NYT Article - Mask wearing while exercising

[minzy]

www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/health/running-exercising-masks-coronavirus.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20200531&instance_id=18965&nl=the-morning®i_id=116764364&segment_id=29704&te=1&user_id=93e94f872ea58b7a450a2ae3708cd381

Are you exercising with a face covering?

[minzy]

I have been running outside a lot, in a not terribly crowded area, in mostly off peak times, usually with ample room to maneuver away from others (lots of double-side sidewalks). I have tried running with a bandana, buff, cooling rag, and cloth face mask, and think I prefer the bandana, which seems easiest to both stay put and lift into place when someone comes my direction. I veer well around people (and/or hold my breath in anticipation of them coming and well after they pass, which seems a little silly but I do the same thing if I encounter a smoker). I generally could not be more pro-science. All that to say, I’ve mostly not been wearing face coverings when I run. If I was in a more dense area, I think I’d be more likely to cover up.

Just curious what others are doing.

[sadlebred]

No one here is wearing a face covering while running or riding their bike. There is usually plenty of space to not crowd each other. Breathing while riding with a face cover is almost impossible. It's nice to carry one in case you have to go into a shop/store.

[Wines Not Whines]

No, not while exercising. It doesn’t seem necessary if you’re outdoors and keeping distance from people. I’d estimate about 20-25% of cyclists and runners wear a face cover here (DC area), based on my own observations.

[foundmylazybum]

I wear a bandana or a buff and pull it up when passing.

I've been wearing buffs for years when running in the cold. Its not that hard lol.

A few places I have run there are cattle gates. I did not want to touch them.


If someone yelled at me, I'd be pissed. I'm immunnocompromised and I take a lot of precautions.

A lot. It would be a pretty big leap for someone other than my doctor to say if I'm being unsafe or not.

[moreace01]

I wear a mask when I go on my daily walk, but not running. Where I've been running lately is on an industrial street that not many people walk on and through a pretty big park. I try to give a wide distance when running around people. I've been injured and am just now up to running 4 miles at a time. Now that I'm having to leave the neighborhood I'll probably start wearing a buff I can pull up when passing.

In my area, in the morning just about everyone is wearing a mask outside. In the afternoon/evening, it's around 20%. Just something I've noticed.

[scm1011]

Yes. I wear a mask everytime I go for a run, as do 90% of the people I encounter here. If I'm not around people I pull it down but I get really annoyed when someone passes me without one.

[mrshandy]

I don't run with a mask. I run mostly around my neighborhood and isolated trails. I stay off high traffic trails.

[breezy8407]

I don't, but I can stay a safe distance from people where I run.

[cosmowife]

How do you breathe with the mask? I haven’t really left home or gone outside in public, but I went to the office for the first time since the mask mandate and couldn’t catch my breath for about 10 minutes just after climbing the stairs. I felt like I was suffocating. Are there breathable masks?

[jane6672]

Jun 1, 2020 12:33:52 GMT -5 cosmowife said:

How do you breathe with the mask? I haven’t really left home or gone outside in public, but I went to the office for the first time since the mask mandate and couldn’t catch my breath for about 10 minutes just after climbing the stairs. I felt like I was suffocating. Are there breathable masks?

It takes time to get used to it (like running when the weather first gets hot).

I’m in Brooklyn so there’s plenty of people. I have a mask on me always, and wear it most of the time when I’m running, unless I’m lucky enough to get rainy weather or something that means the streets/parks are empty. Pretty much everyone is wearing a mask here if they are out and about.

Does it suck? Yeah. It’s hard to breathe and it’s sweaty.

Why do I bother? Because people are freaked the fuck out, and they’re paranoid about runners bc of deeper breathing with exercise. I’m not doing it for me because I’m worried about infection (it looks like out of doors is the safest place to be and I give a wide berth),, I’m doing it because I want other people to feel safe, and I’ll continue to do it until there are really clear guidelines and public awareness that it’s not necessary.

[melmel48]

I run with a buff around my neck. I pull it up if needed. Also, here in MA face coverings are required if social distancing cannot be done, so I always have a face covering of some type with me no matter where I go. I wear it when I go on hikes because I go with a friend and we do keep 6 feet or more apart, but we want to try to protect each other as best we can.

[gt7301b]

No, I run solo and can usually keep a good distance from people when I am running. Occasionally when I run on the trail there are a few groups on the trail and I just stop and stand to the side and wait for them to pass.