"In Your Bubble" - 5km, 10km or 20km Challenge 

16 & 17 May 2020

Have you been doing more walking during the Covid-19 lock-down and want to measure how much your fitness has improved?

Join us and enter this 1 or 2 day "In Your Bubble" Nordic Walking challenge, coinciding with the World Nordic Walking Day(s), and the International Nordic Walking Federation (INWA) 20-year anniversary.  

Nordic Walking has developed, thrived and expanded throughout the world, and it is very likely that you would not be Nordic Walking without the efforts of INWA.   Nordic Walkers, from many countries, will also walk on these days, so it will be great to have that connection with them.   

Nordic Walk either 5kms or 10kms on one or both days (total 5kms, 10kms or 20kms over both days), Saturday 16 May and/or Sunday 17 May.  (If entering the 2 day event, you will need to make separate entries for each day).

All finishers receive a certificate of participation and recognition from INWA, so please allow 'Eventbrite' to share your details with Nordic Kiwi.  

Not a 'Nordic Walker' yet?  No problem, you are most welcome to enter this challenge.

Join in to acknowledge INWA and celebrate your fitness!

To enter, please click the following link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-your-bubble-nordic-walking-10km-or-20km-2-x-day-challenge-tickets-103877614742 

 Quotes on Walking

• It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable. - Socrates

• Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far. – Thomas Jefferson

• There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don’t allow yourself to become one of them. – Ralph Marston    

• It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable - Moliere

• Walk and be happy, walk and be healthy.  Walk steadily and with a purpose. The wandering man knows of certain ancients, far gone in years, who have staved off infirmities by earnest walking - hale fellows close upon eighty and ninety, but brisk as boys (abridged) - Charles Dickens

Emotional Responses to C-19 Lock-down

Emotional responses to a sudden change and loss of control about our future, may be aligned to the stages of grief that is experienced when we lose a loved-one.  Five stages of "lockdown grief" are discussed below: 

Disbelief:

Disbelief that this is actually happening.  Coronavirus has triggered a sudden loss of structure, loss of social contact and fear of loss of our health.

Anger:

Loss of normality, sudden upheaval and future uncertainty can create feelings of anger, seeking us to blame things beyond our control.

Sadness:

Sadness and other negative emotions are normal reactions to shock and change. 

Acceptance:

As we work through anger, we become accepting of the new reality, establishing new routines, enabling us to find purpose.

Hope and Optimism:

Our emotions do go through stages and finding acceptance leds to hope and optimism.   We become creative about how to make this situation work and the constructive, productive part of our brain responds, allowing us to establish control.

(These notes edited from Daily Mail Australia article by Anne Marie Collins - President of the Australian Association of Psychologists)

Help and Support:

• Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
• Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
• Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
• Samaritans - 0800 726 666
• Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
• Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

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