If you've lost your exercise/running mojo, come on in for a Christmas countdown .....

[lechatnoir]

I've not done any significant exercise for the past 9 months, have put on 1.5 stone, taken up smoking again after years away and feel like shit as a result plus add peri-menopausal symptoms Working from home , lack of money and general feeling of negativity everywhere hasn't helped and I'm sure I'm not alone.

In a fit of madness I signed up for a HM for next March but need a kick up the arse and a serious overhaul before I can even start to think about following a running plan. Ive got 7 weeks before I start training but think 8 weeks is more realistic and will also tie in nicely with the festive season (right now I just want to hibernate not party).

So aims are:
Get basic fitness levels up and gently resume running
Build some strength and flexibility
Stop smoking (day 3 and counting)
Include some proper self-care - early nights, hair colouring more regularly, just a bit of pampering occasionally.

Get back in the habit of regular exercise with some sort of weekly timetable.

Anyone want to join me and post for support, encouragement, ideas and give each other a proverbial kick up the arse along way?

How's the week been? I had a bit of a lazy week as I skipped Wednesday's run, did 8 miles on Thursday and then used going to a uni Open Day as an excuse not to do Fridays cross trainer session - I had forgotten that I picked the hotel as it had a gym and a pool so had no kit with me....... I did a huge amount of steps on Saturday though (Nottingham is a huge campus with a hill........). Yesterday was a half marathon and I managed to race most of it although the final couple of miles were a mud bath and it was hard to stay on your feet so lost out on a PB. Today was the cross trainer and swim as well as an S&C session. I am trying very hard to forget that I have 20 miles to run on Sunday before I can taper....

Nice work @londonmummy1966! Just a week to go before taperrrr…

I fit in 3 gym sessions and 2 swims last week. Sunday’s swim was surprisingly good, I did a sort of test set to see where I’m at and I held pace ok! Though I did donk my heels pretty hard on the pool wall when doing a flip turn 😫have a big bruise on one of them.

I had an appointment with a doctor last week about a respiratory issue I’ve been having, and he gave me some treatments to try. Will be curious to see if they have any beneficial impact on my exercise, as well as hopefully clearing this cough once and for all.

Made it to the gym this morning. Trying to squeeze in as much as possible this week and next before we go away over Easter 🍫🐣

@FlySwimmer - ouch that must have hurt. Hopefully the cough will clear - maybe lots of R&R on holiday will help with that.

How has everyone got on this week? I manged 2 runs and a gyms session in the week and 22 miles yesterday - my legs are not thanking me that much today despite taking them to the pool this afternoon....

Well done on the 22 miles @londonmummy1966!

I fit in two gym sessions and two swims last week. I’m away for a few days this week so I’m getting in some yoga & a few home workouts; I may make it to the gym on Friday.

I got totally soaked on a 5K last Friday (24th) and then gave up for a week, combination of bad weather, hay fever and an actual cold. Got back into the swing of things with a 5K today though. Great work on the run @londonmummy1966!

THanks @FlySwimmer and @SydneyCarton - I feel a lot happier for having got that done - think I will manage the 26.2 but at least I now have 3 weeks of taper.

Bad luck on the cold - I got soaked running on Wednesday - I dripped all over my computer trying to log the run - and am now a bit sniffly. Enjoy your holiday (Hope it is holiday..) Flyswimmer.

DH surprised me by booking a few nights away in a cottage this week. We’re still WFH and it’s self catering, but it’s a very welcome change of scenery as we each need to work towards a deadline. Next week we’re on a Holiday Proper (albeit with parents in tow!).

Oh that sounds nice @FlySwimmer! I’m doing something similar this week as I’m going down to my parents on Wednesday with my girls and then WFH Wednesday pm and Thursday while grandparents do childcare. DP and youngest will come down Thursday and we’ll all stay over and have lunch together before we go home Friday afternoon.

Hi All- sorry been a bit quiet. Basically away for 3 weeks. First week I was so jetlagged I got literally zero done other than plodding through the days. This week I've been better - 2 weights sessions, some yoga and a run this morning (holiday exercise basically as we're at a dive resort). Planning some proper mileage when I'm back in HK next week.

Sounds lovely @SydneyCarton! and I hope you enjoy @illiterato. When you say dive resort do you mean scuba diving? I can’t wait to swim in the sea this summer…

I'm sure that diving is exercise @illiterato

SOunds as if you all have lovely Easters planned. Mine is sadly stuck in the smoke with a trip round Canary Wharf planned for this weeks long run to see what the route looks like before marathon day. Can't believe it is nearly upon me!

@FlySwimmer yes- basically scuba diving. My kids did their PADI qualification and DH did a few dives. I don’t actually dive due to a medical condition but I did some snorkelling. The resort is a normal holiday resort with pools and a spa and stuff but you wouldn’t really come here if you weren’t diving as not much else here. That said the kids had an absolute blast with all the other kids. Barely any nagging for screens so really quite miraculous.

Got out for one 6k run there and then did 10k with my friend in HK today. Planning to get three more runs done this week before heading back to Uk on Saturday.

@londonmummy1966 i remember the first few km on the Isle of Dogs being quite psychologically tough as you’re just through half way and then you turn away from the finish and do that IOD loop before coming back. I massively picked up mentally once I started coming back up from the bottom of IOD. Once I got onto Embankment I sort of realised I would make it so even though my legs were killing me, I really enjoyed that last 5 miles or so.

@FlySwimmer It was very nice! My dad puts his bread machine on overnight so I woke up to the smell of freshly baked bread and someone bringing me a cup of tea It was like a boutique hotel break!

@illiterato The diving and snorkelling sounds great. I have done some years ago in Australia and Kenya and it was amazing.

@londonmummy1966 Hope the long run went well. I have done very little exercise this week although we did get out to the park yesterday to work off some Easter chocolate.

Glad everyone seems to be having a good weekend. In the end I decided on Royal Parks rather than Canary Wharf and managed to time my run so the bells at Westminster Abbey started ringing as I hit the Mall. Had rather a lot of lamb and nice wine yesterday and went to friends for lunch today so more of the same - will need to start burning it all off tomorrow.....

Just got the marathon start time email. Starting to feel rather too real now!

I hope everyone had a nice Easter. We were away for a week, which was great. Zero formal exercise, but regularly doing between 15-25k steps a day with all the sightseeing. No sooner was I back in the gym on Monday than I tweaked my back thankfully it’s getting better, and I have a physio appointment in any case on Friday so I can ask about it. But I’m laying off everything for this week except some stretching.

@londonmummy1966 it must be getting very real now!! 🏃🏅

@FlySwimmer - glad you had a good break but sorry to hear about the back.

I've been tapering which means that I'm feeling a bit under exercised at the moment. I did walk the stretch of the course around Canary Wharf yesterday and I went to pick my bib up at the Excel Centre today so it is really real (and I'm not sure it was such a good idea to sign up any more).

Ooh exciting! Can’t believe it’s nearly the day!! I’m actually v jealous. It’s such an amazing marathon.

just getting back into it this week. Had a niggle in my left hamstring for a month so finally getting a sports massage today to see if she can release it.

@illiterato - hope the massage worked. I've had a mainly lounge around the house eating more carbs than I should sort of day. Really really nervous now!

Got out for a 5K on Monday and again yesterday so starting to get a bit of fitness back after the Easter break. Good luck for Sunday @londonmummy1966 it must be so exciting (albeit nerve-wracking!)

@SydneyCarton - yes - not getting a lot of sleep at the moment!

I just want to thank everyone on this thread for all their support and encouragement since I got my marathon place in October - its been great to report back each week and to get such positive vibes from you all.

Last run tomorrow - 2 miles and then the big one!

@londonmummy1966 massage didn't really work annoyingly. She think's I need to strengthen my glutes. She's probably right tbf although I'm unclear how that's going to help the trapped feeling. Back to the gym next week then. Sigh.

This week so far done 1x 10k, 1 x 13k, 1 x 21k. Aiming for 12k tomorrow while dc are climbing. Slightly bricking it about this relay as the cut offs are really tight

@illiterato - sorry that massage didn't work - I have to say that the strengthening exercises the physio gave me have really worked on my various niggles so hopefully will work for you too.

I'm sure you'll smash the reay when it comes but try not to overdo it if you have a niggle (said very hypocritically as I tend to ignore that advice.....)

Good luck @londonmummy1966 .You will smash it.Enjoy every second. High five everyone. Eat all the snacks. Have a big wine afterwards!! And most importantly, report back here and let us know how you did xx