I didn’t make a plan. So, it’s no surprise I have not worked out consistently or with purpose.
Last weekend I was due to run 7Km but after that horrendous attempt to run 6Km I just couldn’t find motivation to go. Instead I did no exercise all weekend.
This is my M.O.
When I feel like I can’t do something I just avoid it. Rather than maybe taking my advice from my last blog that I don’t need to be perfect, I just need to do something.
On Monday I took the start of a new week to start again, but I still didn’t make a plan.
On Monday evening I went out to run and planned to aim for 7.5 rather than the 8Km I was expected to do, but baring in mind I had failed to run 6 and skipped the 7 I wasn’t feeling too confident.
I ran a different route so I wouldn’t spend the run focussing on the distance. I ended up running 8.5Km and honestly the last Km was just because I was too far from home when I hit 7.5Km!
I did it, and felt pretty chuffed with myself.
Tuesday was my birthday so I didn’t exercise as we had to go to the IVF clinic first thing to discuss our next cycle, and then we went for lunch with my best friend and her 1 year old.
I feel really motivated to make some new goals for the last year of my 30’s. So watch this space; they’ll be coming soon.
I woke up the day after my birthday and decided I wanted to clean up my social media accounts. Several years ago I removed all news apps from my phone as the constant information about the miserable state of the world and it’s politics was really contributing to my anxiety and depression.
Maybe living with a degree of ignorance could be considered unhealthy, but for my personal wellbeing it felt like the right thing to do.
I have the same anxieties with social media. Seeing so much negativity isn’t healthy, having conversations with people who are intent on misunderstanding me; who just want to be provocative and argue isn’t healthy. I don’t want to engage with bigots.
So I have come off Twitter and deactivated my Facebook account. I have also made my Instagram account private and not allowed anyone to follow me if I don’t know them in real life. The cleanse feels good.
On Wednesday I did 20 minutes of flow yoga at home. Thursday I had therapy and in the evening we went to see a show so I didn’t workout. I should have done the 9Km run in there somewhere!
On Friday I spent 30 minutes doing backbends at home, with the foam roller and yoga wheel. I really need to be doing more yoga. Thinking I will practice at home isn’t enough, I need to find an unheated studio where I can practice throughout my IVF journey.
This morning I had the 10Km I booked with Steve. To say my training has been a bit shit is probably an understatement. But, the race went really well. We finished in about 1 hour and 28 seconds – although I’m still awaiting the official chip time.
That’s about 90 seconds faster than the last time we ran this race a year ago. Good progress.
One of my aims for this next year is to get my 10Km consistently under 60 minutes. I’m so close but not doing the right training to get there, so I’m going to add some hill sprints and interval training into my plan.
I just need to make that plan, and my goals for the last year of my 30’s and stick with it.
On reflection I have positively changed so much over the last 10 years. Yoga, running, therapy, self-care, self-acceptance, better sleep, no alcohol (14 weeks now) and no caffeine (5 weeks).
I feel better for it all in every way, and even the days I fail or the weeks I’m slacking off exercise or my diet isn’t great I’m still moving forwards.
my happy life project 