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?

@SydneyCarton - I took my kit to Greece with me but ended up having to go to the hotel gym in order to say I'd worn it....

Heat is grim in London today - might try and get out mid evening.

How hard is it to get back into the habit after a couple of weeks break. It's a daunting thought getting back out there in this heat.

@hollyblueivy The heat is pretty grim. I did 5K this morning, took water and just took it easy - I do Jeffing (walk-run intervals) so I always had that 30 second walk break to recover. No records were broken today

@hollyblueivy - just like @SydneyCarton I went out when it wasn't quite so hot (6pm), Jeffed quite a bit more slowly than usual and did a loop that passed my house so I could stop for water every couple of miles.It was not a pretty sight! All the way round I promised myself that I would water me as much as the garden afterwards - lying under the sprinkler was rather pleasant.

My main motivation at the moment is that I can get into clothes that were too small last summer and I'm determined that they will fit all summer this year.

I'm also switching some of my runs to a session on the elliptical trainer in the air conditioned gym. I prefer the elliptical to the dreadmill as I can take my kindle and read to alleviate the tedium. The other bonus is the gym has a pool and very nice showers.....

Yeah, just don’t stress about the pace. When I lived in HK I just hiked in the summer as running just took too much out of you, however much you drank. Or I’d just go for shortish, easyish runs at 8pm.

i’m planning a 10k tomorrow morning but chosen a shaded route and will not worry about how fast I’m going.