy bears in people’s windows. The ‘teddy bear hunt’ boredom-busting phenomenon is taking the country by storm, with entire neighbourhoods putting teddies in their front windows to show support.
- If you need some tips on how to start a training programme, check out our Round the Bays training tips and videos here.
Stay safe out there and we hope these programmes give you a boost to do more over the next month.
Subaru are proud to support the Ports of Auckland Round the Bays, which is New Zealand’s largest mass participation event. The fun run encourages people of all ages and fitness levels to get involved with an 8.4km scenic route around Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour and brings communities together while helping people stay active. After another fantastic year in 2020 with over 34,000 participants, they are gearing up for next year, so mark Sunday 28th February 2021 in your diaries.
*Please remember that based on the New Zealand Government’s guidelines, through the four-week lockdown period, people can leave the house to perform essential tasks, including going to the supermarket or the pharmacy, walking their dog, and exercising.
This means that you can go out for a run, a walk, or a bike ride, provided you do these activities either alone or with the people you are self-isolating with. People must also stay in their local community when leaving their house for exercising. For more details visit www.covid19.govt.nz.