Today is Palm Sunday, when Christians around the world commemorate the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus and hear the Passion Gospel, when Jesus dies on the cross. While Lent isn’t over yet, it’s hard to stay in the mindset of fasting and self-denial while getting ready to celebrate Easter. Well, in a normal year that would be hard. This year it’s all about self-denial, if not fasting.
My favorite irreverent #Lent2020 meme
While neither the pandemic nor Lent are laughing matters, I think it’s important to keep a sense of humor. If you’re offended you can add another negative review to my Facebook page.
Is Lent Over Yet?
I know Lent isn’t over yet, but it will be over soon. What we all want to know, but don’t, is how much longer we will be making personal sacrifices to do our part to minimize the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s hard not to be getting together with extended family and friends for Easter, but it’s the right thing to do–or not do.
In a message on “worship in a time of radical physical distancing,” Bishop Curry, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, explained that by following social distancing guidelines and obeying stay-at-home orders we are living the commandment to love one another:
We find ourselves in the strange position of fasting from physical gathering for worship of almighty God, not out of sloth or disobedience, but in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, for whom the primacy of love for God and neighbor is the way of life. In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, refraining from physically gathering together to hear God’s holy word and receiving the sacrament of holy communion is itself an act of love for God and our neighbor.
I’m grateful my church has been fully compliant, and that my priest has been leading worship services via Facebook Live.
A member of our worship team made a no-contact delivery of a packet of worship bulletins that will take me from Palm Sunday through Easter (including Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter), complete with a palm frond cross for Palm Sunday, a votive candle for Easter Vigil, and some blessed Oreos I will save for Easter. 🙂
Weekly Run Down
This week the novelty of my at home workouts started to wear off, but I mustered enough motivation to do something every day. For the coming week, I need a plan to get me out of bed instead of hitting the snooze button until Scooby gets restless.
Monday: 10 min Peleton standing yoga + 30 min Peleton strength workout
I decided to try a short Peleton yoga class as a warm-up, and this one was perfect. On the other hand, the strength workout I tried was the first Peleon workout I didn’t love, mostly because there was only 20 minutes of workout time–it started with a warm-up I didn’t need.
More views of my lovely basement gym–
honestly, the unfinished look makes me feel tougher.
Tuesday: 5.4 Scooby Miles
When you hit snooze a few times you run in daylight!
Wednesday: 30 min Peleton strength workout + 15 min strength workout
I found a strength workout I liked better, and rounded out my gym time with some additional exercises from my PT-prehab routine.
Thursday: 30 minute Peleton treadmill workout
I was in the mood for a tough workout, and the 30 minute hill interval program did not disappoint! I made sure to stretch so my calves wouldn’t hate me.
Friday: 25 min CPY2 + 20 min Yoga Scuplt
I tried two short Corepower yoga videos, and they were meh. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the short CPY2 videos are too fast-paced for my liking. I need to take my time with the poses, especially without the heated studio to help my muscles relax. The yoga sculpt video was OK, but I had to rewind a few times because I had missed some cues.
Fancy iPad stand with soothing furnace decor in the background.
Saturday: 8.75 Scooby Miles
I wasn’t planning to run on the bike path this weekend, but I was still bummed that I couldn’t–last week they closed all parking lots to keep usage down. It was a grey morning, but this pretty chalk art brightened my mood.
Sunday: 45 min strength workout
I opted for my own strength routine, focusing on single-leg moves, upper body moves with heavy weights, and a 6+ minute plank series (12 x various 30-second planks).
I opened the basement door for a dose fresh air and light.
This afternoon I will get on my bike, but it will be a leisurely ride on neighborhood streets.
Thanks to Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down link up. It’s always great for motivation and encouragement, but now it’s especially important for distance socializing. We may be physically apart, but we are in this together!
How are you going to celebrate Easter or Passover this year?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
I agree, this virtual running community has become even more important to me since the pandemic.
We have out church meetings over Zoom – not quite the same as meeting in person, but it’s nice to each other’s faces.
We all have to learn the new technology!
I gave up chips for Lent and with everything going on with COVID-19, I literally forgot all about Lent. I haven’t had any chips since Ash Wednesday so I guess technically I stayed true to what I gave up but my mind has just been in 100 places for the past few weeks!
Great job on your workouts this week and I’m glad that you’re enjoying the Peloton app workouts.
Well, good for you for keeping out of the chips. My goal of giving through random acts of kindness came to a screeching halt once I stayed home, but I am donating to organizations instead.
I’ve gotten very liberal with wake up and workout times now that I don’t have that pesky ol’ commute to deal with. It’s going to be an adjustment once life gets back to normal, and I’ll be happy to take that challenge on when it comes.
Great week of workouts!
I had no idea people could post a “do not recommend” on a facebook page. How silly. Lighten up! We all need to have a sense of humor during this crazy time!
I guess because Facebook treats it as a “business”? And I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it! I definitely think it reflects more on her than me …..
I read somewhere online something like this: “This is the Lentiest Lent that ever Lented”. so true!
I want to start to do some biking too but I will stick to the rail trails and bike paths.
Our bike paths are too crowded! Quiet neighborhood streets are safer.
I feel like Covid-19 has eclipsed every single aspect of life right now, Lent and Easter included. That’s a really lovely care package they sent you.
I agree, and it’s hard to keep track of time/days although I did manage to not do any work this weekend.
They really thought of everything for the church packets!
On Ash Wednesday, I joked that I was giving up people for Lent. Little did I know that was really going to happen! I seriously considered giving up alcohol but I am (sadly) glad I didn’t do that! Glad we got together via ZOOM this week. Stay safe!
Great job with your workouts! I’ve been trying to find just something active to do each day and trying not to pressure myself too much when it comes to running mileage. I can’t believe Easter is next week, sadly we probably won’t be doing anything at our house.
It’s a good time to try at-home workouts. There are so many free options right now. I guess your little is too young to hunt for Easter eggs anyway. 😉
I am jealous that you got a nice bike ride in today. I really miss my outdoor bike. It is odd that Passover (also this week) is canceled due to an actual plague. Thanks for linking up today and stay well
You could ride your bike up and down your hills once you get bored running them. 😉 Honestly, one reason we drove to my mom’s neighborhood is because it’s flat! Will you celebrate Passover with your immediate family? Was tempted to have my Mom over, but since I’m exposing myself at the grocery store, we probably won’t.
Yes, we are in this together, and it was great to see you yesterday 😉 Our church has been live-streaming, too, so that’s been a nice (relaxed?) way to spend our Sunday mornings the past few weeks It will be really strange to celebrate Easter that way, though. At least we’ll be able to ZOOM with my parents and kids . Glass half full, right?
I did like being able to rewind the sermon when I wanted to hear one part of the message again. I promise I didn’t fast forward it!
Even the way we celebrate Passover pretty much won’t change this year . . . usually we couldn’t get together with family due to Mr. Judy’s work.
It’s important to take your time getting into and out of poses (although no doubt I’ve rushed a few on video — although I filmed one this weekend that was supposed to be 10-15 minutes and it ended up over 20, whoops!).
Glad you’re still sweating it out & I’ll bet Scooby is still loving his runs, daylight or no. Lola sometimes doesn’t go out til almost 8 am these days! She’s definitely old.
Scooby will let me sleep until sunrise if I don’t set an alarm, but then he starts putting his snout in my face!
I get up early (usually before sunrise). Bandit comes out shortly after I get up, occasionally when I get up, because I’m his person. Lola used to get up earlier but most days she’s sleeping later now. We had to move breakfast for them later, too, because she just won’t eat early anymore. Just all signs of her age. 😔 Bandit isn’t a fan of the later breakfast but he’s good about it (remember how he used to refuse to eat when we first got him?).
I was surprised that Palm Sunday came so fast because the days are blurring together. But we also had a no-contact delivery from our church of the bulletin and a palm branch. Now we are planning Easter and my MIL wants to do a family gathering via Zoom. This should be interesting. 🙂
I think a lot. Of families will be Zooming!
It’s great that we have so many things that can be done virtually now! It absolutely is helping with the distancing. Hope you had a good bike ride 🙂
The bike ride was amazing! It was so nice to be out in the sunshine!
I’m so glad your church is being compliant. That is not the case everywhere.
We are going to d a basket and egg hunt for little man, make a nice dinner and then “eat” with my parents on Facetime. It won’t be the same but it will be something.
I ended up getting a ham, and will take some slices to my Mom.
I am so happy that our church is offering mass on Facebook Live each Sunday. I was so looking forward to our family gathering for Easter dinner now that our son and daughter-in-law have moved from NJ to NOVA, but it’s not to be this year. 🙁
Great job on your workouts! It’s so tempting to hit snooze.
I tell myself I don’t really have to start working at a certain time, and so I can sleep a bit later!
Great workouts this week! My basement workout room has been getting a lot of business from my family members. No one wants to workout together (want to watch different TV shows) so there is practically a line up to use it 🙂
Oh, that’s great though. My husband has been going on mid-day bike rides around our neighborhood, so he hasn’t used the “Gym” yet.
The days have blurred together so much for me that I must admit that Easter has snuck up on me. I love how thoughtful your church is! We’ll be FaceTiming family throughout the weekend – such strange times indeed!
It’s amazing how much of a difference seeing them makes vs. just talking on the phone. Hope you have a good weekend.
WTF on that negative review.
And seriously on that meme. So so true.
(whoops, open in my browsert but forgot to post)