Exercise Strategy Adjustment
It’s been a while since I’ve posted about exercise. Earlier this year, I joined my local track club, which has been amazing in a number of ways.
1. bonding with other women. I never got along with groups of girls growing up, and I’m not so good at the social-group-cue thing at all. AS a result, women kinda freak me out to be honest. But it worked in this setting. I think the trick is that it is an individual sport, but with group training. So no one has to care too much how good I am; yet mutual support makes everyone do better
2. learning about coaching. It’s just good as a coach to have more contact with the original type of coaching- sports coaching.
3. structure. coach gave us workouts (which I sometimes modified) and more importantly, there was a time and place to show up.
4. accountability. This came in the form of other people who want me to show up, and who I want to see, and who keep encouraging me to come.
5. move at my own pace. Here, this is quite literal. but in genreal, if sports (or anything else for that matter) are too slow I may get bored, too fast, I get discouraged by own fatigue level.
6. frequency. we have 3 workouts per week. That’s great for me because I need that frequency to stay in touch with why I like it, to make progress- and so if I miss some workouts I don’t end up away from it for a very long time.
This was the perfect place to work out in my first year after having a baby; it’s super close to my house, so there’s a minimum of time traveling and being away from the house; it helped me get fitter and stronger again.
It’s funny; I haven’t gotten to run road races, which was a great idea, but it wasn’t my underlying goal. My fundamental goal was to regain my pre-pregnancy fitness. I’ve certainly gotten a lot of it back this way. I have to keep reminding myself of this when I feel discouraged that the senior team has really found some traction and are running in some great training groups, making a lot of progress.
I came to a bit of a standstill because of some foot problems. they aren’t thoroughly resolved, either in terms of recovery or understanding fully what’s going on, but it seems to be some typical new-mommy stuff; plantar fasciaitis and achilles tendinitis. I slowed my training to walking, and at this point the group training isn’t so perfect anymore, because it’s a pretty boring way to walk. I may either find a walking buddy to come to workouts with me, or find some more structure to other walking workouts. I know I’d be selling myself short if I don’t go beyond simply strolling with baby alone, and at the same time walking is ideal in my situation. I may go back to running workouts in Spring.
For now, I just need to adjust my strategy and remember why I’m doing this, or find some new goals. The tricky part is to integrate my own ADHD-related roadblocks, which include:
1. easily bored
2. run-on thinking (especially when bored) can make exercise a sad, rather than happy, thing.
3. when I’m not doing it I don’t feel a connection to it, or to how important it is to me
4. unmanaged self-talk about exercising can divorce me from my intentions entirely.
Am I focusing on these things too much? I don’t think so. By knowing these issues, I can keep an eye on their influence on me, and meanwhile, keep on walking.
What are you going to do this winter for exercise? How has your strategy for exercise changed or how do you need to adjust it right now, for your life situation or for the season? If you tell us about it in the comments, I bet it will help!