Keeping it interesting

This morning it was again tipping it down with rain and not feeling the best, I ventured to the dry of the gym to get my workout in. I felt very much a fraud and a cop out for not going out in the deluge but I am running out of dry pairs of shoes and gear since this wet weather hit us. 

Climbing on the treadmill for the first time in about six months I felt very uncomfortable and although I mix my running up outside (track, park, trail, road and so on), I don't do much indoor running on the mouse wheel and it showed this morning. Normally I am happy as a lark and smiling even if things are tough when outside (as it was on Sunday when it felt like I was running through a lake), but today was different and I couldn't quite figure out how to recreate the feeling indoors. 

I got through the session fine, but it reminded me of he importance of mixing up the running surfaces so that we maintain our interest and that we are not phased when it comes to circumstance like this morning when we are forced indoors. 

What surface do you like to run on?

Running together (stride for stride on a life changing ride). - Sean Muller

Morning and afternoon tea

In days gone by (and still in some industries) there was a morning and afternoon tea break scheduled to go with the lunchtime break. It was common to drink tea and eat a biscuit or two on these breaks.

Nowadays in our extreme work hard era we not only work through our breaks, but we also don't tend to get enough to eat. If you are training then these tea breaks are very important and a chance to refuel with some good wholesome food and snacks instead of reaching for the cookie jar or vending machine.

A bit of fruit, some yogurt and green tea will go down a great and help you to survive through the day without flagging.

Running together (while consuming enough food), stride for stride on a life changing ride! -- Sean Muller

The importance of training buddies

Training buddies are something that are invaluable in motivating one to get out there and run or complete your exercise for the day. I've not had problems with motivation in the past, but do find that my training is more substantial when I have someone to train with. 

The other person or people with you are there to share your good and bad times and happy and sad times of your exercise. You are also far more likely to actually get out of bed and fulfil your exercise commitment for the day if you know that someone else is relying on you. 

It's amazing with facts like these around how many people still believe that the way forward for them is to exercise on their own. Try building some community and know that you are helping someone out by training with them.

How is your group exercise taken?

Running together (while e excising as a group), stride for stride on a life changing ride.-- Sean Muller

The importance of routine in exercise

A habit is formed by doing something for 2 weeks at a time. This is what science tells us. We repeat a pattern of things for the two weeks and it becomes a habit. It is quite frightening to think that this is all that it takes for us for example to become hooked on nicotine or junk food.

But there are healthy habits such as getting up and going for some daily exercise. I have always found that this is far preferable before work and best done by getting up that little bit earlier. It doesn't really matter if it’s a walk, run, bike ride, gym session or aerobics class that you choose to do, repeating this pattern for the period of 14 days will result in it becoming as natural to you as brushing your teeth.

Surely even the biggest haters of exercise and physical activity would have to say that in the greater scheme of things 14 days is not that much time to devote to doing things. As I have said continually here, the biggest killer for us in the west over the coming years will surely be that plain and simple fact that we are going to eat ourselves to death. Routine exercise can help combat this and offset any weight gains.

What exercise routine do you follow in the morning and how does it set you up for the day?

Together we can all beat this problem of obesity!

Running together (while generating morning exercise routines), stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller