To anyone who labored alone on a treadmill during the pandemic — Arisa Tsubata gets it.
The Japanese boxer and frontline nurse, 27, stole the show at the Olympics opening ceremony in Tokyo when she ran for several minutes on a treadmill in the middle of the field.
Illuminated by a spotlight, Tsubata slowly became surrounded by lone athletes and dancers, all distanced from one another.
Tsubata’s solo exercise routine quickly went viral, with many people on social media shuddering at the thought of their own treadmill jogs being broadcast around the world.
“Running on a treadmill in front of millions, is this a horror film?” one Twitter user wrote.
“As someone who has fallen off a treadmill while running, the idea of even jogging on one during the#Olympics Opening Ceremony with the world watching is giving me extreme anxiety,” another person commented.
The treadmill routine was reportedly meant to signify the “invisible bond” between athletes who were isolated at home during the pandemic, according to NBC Sports.
Tsubata had Olympic dreams of her own. She’s a middleweight boxing champion who was hoping to qualify for the summer games in Tokyo. Unfortunately, her qualifying event was canceled due to the pandemic, so she lost her chance to compete.
At the very least, she inspired plenty of fans as she pounded the treadmill during the opening ceremony without appearing to break a sweat.
“Feeling inspired, To go on the treadmill in a designer tracksuit,” one person tweeted.
“I'd already be cooked on that treadmill after 2 minutes,” another person wrote on Twitter.
“Running on a treadmill for a solid 10 mins…SORRY that would be my Olympics DONE before it even started BYE FELICIA!!!” someone else tweeted.
Others saw her solo treadmill run as the perfect way to describe the past year.
“The lone treadmill person is some intensely relatable content,” one person wrote.
“Treadmill running person going nowhere for a really long time at the Opening Ceremony is basically a perfect metaphor for 2020-21,” another person tweeted.
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