Week 1 – Routines & Running
Well, with Week 1 in the books I have to say I enjoyed forcing myself into something new. If you ever need help pushing yourself into doing something I would definitely recommend documenting it on Instagram for all your friends and family to see, they will keep you honest. The amount of times I had people asking me if a had run yet today or making sure I was actually awake by 7am every morning was both funny and surprising. The people closest to you are there for a reason, they care about you and want to see you succeed. If you want to pursue a dream or make a positive change, they will have your back, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Don’t hold back, get your ass in gear!
Starting this venture off with a Routine was important to me, I wanted to find some form of daily structure. I believed it would help me organize my life and in turn help create more time by limiting the time I waste, I was right. I’ve never had a concrete routine and I must say it was kind of nice. I didn’t enjoy the first 5 minutes that I was awake but after that I felt great. Allowing myself to consistently get a healthy amount of sleep made my mornings 10x better. Starting my day with a 3Km run really helped energize me and ensure I was awake and alert. Implementing 2 runs per day wasn’t so much for the cardio but to test my ability to follow a routine. It wasn’t a strenuous routine by any stretch of the imagination but I followed it, I felt good and you have to start somewhere, right? I will definitely continue waking up before 7 and being in bed by 1030 because I love a good sleep and I’ve realized I like being up early, it’s peaceful.
Incorporating some form of physical activity was also important for me as a starting point. I decided on running because it’s a good relatable activity. Anybody who is physically able can run or even walk. No gym membership or fancy equipment required, just get out there and go for it. Personally, I wanted to choose a distance that was not so difficult that it was going to be discouraging and keep me in bed but also not so easy that there was just no point. I knew if I chose the right distance it would be manageable but still difficult at times. 3Km was perfect for me and I encourage you to find your perfect distance and stick to it for at least 1 week. A friend of mine and avid runner pushed me to do 10K by the end of the week and after I accepted this challenge I realized that instead of feeling like I had to go run, I wanted to. I knew I wasn’t in good enough shape to cruise through a run of that distance so I wanted to get out there and improve. That helped me realize the importance of creating goals. I asked myself what my goal would be after this week ended and then I remembered that the same friend challenged me to run a half marathon. I had considered it but not very seriously, until now. While it was fresh in my mind I grabbed my laptop and signed up, June 24th 2018. A little nervous, a little excited, a lot of work to do. See you at the finish line!
I can’t wait to start week 2 and continue using my week 1 routine and pushing the pace on my running. Create yourself a routine, set goals and document! So far so good! See you soon!
