Opinion | Hot and sweaty waterfront workouts are the new normal, but please wear a face mask
- Hong Kong’s fitness centres might be closed, but there is still room for respect while working out
- Social distancing, and social niceties, should still be upheld, even when exercising outside
Hong Kong Island’s waterfront promenade is a fantastic space, allowing the public to walk or jog from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Wan Chai, all the way to Kennedy Town – about a 7km (4.3-mile) stretch. Because there is little shade along the way, a hat or an umbrella and plenty of sunscreen are necessary to protect against the sun.
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There is nothing more unsettling on this walkway than hearing the heavy pounding of feet and laboured breathing of a runner coming up from behind, or watching as they approach head on, open-mouthed, gasping for air, and then feeling them graze your body as they pass. And all while knowing that proximity to anyone not wearing a mask increases the risk of infection.
Many runners go shirtless, their ripped bodies dripping with sweat as they weave in and out of pedestrians at high speed, spattering us with droplets of sweat. It’s disgusting, unhygienic and potentially dangerous.
On one recent hot summer’s day, I was treated to the sight of a shirtless runner who was sweating so much his black underwear was showing through his shorts. With Covid-19 cases surging in Hong Kong, it seems we are going to be seeing a lot more of each other along the waterfront.
Of course, I get it, the runners are trying to raise their heart rates to burn calories and keep those eye-popping muscles toned. And I understand the frustration of being stuck behind people walking four abreast – which is why I try to be mindful and not get in the way.