Special Olympics offers virtual options

Posted 10/1/20

Special Olympics Florida has created a series of new programs to make sure its athletes can stay active and healthy.

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Special Olympics offers virtual options

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The COVID-19 pandemic may have temporarily limited in-person events and competitions, but Special Olympics Florida has created a series of new programs to make sure its athletes can stay active and healthy.
The training programs which are offered virtually and in-person are open to Special Olympic athletes of all levels and abilities. They include a Couch to 5K training program, a Virtual Miles program and a general Home Fitness program. All were designed to help Special Olympics athletes and their families keep fit during a time when many activities have been suspended because of COVID-19. The programs have proven so popular they will continue even as Special Olympics Florida begins to reinstate more traditional programming.

In early September, the organization launched its return to play plan for golf and tennis — two sports well suited for social distancing. It will expand in-person programs — taking all necessary health precautions — as conditions allow while offering the option to participate in several programs virtually.

“The health and well-being of our athletes is always our top priority, and the ability to offer our programs virtually provides a great way to help them stay fit and engaged,” said Special Olympics Florida President and CEO Sherry Wheelock. “So much so, we plan to keep offering them in the future.”

Special Olympics Florida is providing the following programs through in-person and virtual training. Both options are led by a Special Olympics Florida coach.

Couch to 5K: A nine-week program that blends walking and running. Training consists of three weekly runs that alternate between walking and running with increasing distances and running intervals as the weeks progress. By the end of the program, participants will be able to run the full distance.

• Home Fitness: A nine-week program that consists of three weekly workouts focusing on functional fitness. Modifications are available for the more challenging exercises. The program includes a fitness tracking spreadsheet, exercise videos and videos on warm-up, cool-down and stretching.

Virtual Miles: A nine-week training program that allows participants to run, walk, bike, swim or roll in a wheelchair. Each week, the total miles accrued throughout the week is turned in and added to a weekly individual and team count.

Athletes participating in the Couch to 5K and Virtual Miles programs can use the free MoveSpring app — available at the Google Play and Apple App stores — to track their progress.

Anyone interested in participating in the programs — as an athlete or coach — may contact Kyle Townsend, sports training and competition manager for Special Olympics Florida in Okeechobee, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie Counties. He can be reached at 727-294-5558 or kyletownsend@sofl.org. For more information, you can also visit the Special Olympics Florida Fitness and Wellness Facebook page.

special olympic, virtual, training

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