Sgt. Chris Covelli has been seeing more people outdoors walking and jogging in Lake County since the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Covelli, who works for the Lake County Sheriff’s office said, “I have three kids. We try to get out at least once a day and do a walk about a mile around the neighborhood to stay active and do our best to stay healthy.”
Especially through this difficult time, he said, “exercise is essential. It helps maintain some sanity through the overall sense that you’re stuck in your house.”
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, published in 2019 by the U.S. Department of Human and Health Services.
The 118-page report states that benefits can start accumulating with small amounts of, and immediately after doing, physical activity.
But finding places to do so outdoors in Lake County, as well as other parts of the country, has become more difficult during the virus outbreak. The Illinois Beach State Park in Zion and Volo Bog in Ingleside are closed, as are all state parks and natural areas.
Malls such as Hawthorn in Vernon Hills are closed not only to shopping, but also walkers. Health clubs are shuttered as well. All Lake County Forest Preserve public buildings, restrooms, playgrounds, marinas, golf courses, visitor centers and dog exercise areas are closed. All trails and preserves are open.
The public still can walk, run, hike and bike in public parks and preserves, but only if they keep the CDC recommendation of six-foot social distancing.
Covelli said maintaining that distance is “crucial right now in order to slow the spread of COVID.”
He added no one is allowed to visit playgrounds at parks throughout the county. “We don’t want to have kids and families congregating,” Covelli said.
Residents are asked not to create pickup baseball, basketball and other outdoor group games. Some Lake County residents have called some police departments and the sheriff’s office to report incidences of people gathering too closely for physical activity outdoors, he said. Those asked to break up these activities have been cooperative and understanding, Covelli said. “It’s a learning curve.”
Three walks a day
Robert Dixon, who is in his 80s, used to exercise at his local health club. “They closed the gym down. I can’t go to the American Legion, either” said Dixon, a Vietnam War veteran.
But he can walk. So he walks three times a day in his Mundelein neighborhood. “I walk longer in the morning, for about an hour, then a half-hour later on and 20 minutes later,” he said. He said he can walk without a cane, but uses it because the roads are uneven and bumpy.
“I have to do this,” Dixon said of walking. He lost his partner of 25 years recently and attended grievance classes twice monthly until those got canceled because of the pandemic, he said.
Lake County residents have been using the forest preserves in record numbers to get some fresh air and exercise, said Nan Buckardt, education director.
On a recent Wednesday when the weather was nice, Buckardt said many of the forest preserve parking lots were nearly full, something more normally seen on summer weekends.
“People are just trying to be outside, and good for them. I’m really thrilled people are using us in this way,” Buckardt said. “There’s a lot of research that shows spending time outdoors, especially in nature helps to relieve stress.”
But, she added, “We are really concerned about the whole social distance thing.”
Preserve patrol
Staff and security officers are patrolling the preserves to ensure people are adhering to the six-foot social distancing rule. “If and when we see that any specific location is no longer maintainable due to the behavior of visitors, we will close those preserves,” the district’s chief operations officer Mike Tully said in a statement.
Covelli said officers are encouraging families in parks and preserves to tell their children to stay close to the family and not get close to others.
“The Grayslake Park District has been assuring people. When you’re walking, it’s not rude if you cross the street if you see someone coming,” said Dana Olson, communications manager. “It’s what you should be doing.”
Buckardt said, “We’re taking this seriously. We’re not a park district that has basketball courts and tennis courts that naturally lend people to congregate – which is why we can stay open.
“But some preserves do get heavier use than others,” she said. These include Independence Grove in Libertyville, Lakewood in Wauconda and Cuba Marsh in Lake Zurich.
Buckardt said residents using forest preserves, parks and other recreational areas that remain open in Lake County should note that restrooms and drinking fountains are not open. “Make sure you’re set before you go out,” she said.
On a 49-degree, partly sunny Wednesday at Rollins Savanna in Grayslake, at least 20 vehicles were parked in the Washington Road lot. Several couples were walking holding hands, a group of four people with a dog were walking and bicyclists were going down the trail single file. Two young adults were running side by side down the trail. For the most part, the groups maintained their distance.
Betty Coor of Round Lake Park, was with her friends Jodi Mathews, Anthony Mathews and Robert Mathews of Round Lake Beach, who were walking their dog.
When asked if they were keeping their distance, Jodi Mathews smiled and said, “We’re trying to.”
Walking singly or in small family groups who live together is OK, but larger groups are discouraged by the health department.
Lake County communities participating in a walking initiative called GO Lake County, have been asked by the health department to suspend events related to the initiative, Buckardt said. The forest preserve district has complied, and scheduled walks are canceled at least through April, she said.
The Grayslake Park District has just postponed its May 5, community initiative walk through Central Park, which attracted more than 300 people last year, Olson said.
A hiking meetup group in Lake County, which has traversed various preserves in Lake and McHenry counties has canceled its planned walks, according to its founder Susan Hutson of Lake Villa.
Biking club events on hold
The Bicycle Club of Lake County also has canceled events. Robin Martin, the club’s president, said, “Even though with bike riding you could be outside and maintain social distance, we felt it would be irresponsible to have scheduled rides. A lot of our rides are very social at the beginning, and we have scheduled stops along the way. We’re suspending rides in the future until we have more clarity what’s allowed and what isn’t.”
Martin who lives in Grayslake, said she and her husband also canceled a weekly two-mile social ride they led in Lake Bluff, which often ended at a local eatery. The club is contemplating canceling its annual Ramble Ride, scheduled for June 14. The ride typically attracts 500 riders, and funds are raised to help nonprofit organizations, Martin said.
Martin said she continues to bike outdoors, but by herself.
“We just shouldn’t meet four or five friends to cycle right now,” she said. Still, she admits, “We miss the social connection. After every ride, when we socialize, I always feel so content.”
Martin said she’s concerned about people who are just starting an exercise program because there are no open gyms or active groups right now to help motivate them. She said she hopes those with bicycles will get out, go for a short ride in the neighborhood and enjoy the “feeling of the wind on your face and getting the sun on your back.”
To get started, just take a short walk outside, Olson suggested. “Grayslake has a network of 21 miles of trails. There are a lot of trails that are near people’s neighborhoods. We’re encouraging people to get out and get some fresh air.”
