Well this January has been quite the opposite of last years.
Last year I was doing a 30 day hot yoga challenge and Run Everyday January; this year I have just been sick. I am only just over whatever monstrous virus I have had, I’ve not run since Christmas day and my last yoga class was a gentle wheel therapy class on 7th January.
Hardly an overwhelming start to the year.
I had thought about doing dry January – but that’s off the cards, and I was contemplating doing an ‘exercise every day in January’ challenge, but the months is nearly over.
So here we are, on 21st Jan, with one yoga class done so far this year and nothing else. I have to keep reminding myself that I have been sick and that there have been a few things going on that have made it difficult for me to start getting on top of my fitness again as my natural position is to berate myself for it.
As far as New Years intentions go, the current lay of the land is that I will be attempting a half marathon every quarter; the 1st one is in March in beautiful Inverness. I’ve also booked a 10Km in Richmond Park on 27th January and the London Winter Run on 4th Feb.
I am going to get a few runs done this week to warm up for the first 10Km race of the year – which is this weekend.
My plan is to maintain 3 yoga sessions and runs per week throughout the year. To make this achievable I will be planning my sessions around work commitments so I am more likely to stick with it. I want to overcome my excuses and procrastination in 2018, and will be chatting to my therapist to find ways to do this. I think making SMART goals is a good place for me to start – as I would use this approach for other goals in my life.
For my running one SMART goal is:
- Specific: I’m going to start some morning running
- Measureable: I’ll run 5Km before work
- Achievable: Just once a week, any more and I’m unlikely to do it
- Realistic: One low intensity steady state run – nothing too strenuous
- Time-bound: Each week
My first SMART running goal is therefore to complete one LISS 5Km run before work once a week.
My 2nd goal is to complete 3 runs a week. These will include the aforementioned LISS run, one long run on the weekend (10Km and above), and one mid-distance intervals run in the week (5-10Km).
I feel I’ve been in this terrible limbo place over the last week or so where I’ve no longer felt unwell, but also haven’t feel completely back to normal. It makes the motivation to get back to exercise quite difficult so I am going to plan the forthcoming week and just get on with it as best I can.
Last weekend I caught up with reading 6 weeks worth of Noom articles that I was behind on. I felt that to move forwards with the eating psychology programme I needed to catch up with everything I missed, and now that I have I feel better positioned to get back on track. So tomorrow, Monday 22nd, I will begin tracking my food properly again, and stick to my exercise regime.
I can’t believe how difficult the start to this year has been. I’ve had a lot of sickness and stress, so not being able to keep on top of my exercise has not been good for my wellbeing I don’t think. That said; my mental health has been pretty stable. A fucking New Year miracle!
However I haven’t got away with it altogether as this stress is currently being expressed all over my skin! A few years back I was diagnosed with eczema by the consultant dermatologist, although for years my GP thought my condition was psoriasis – which (to be fair) it looks a lot more typical of. The diagnosis is relatively academic as the treatment is similar, but NOTHING is touching it right now. All the creams, potions, lotions and steroids and yet I am still a sore itchy mess. I honestly think that the hot room makes it a bit better but having only done one yoga class this year isn’t going to be helping me at all. Last night I was talking to my friend about the importance of self-care as she goes through a difficult trauma, and I told her that she ‘cannot pour from an empty cup’. In saying so I realised that I am doing the exact same thing, I have deprioritised my running and yoga and as such my own self care has dropped off.
For the week ahead I am putting a plan in place for yoga, running and little actions of self-care.
Currently that looks as follows:
Monday: An easy 4Km run before travelling to Ireland. Before bed I will have a nice relaxing Epsom salt bath.
Tuesday: 45min Vinyasa home practice before work and a 6Km interval run in the evening followed by reading my book.
Wednesday: XT60 before work and a 60 minute home practice Bikram in the evening. Meditation before bed.
Thursday: 5Km LISS before work. Taking time to blog.
Friday: 75min Bikram in the studio (Can’t wait to get back in the hot room!) and some drawing.
Saturday: 10Km race! Then Yin yoga in the late afternoon. Planning next weeks exercise.
Sunday: 75 minute warm flow yoga followed by 75 minute Yin. Vipassana meditation.
I have done naff-all exercise this month so far, so this plan may well be a bit ambitious but it could be achievable if I hold off the alcohol and commit to early nights and earlier starts!
On that note…..time for bed!
