For Linda Campbell and her husband, staying active outdoors was just another part of their daily routine, and they regularly joined others in Neighborhood 18 who also enjoyed going on walks and runs. In light of the recent coronavirus pandemic however, mandatory stay-at-home orders and social distancing seem to pose obstacles in the way of those wanting to maintain their physical health.
Hoping to preserve as much normalcy as possible, Campbell stumbled onto a creative way to continue to stay active with other neighbors while following social distancing protocols.
âEvery day at 1 p.m., people from Neighborhood 18 who want to participate in our walk, meet up. We use a rope and tie the rope with handles spaced out six feet apart. We just started doing this the day after the shut-in order,â Campbell said. âEight of us walked the first day and now we have 15 people who have joined us so far.â
The idea for using a rope to maintain the appropriate amount of distance apart in between each person participating in the group walks came to light in the most unconventional of places.
âRuss Montyka and his wife suggested using the rope in a wine club weâre part of in Neighborhood 18. We decided to meet to try it out. We walk two and a half to three and a half miles per day with drop off areas in between for those who donât want to walk the whole distance,â Campbell explained.
The routes they take vary on each walk, depending on which neighbor leads that day. As the rope grows in length, maneuvering around street corners can seem like a daunting task at first, but with each neighbor simply enjoying having the time to spend with others, itâs nothing a little practice and some patience canât help.
Campbell appreciates the camaraderie and friendly attitudes forged by the daily rope walks, mentioning how walkers from other areas of Sun City take the time to wave at the rope group walkers, even stopping to take pictures of them.
âEveryone needs to get out of the house. Right now, itâs only people from Neighborhood 18 who join us on our walks. We havenât asked people from other neighborhoods, but if other neighborhoods want to, we can help pitch in with some pointers to get them started,â she said.
Social distancing is not the only precaution taken to ensure the safety of neighbors partaking in the walks during the coronavirus outbreaks. Campbell assures that the person who leads the walk for the day takes the rope home and cleans it with disinfecting wipes before it is ready for use.
With the situation surrounding COVID-19 intensifying, people might find themselves wondering if staying active is still possible and if it is even worth it to try to maintain fitness goals. Yet as Campbell demonstrated, with the proper precautions in place, and a little bit of creativity, the idea of fitness doesnât have to be given up on entirely.
