There is, apparently, a thing in Amish communities where some youth have a kind of gap year where they experience life in more mainstream environments, away from the constraints and expectations of their communities, called “rumspringa.” The loose translation of the german-derived word implies “running or hopping around.”

I’m not sure how much understanding I actually have of the Amish concept, but “unfettered running and hopping around” sure applies to what’s been happening in Toronto over the past couple of weeks. Finally freed of the longest consecutive lockdown in the world, rapidly vaccinating and releasing into perfect early summer weather, people are suddenly EVERYWHERE. On patios, on beaches, in parks, on their bikes.

Most of us still have a veil of COVID anxiety — is this REALLY okay? is this too many people? is this going to come back and bite us in the ass? — but it’s also just blissful, just delightful to see people moving their bodies outside of their homes and into the world. We’re still in Step 1 — no indoor dining, no hair, no pedis, limited shopping — but outside! Outside is OPEN!

Last week, I did yoga in the park, I did an early Saturday am spin class in the alley, I went for a long long bike ride in the country where I passed people just jammed onto beaches, like a beach blanket movies from the 1960s. I felt like oxygen and light were literally infusing my cells.

I also noticed a few post-lockdown consequences as I stretched into my skin like a little groundhog emerging from my hibernation den.

1. Yup, many of my summer clothes don’t fit. Some of the bike jerseys are a little tight. And I’ve grown extremely impatient with any clothes that aren’t 100% soft and comfortable, so some things that do technically fit are just plain irritating. 16 months of COVID reshaped me a bit, all that anxiety and limited movement and comfort eating, and I’m relearning my body. But that’s okay — I’m strong, I’m sturdy, and I survived a pandemic. I’m an effing superhero.
2. Buying the perfect pair of training-but-not-running shoes online is impossible. Pre-pandemic, I had a perfect pair of Nike somethings that worked for strength classes, supported walking around AND looked sporty but okay with business casual type clothes. And of course they stopped making them. I have ordered now 9 pairs of similar-looking shoes online, and all were truly terrible. I ended up with a pair of allbirds as a walking around compromise, but they don’t work for the days I want something while I’m deadlifting or skipping. THIS is something I need to go into an actual store for.
3. Riding nearly 3000 km in zwift this winter on my bowflex kept me fit and mentally sound, but it doesn’t directly translate into fitness for outside riding — never underestimate the effort of paying attention to the road under your tires, the weight of the sun, and the energy of actually having to track the traffic around you. They are both good, but they are not the same.
4. My face has aged more than the usual 16 month pace in COVID times. I am lined. My eyelids are drooping. I look older. That is okay too, but it takes a little getting used to. I see selfies and can’t fully recognize that person with the pandemic hair, the edged forehead, the softer jaw. I am still making her acquaintance.
5. Finally, all of this working out on my own — running alone, zwifting alone, yoga and strength training in zoom — has erased a lot of my inhibitions. When I did yoga in the park last week, I heard myself making … noises. Ooof. Ummhp. Siiiiiigh. Owwww. Ooof. A little soundtrack of old person body moans. I suspect it’s not as endearing as I imagine it to be. It’s a good thing we’re still well-spaced while I relearn social norms. In workouts and other contexts.

There is a lot of relearning in this rumspringa time — remembering the absolute privilege and joy, for example, of being able to take myself out for dinner on a patio after a long work day, and eat a pizza and an interesting eggplant and capers thing someone else made. How to decide what I want to do outside in the world and what will stay in the comfort of my little nest. How to be among people.

I was talking about the joy and anxiety, the bubbling over of the social world with my yoga teacher when we were in the park. “Yeah,” she said, “though I was at a thing on the weekend where I thought, this is just waaaaay too many people.”

“If you were outside and not touching, it was probably okay,” I offered.

She lowered her voice and leaned forward. “There was a SLIP AND SLIDE.”

Okay, maybe don’t do that yet. But revel in moving your body outside.

Fieldpoppy is Cate Creede, who is flexing her outdoor muscles in Toronto.

The other day I was walking back from my friend Barb’s house. There and back was about 15km. It was lovely, early June, walking weather. I felt great, even with the mild hamstring soreness I’ve been experiencing lately (time to re-focus on strength exercises, specifically my glutes).

Going for long walks is one of my favourite things. Long before Covid, walking has been my preferred mode of transportation, as long I have the time and the right shoes. My husband’s also become an avid walker. He’s a convert to “walking provides endorphins” and tries to get as many steps in as possible, each day, which can be anywhere from 10,000 to 35,000. We love to walk.

Going back to my return walk from Barb’s, this is when I discovered why it might be time to change my style of underwear… For as long as I can remember, I’ve been wearing lacy ones, the kind that don’t have much to them. They fit fine. I think they still look cute. At 49, I’m no stranger to feeling a sneeze coming on, particularly while walking, and engaging my pelvic floor muscles to prevent a mishap. Well, on this day, the mishap was not to be avoided. And my flimsy, lacy undies, under my sporty summer dress, were not enough of a barrier to stop a small trickle down my leg. UGH.

Thankfully, it was warm, which means it dried quickly. And, I was on my way home, where my plans were to immerse myself in a hot bath and read my book (Crying at the H Mart, a very well-written book about the author losing her Mom to cancer prematurely). No one was around. If I had not mentioned it here, no one would know it happened! It did get me thinking that maybe I should be wearing better protection when wearing a dress in the summer! Other people could be around the next time it happened and that would be quite embarrassing.

I guess this is one of those things one learns from experience. I guess, in addition to doing “reverse kegels” for pelvic floor health, I should be doing more regular kegels. Perhaps, I haven’t been paying enough attention to my pelvic floor after all.

I’m also going to try out some new underwear. Maybe some sportier ones that aren’t too much bigger but more of a barrier. I understand now why Knix have leakproof options (not just for periods!).

If anyone has any suggestions, particularly for strength exercises that might help, now’s the time to send them my way!

Edit: After posting this yesterday, Sam sent this article my way. I like it because it provides a few basic exercises at the end: https://www.drstacysims.com/blog/worried-about-wetting-yourself?fbclid=IwAR0O-7Yz_RHmZpq7kBjHOSotLRZ-rj8eAY2WF–XRVz5_6wuQNBai3dUQmw&_sm_vck=QfJsssQSnMHjN4J4R5sVvPV0T7LPL7rp0stLFWqSJRsssp8pWSTn

You can see more of Kate’s designs here: https://www.facebook.com/thelatestkate

I won! I haven’t won very many prizes in my life but I was very happy to be a winner in the university’s outdoor exercise challenge this May. It’s the usual deal. You track your outside workouts, download their app to join the challenge, post to social media, tag the campus fitness folks, and get entered into a draw for outdoor exercise goodies.

But look what I won! A thing I don’t have and miss from my days at the gym. My son and I have already added it to our outdoor, backyard workouts. Here’s a pretty good list of thing you can do with battle ropes.

The funny part was picking up my prize. I arrived with my Brompton but there was no way that was going to work. Family member with car to the rescue!

So far, I’m mostly on track! I looked up some training plans for a marathon swim, and decided that what i need to do is 3-4 swims per week, with one long swim and some shorter swims that incorporate drills and speed work.

I did my first 5km swim last weekend, and I have tested out three different recipes for snacks plus one for drinks. Because staying fuelled and hydrated is at least as important as swimming, right? I’m still working out how often to eat and drink, but right now I’m happy with a bottle of liquid every couple of loops of my route (I take it with me so I can have smaller drinks along the way). Snacks are less frequent, but I like stopping for a couple of peanut butter/oatmeal balls every hour or two.

A friend who has done marathons says I’m on the right track, so that feels good. And my friend Aimee has been bringing out her giant swan to keep boaters away.

Diane Harper lives and swims in Ottawa.

I can’t help it — everytime I go shopping, I scan the headlines at the magazine stand. How else am I going to keep on top of the juicy celebrity gossip? I kid (no really!). I often miss some of the stuff in small type due to the required distancing, but I had no problems with this headline.

I have seen many people stressing about eating a cupcake at the best of times. It’s refreshing to see an acknowledgment that the past 16 months have been super stressful. Even if cake isn’t your thing, do something nice for yourself. Enjoy that strawberry, sniff that flower, lie in the field and look at the clouds We all deserve pleasure.