Tag Archives: exercise

Morning Jog

I’ve never been a fan of running. My running joke is that the only reason to run is that the there is someone chasing me… and he’s bigger than me, and angry at me. I’ll run on a treadmill, but only when I’m preoccupied with watching a show or listening to a book or a podcast.

That said, I really enjoyed my run this morning, twice around Alice Lake. I understand the appeal of running, it just hasn’t been something I really enjoy doing. Yesterday I went for a ride, and it was a challenging 10km but I could have easily done another 10km, and I hadn’t even taken water with me.

But this morning I did two laps of the lake and while it wasn’t long or hard, I would have really had to push myself to do a third lap. I’m not a runner, unless you are chasing me, angry, and want to harm me. Could I have kept going? Yes, I just didn’t want to.

That doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy my morning jog. That just means that running is not my favourite thing. Could I run faster? Yes, but I won’t. Could I go longer? Yes, but I won’t?

Will I complain about having to run because my options while camping are limited? No. I absolutely enjoyed my morning jog, and I’ll make the most of it next time too.

The long game

I’ve never been a flexible person. My hamstrings are tight piano wires and my back often feels 15-20 years older than I do.

Recently I’ve been spending more time stretching during my workouts and I’m seeing positive results. Very. Slow. But. Positive. Results.

Stretching is a good example of a long game. Short term benefits and positive results are only seen in the first week or two, then the improvements slow right down. The stretches don’t get easier, they get harder. And still, the results slow down.

How many things can we put in this ‘long game’ category? I think there are many! Flossing our teeth is example. There is research that suggests this isn’t just good for your teeth and gums, it can extend your life. So why is it so easy to ignore this late at night when you just want to brush your teeth and go to bed? Another example, diets are the quick fix, healthy eating and living is the long game.

I can’t pretend to know the secrets to playing the long game well, if I did, I would be able to touch my toes now, after years of stretching, but I’ve only been focused on stretching for a couple months. And, I’m behind on my goal to be able to do handstands because I hit a plateau and haven’t been as committed.

Part of playing the long game for me is making it public. I need to feel accountable to others, to give myself external motivation, for when the internal motivation just isn’t enough.

So now, it’s time to do 20 minutes of cardio followed by light weights and stretching. Because my healthy living goals are part of a long game.