Fitness and Wellness staff at the Bayside
Rec Center wanted to know what their members have done to remain Physically,
Mentally, & Emotionally healthy over the last year…so they made it a
contest! Of the 27 entries, these three were selected as the winners!
Patricia
“Pat” Wance –
“For
the first few weeks in March of 2020, we all probably had that “deer in the
headlights” look and wandered the streets aimlessly (not really but it was a
bit of a shock.) I live in a very friendly, supportive neighborhood, and many
of us are retired, evolving into loyal “gym gerbils.” We all felt lost without
those morning classes or working hard on machines. The former PE teacher across
the street, along with the help of my husband, who never stopped working out
since his days at West Point, decided to set up dedicated stations in a
driveway to work all muscle groups including the heart. All were 6’ apart, mats
were available, beach towels encouraged, and the invitations to join us went
out. We ended up with 5, sometimes 6 folks eager to work off the frustrations
of sheltering-in-place. We started with stretching. Each station had two exercises per body parts
(biceps/triceps, core/chest, legs/cardio etc.), timed for 30 seconds each with
15 seconds to move to the next station. The exercises varied each session, and
we tried to meet 3-4 times/week, sometimes even on Saturdays. Saturdays were
the best because we often ended those sessions with mimosas and muffins! Oh,
our dogs joined us too. They really enjoyed laying on the beach towels or
scooting underneath us when planks or pushups were part of the workout. It took a while for them to get used to
seeing us at ground level. I really
believe those workouts kept us sane besides helping our bodies, but the socialization
was the most satisfying. We laughed a lot thanks to the comments made by our
cynical “timer” who just sat in a beach chair.
I feel blessed that I had that experience during this pandemic.”
Barbara
French –
“Since I work twelve-hour
days in a hospital unit around patients, staying physically, mentally, and
emotionally healthy this past year has been extremely challenging. One of the things that I have done is to work
out more regularly, since it is a great stress reliever! At first, it was through the free Les Mills
classes that were offered (online) through the rec center while they were
closed. Looking for a little bit more variety, I started saving and
participating in the various classes that were uploaded through the rec center’s
Fitness & Wellness Facebook group.
As my strength and endurance increased, I was able to take harder
classes that challenged me more. I may not have made it through the entire
class the first time or two (or three!), but eventually I was able to. I have a few dozen workouts saved so that I
can do them as I have time. I especially
enjoy the ones provided by Laurie, Lisa, and Alex. All of these video options were a life saver
for me! Once the rec centers opened back
up, I started going back to in-person classes on my days off, while still
continuing to work out at home as I could.
I feel that I am in better shape now than I’ve ever been in my
life! I have also started reading books
again (on my front porch), as well as working in my yard taking care of my
vegetable garden and flower beds. All of
these items were vital in helping me to take care of myself through this
pandemic, but I give the most credit to the rec center. Their thinking outside
the box and providing numerous options for their patrons is much appreciated!”
Bernie
Oliver –
To join our
incredible recreation center family, visit VBgov.com/join and see all the
membership and payment plan options available!
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