Mask Tuesday

COVID-19 The Rona Era

Day two of wearing the mask while running and day two of spring weather. Keeping with my holy week theme of running by churches, I wanted to explore another neighborhood, wear my mask and find churches.

I had to wait until 6a.m. to leave. Of course I ready to leave the house at 5:30/5:45a.m. Last night the city of Boston issue a curfew to all residents. We are expected to be inside from 9pm until 6a.m. Of course if people have to work or need to be out, they could go. For now there are not police to make sure we stay true to those hours. I guess I could have gotten in my car and driven to the South End and then waited until  6a.m. to officially start running. I didn’t. I’m still figuring all of this out.

At 6a.m. I walked out of the door with my mask, Black Girls Run hat, and my Black Girls Run bag with wallet, chapstick, water, headphones and running belt. I found parking in the South End and it was 46 degrees at 6:15a.m. as daylight was breaking the sky.

My mission was twofold. Find churches for holyweek theme and do I or don’t I wear a hat and a mask. I want to seem welcoming and a runner. I brought the BGR hat as credit to let me know that I am a runner with this damn mask on. ‘Hate it”.

I noticed in more detail the deference in wearing the mask than not in the Rona. People don’t talk to you. There is not interactions. I tried to smile with my eyes when I passed people. I don’t know if that made me seem crazy to them. I would try to speak and that didn’t work. The mask is a barrier for social interactions. My colors are friendly, they are polka dot. I saw people running with bandana and it was black coving up to their eyes, these were white folks.

My running route of 3.65 included the South End, Roxbury, and Mission Hill. There were more people out and about going to work this early. I saw men of color with cleaning  supplies to clean offices  around Northeastern. I saw people of  color waiting for the bus, driving the bus and the different shuttles. The other runners I saw were white men and  white women. There is a contract of who is working who isn’t and whose wearing mask.

I wonder what the white runners thought when they saw me, if they thought anything at all.

The other mission, I passed a couple of churches, a former synagogue that is now church, and a Basilica. When I reached the Basilica the sun was starting to rise. It was just a great moment that I needed to stop and take everything in.

I did see many people who are going to work wear mask. My kept falling off or I still need to work on adjusting it. For the first time since the Rona, I really felt that I needed it on because I was in close proximity to many people in the morning than I normally would be. I was extremely aware.

I also had a running moment of loss because of the Rona. I passed by the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center. Today would have been a Track Tuesday workout with the Heartbeakers Running crew. I missed it, I missed them. This was the first time in 3 or 4 weeks, I’ve lost count since I’ve been back to the Reggie. I felt all kinds of ways.  I kept on the journey.