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?

@illiterato I think you are wise to not hanker back to old times - I know that I'll never run a sub 20 5K again and made my peace with that by moving on to longer runs although the marathon is currently feeling like I bit off more than I can chew... Someone I know recommended "resetting" ones PB everytime a significant birthday comes round - so my current 5K PB for my 50s is 28 minutes. Nearly half as much time again as my 30s PB but it is better for my head to look at it this way. (And in my 30 s I had never run a half)

I also wrote off yesterday as the tube strike made getting to and from the hospital for DD quite difficult. I got a swim in today whilst DH drove her home. I also jumped on the scales and seem to have lost 2 kilos so that is a win. I suspect that getting out to exercise is going to be tough in the next few weeks as DD can do little for herself (and is going to be very frustrated about that).

Two swims done between yesterday and today. And about 14k steps each day as well.

15k steps today so far and a 10 minute YWA. So glad it’s the weekend!

Sorry, me again - I just like the accountability. 14k steps done, a Dance With Deepthi 15 minute workout, and 10 minutes of YWA.

Tomorrow will be a day at home so will do a longer DWD and a YWA, but probably won’t get 10k steps.

5K Jeff while the children were having their football club session. I went for a couple of loops round the park which is next to the football club and infiltrated Parkrun, so felt a bit guilty getting the clapping and encouragement 🤣.

That makes three running sessions this week for the first time in ages, and I was pleasantly surprised at the average time per mile for yesterday considering that it included walking breaks.

Well done everyone. Running with a pal in a few hours - just hoping my vast breakfast has digested by then . plan for the week:
Mon: 30 min weights video
Tues: 5km run
Wed: 30 min weights video
Thurs: deep stretch
Fri: 5km run
Sat: rest/walk
Sun: 6.5km run

This is roughly what I've been doing for the past 2 weeks and feel ready to move up a gear. I like the mix of runs & weights with a stretch session so might look for a more intense/longer weights workout and try and find a swim session or Pilate class one evening.

What have you all got planned or do you prefer to wing it?

I posted here on Day 1 and promptly forgot about it. Not a great start….
However I have been trying. Since 22 Oct have:

• Did a 13km walk(on the 22nd to get myself started)
• Weymouth parkrun over half term
• Two 7km and one 5km run with running club
• Home parkrun yesterday
• And 13km long slow run this morning.

I’m doing a 10km run at beginning of December so trying to build up the distance again. This week planning 2 x 7km runs with club, parkrun on Saturday and maybe another 10-13km on Sunday. I am 5th on club leaderboard today for distance covered this week so happy about this!

Just been out for a 6k run and managed to stay under 6mi/km which I was v happy about. Returned to no hot water which I was less happy about. Put the override on and hoping it's just that my kids had ridiculously long showers after rugby and used it all.

Next week plan is:

MWF: Strength training at the gym (usually 60-75 mins including a 15 min warm up on the cross trainer).

TTS or S: 6-7km run.Just aiming to stretch the distance a little. Easy to do on my usual route as just do another lap of the lake, avoiding the killer swans (sprint intervals).

@CherrySmiler I would love to run with a club but unfortunately the days/ times don't work for me at the moment. The leaderboard sounds like good motivation.

@illiterato that’s a good pace! The leaderboard is generated by Strava though not sure many look at it but nice to be in top ten even if person at top has done double by a mileage but she’s a super runner constantly training for the next marathon. I used to run starting back in 2012/2013 and then dropped it for a few years. I joined the club’s C25K during lockdown and taken it from there. I’m not as fast as I used to be but am older and heavier and definitely more injury prone.
My aim over Dec and Jan is to keep running so I’m not ‘getting back into it” as I feel myself saying this far too often. I’m doing the London Landmarks half in April and want to better a recent where I did it in 2.28 (limited training as I couldn’t be bothered and had Achilles problem that seemed to take a long time to go despite no running). I just need to ensure I don’t do too much or it will be injury time again and also try some cross training.

Yesterday was a bit of a write off but I managed to get a 13 mile Jeff in today. The time was just under 7m per km so not too far off the pace I used to run halfs at. My calves are screaming now though and the thought of having to run twice as far in April is quite daunting. The plan for the week is a cold water swim on Tuesday, 12km run on Wednesday, indoor swim on Thursday, 10km run on Friday and then a 10k race next Sunday as I think I need to give myself a bit of R&R from the long runs.

10k steps done, a “get fit with Rick” and a “Dance with Deepthi”. I couldn’t be bothered with Adriene today but did some stretching with the cat insisting on joining in.

Got in the gym as planned- really didn't want to but it was fine once I got there and warmed up. I didn't feel super strong today - probably didn't eat enough yesterday - so kept my weights the same as last week.

3K run this afternoon; not my preferred time to do it as I find it easier to get out and run as close to first thing as possible, but I faffed around too much this morning. Ideally would have been 5K but I had a parcel to collect so I stopped at the shop and then walked back.

Gym this morning, and 25 minutes of yoga both this evening and yesterday evening 💪

Rick and Deepthi done, a short walk, and some yoga stretches. 11k steps so not too bad for a WFH day!

Wet run 5km this morning and a 30 minutes weight session yesterday. Keep it up everyone

Terrible and v slow 6k run this morning - windy as hell and had to keep walking when I had 3k into the wind as just couldn’t keep my legs going. Plus had to keep crossing the road to avoid floods so hard to zone out. But, as I tell Myself, bad run better than no run.

Bit of a cold at the moment so putting off going out. Missing it.

i’ll hit 20K steps by bed, accrued between my normal work day and Get Fit With Rick. Yoga stretches done and the cat likes cat pose a lot.

Day 15 of healthy for 30 for me!

Can I join you please? I used to be a very enthusiastic exerciser, running, dance classes, yoga, dvds at home…. I’ve completely lost my mojo. I think of the things I used to be able to do and feel mournful that my body could not do any of that now. I’ve been kidding myself that 5 mins of yoga before bed is keeping my flexibility and fitness up and it’s just not. Better than nothing I know, but I do not feel good.

I started a few days ago when I saw this thread, just walking to work. And on Monday I dug out a Jillian Michaels dvd and tried to keep up with her 🤣

i did a yoga with Adrienne before bed last night.

Intend to do JM again after work today. I’ve written it here so I kind of have to report back.

welcome @slightlysoreboobs . There are several of us mourning past feats of athleticism so you are definitely not alone. I've had to try quite hard to let go of what was and focus on building from where I am now and just aiming for incremental improvement. It took me probably 6 weeks to get into a solid routine but I'm now quite enjoying it and it has become something I just get on with rather than spending all day making excuses as to why I'm not doing it.

Went to the gym this morning. I normally do free weights Mon/Fri and then machines and accessory stuff on Wednesday. Rediscovered the hip abductor and adductor. Was waiting for another machine and thought I'd just do a few sets to kill time. Had forgotten about them and used to absolutely love them. Am hoping they will help my back squat which is um, not very impressive, even with lifters.

Gym this morning. YWA and 25-minute cardio last night. Will try to fit in another YWA tonight.

@illiterato I use the hip adductor/abductor machine as part of my rehab, love it. The one I loathe is the hamstring one. Which suggests it’s the one I need to work on most 😒

Ah @slightlysoreboobs we feel your pain lots of us 'I used to be fit once' on here. I did 3 x a week insanity classes, yoga and 10/12km runs not that many years ago. I couldn't even hold a plank for a minute this morning . Onward and upward and do post for accountability and to help motivate us all back into some sort of shape!

A bit sore and achy this morning so just did a 15 minutes morning YWA and hoping a quiet day and early night will put me back on track tomorrow.

This weather isn't helping - I used to find running in the rain really invigorating but when the running is hard work, it's definitely not so fun . I'm glad I've got a running mate to call on or I'd really struggle getting out there at the moment.

I did it!!! Well, kind of did it. I’m actually really proud of myself: tough day at work then had the second shift to deal with when I got home, lots of “poor me” thinking. But I’d decided earlier today that even if I felt like shit (it’s a regular occurrence….) I’d put my sports bra and trainers and leggings on and just do the warm up and first circuit. Once I was doing it, I felt so chuffed with myself for talking myself round to doing it I kept going! I just did the first round of each circuit (I’m doing No More Trouble Zones) which took half an hour and was the perfect amount of effort and exertion. My doms from Monday kicked in today so I hope I can walk tomorrow. Thanks for the welcome and encouragement, and I hope my success tonight inspires someone to just do a bit - even 5 minutes is better than nothing isn’t it?

Well done, @slightlysoreboobs ! I always think of that TikTok sound that says “keep showing up”.

An annoying day here for various reasons but 12k steps, a Fit With Rick 30 minute workout, and a load of yoga stretches. Halfway through healthy for 30!