I was really sore until Wednesday, so I couldn't run, but I went to the gym on Tuesday and Wednesday and did some weights. I also rode a stationary bike for awhile to provide some gentle ROM for my legs (that's range of motion, all you non-PT folks). On Thursday I finally felt okay to run, but it was pouring rain outside, so I ran a few miles on the treadmill. Today (Friday) was my big day to run again. I planned a 6 mile trail run with a friend from church and all day I was itching to get outside to run! It was great. The trails were covered with leaves so we had to watch our step, but it was such a beautiful day and it was so fun to do a long run again!
I genuinely love running now and I want to be more serious about training for my next half marathon. Last time, I was following a schedule where I was supposed to run 4x a week, but I ended up skipping a lot of the short runs because I was so busy with school. I generally only ran twice a week- one short run during the week and a long run on the weekends. It was enough to prepare me for my first half marathon, but now I have time goals to achieve! I've been much more consistent with my exercise routine this week.
1. Have a Goal. Before I started training for races, I didn't really work out that much because it wasn't getting me anywhere. I went to the gym sometimes to "stay in shape" but I didn't have any compelling reason to exercise. I like to have a plan and a goal. Now that I'm training for races, I have a much stronger motivation to work out.
2. Be Flexible. I didn't stick to my training plan 100%, but I was still able to finish the half marathon. Every training plan is different and none are magic. Don't freak out if you miss one workout (or even a week of workouts because you get sick). Stick to your plan as much as possible, but be flexible with it.
3. Don't cheat on the important things. It's good to be flexible, but don't go the opposite route and cheat yourself. Don't take weeks off from running/exercise because you got "busy". While missing a workout here or there won't hurt you all that much, disregarding your training plan completely would be a huge mistake. If you're training for a distance race, the most important thing is the long runs on the weekend. Don't cut yourself short and leave these out of your schedule!
4. It takes Discipline. Not just during a run. Once you're actually outside running or in the gym working out, you're 90% there. It takes a lot more discipline to fit exercise into your schedule - to wake up at 6am, to work out when you're tired, to go for a run when it's freezing outside and all you want to do is sit on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa. It's hard- some days you just don't want to exercise. But if you really want to reach your goals, you need to find a way to make it happen!
5. Have a core schedule. You need to have a core schedule that you can do all by yourself; one that you can stick to each day. For instance, getting up early each day before work/school to run. Don't rely on someone else to make you work out! If you like going to the gym with a friend, that's fine, but you need to go by yourself even if they cancel. Don't depend on them for motivation- you need to be self-motivated and proactive.
6. Switch it up! Okay, so you have your core schedule from #5. Now a friend wants you to go to a Zumba class with her on Wednesday night. That's not part of your normal schedule- what should you do? Go! Replace your morning workout with the Zumba class in the evening. It will be a special treat- you'll get to sleep in a little extra that Wednesday, and then you'll get to enjoy a fun new workout with a friend. It's a little variety like this that keeps an exercise schedule from getting too boring. Try something different every once in awhile!
This isn't an exhaustive list and I'm not an expert on exercise. These are just a few things that have helped me enjoy working out. I feel so much healthier and happier now that I've made exercise a part of my normal routine!
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