Outrunning Covid-19 By Christy Brewer “You’ve got to be kidding. Are you sure you have the right person?” I reply with a laugh. I’m sitting in my Jeep filling my water bottle, about to step off for a late morning trail run when my phone lights up with an incoming call. Upon confirming my identity, the voice on the other end responds, “Ms. Brewer we received your
runner; I’ve been careful and taken precautions. How could this happen? I’ve barely seen anyone since everything closed down. I’m literally the first person I know with a confirmed positive. The last few weeks have been filled with cancellations, disappointments and unknowns. I haven’t encountered anyone who isn’t a little stressed or struggling to adjust to the “new normal.” My running has become infrequent and erratic with races cancelled and not much to train for. While running less and feeling more stressed, I find myself feeling under the weather with spring allergies and sinus congestion. It’s the same cold I get every year when the weather first turns nice, or so I thought. Day 1-2: I wake up feeling a little worn down and fatigued, nothing alarming since I’ve put in back-toback long runs a few days before and haven’t been sleeping well. My nose is all stuffed up and I have some pressure in my ears. I have a mild yet lingering headache that never really goes away despite taking Tylenol / Advil. I go for a short run, but have trouble maintaining a tempo pace, even in cooler temps. Day 3: I wake up with the same symptoms except the pressure in my ear has increased and my bones and muscles ache like crazy. I’m lightheaded and experiencing mild vertigo, but probably just due to the earache. Am I coming down with something? I book an appointment with my PCP to be seen later in the day. Upon arrival, I find out I’m running a low-grade fever, just over 100. I’ve also lost my sense of smell, which I thought was just the sinus congestion. My doctor treats me for an ear infection, but also refers
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
The author at Big River Crossing after finishing the Yeti Ultra 24-hour Challenge in May 2020. coronavirus test results back and it’s positive.” “Are you sure? I really don’t feel that sick,” I say. The next few minutes are a blur as my doctor discusses quarantine procedures while quizzing me on my symptoms and telling me what complications to watch out for. I’m in my 30s, healthy, a long-distance 19
