The exercise deliberation continues…
Exercise has always been a major part of my life. I look back and don’t remember a time when it was not there.
As a child, it was a bike or football. A teenager, rugby, football and skiing.
Then running from 16 onwards when I decided I would join the military.
Exercise has always been there.
Looking back I have taken for granted the ability to run 10km on a Monday evening and get up and gym at 0600hrs on a Tuesday.
Something that now Is hard. I manage it but it is a battle with my brain and body.
Running.
This is a love thing. It is a place where I switch off from the world. I am not aware of my thoughts, I am also free of the constant ringing I have in my head.
I have spent the last couple of weeks pondering what my goal needs to be. I need a focus.
I need an outcome out there on the horizon to work towards.
Something that gives me a purpose for going to the gym and some structure behind my running.
Currently, I run, gym to lift weights and use the Ski Erg a lot. I walk an hour a day with the dog on average.
I run now because I want to. However, I go out of the door and just run. I run on how I feel.
At the gym, I follow a pretty similar routine each time but either add more weight or more reps.
I use light weights.
Why?
The recovery from a heavier weight session is tough nowadays. The body suffers for 2 days after. This does affect me mentally as the exercise is such a part of my routine that not having it there when the body is broken with DOMS bothers my mind.
I have reviewed the last 3 training blocks for the running over the last 18 months. Something struck me. The LSD or long slow run that is prescribed for a Sunday in a lot of training plans only works for me every 2 or 3 weeks.
Looking back to my ultra training I only went long or over 3 hours in my world once every 3 weeks. Why?
Mentally I would be cloudy for a couple of days. I would be sore and quite frankly it is pretty hard work going out for 3 hours and turning back round for another 3 odd hours.
The mind does not fancy the long stuff but the mind does not fancy the shorter stuff either. So what to do?
Part of me says I don’t want to go long so build up to going long again…
Just because I don’t want to…
The gym has been a consistent part of my life as this was the plan to go 3x a week in 2024. My strength has improved and I can see the adaptions in myself.
What will 2025 have in store for my longer-term goal I am just not sure yet. Nothing has jumped out that is floating my boat or sparking that level of excitement.
I want to run more.
I want to gym more.
I want to skierg more.
All 3 of these to see results need a minimum of 3 sessions each week. Each one benefits the other.
The running is outdoors. I miss being outside. Especially in the cold of winter. I love running in the cold.
The skierg is a wonderful machine and boy do I build an engine using it. It is indoors though. Staring at a wall usually. I am fine with the wall. I see that as a mental effort.
The gym… I guess I could go stand outside in the garden and lift some free weights. This would get me outside. The routine of going to the gym, I feed on though. A place that is non-work, relaxing to me and I get a sense that I am developing who I am and investing in myself.
This is unusual for me to not have a race or event or just a distance or a time duration challenge that jumps out at me. Reflecting back something has always just jumped out at me that gets my excitement.
I sit here thinking that maybe I don’t need an event. Maybe I need an outcome of building back up to having an amazing engine and just getting the body and mind back in tip-top shape again.
Build in training blocks around the 3 domains I love and keep focusing on the food and recovery.
The deliberation shall continue and my head of hair keeps growing. .
