Running: I know I love running, so this is a no brainer. To switch things up and keep it interesting, I've taken on a mentoring role in my half-marathon training program. So far, I LOVE it. (That's another post to come.)
Hiking: Another no brainer. I haven't been hiking as much this summer, really, but I know I'll pick it back up when the weather cools down a bit more. I love being out in the woods and getting all that fresh air!
Crossfit: I used a Groupon to take 6 Crossfit classes, and boy did they kick my butt. While I loved the classes, the main thing holding me back from making this a regular part of my routine is cost. It's just too darn expensive--I'm finding it'll be $80-$100 a month, just for two times a week. Added to that, I feel like once you know the exercises, you can do a lot of them on your own, unlike...
Yoga: I'm falling in love with yoga again after discovering a great Vinyasa/Yin class. We spend the first half of the class in flow, then the last bit holding (seated) poses for several minutes each. I lurv this! (lurv=seriously love) The meditative aspect is so powerful for me, and my tight runner's hamstrings have been appreciating the good stretch. So, if I'm going to shell out big bucks each month on fitness, it will be on yoga.
Biking: A good friend handed down her mountain bike to me, so I am overcoming my fear of going over the handlebars (been there, done that, don't want to do it again) and learning to love the rush of the wind when I go fast... it gives me a joyful feeling like I'm a kid again. My goal is to become comfortable with biking again--things like when to brake and how hard, learning how to maintain and care for a bike, and getting more adventurous in the trails I'm attempting.
Swimming: I have never been a strong swimmer. I grew up living down the street from a lake, and we would take our paddle boat out and swim, but I never quite mastered the art of swimming without nose plugs. (Parents: Do NOT let your children ever rely on nose plugs... ever.) But, this summer, I've been meeting up with a co-worker to swim 2-3 times a week at her community pool. It's not a huge pool, and we don't swim for too long, maybe 20-25 minutes, and I'm sure I look ridiculous because I don't really know appropriate form for any strokes. But, I'm enjoying it, and working on swimming without my nose plugged, and trying to get better at the freestyle (I mostly do a strange version of the breaststroke in which I keep my head out of the water). In an ideal world, next summer I will take lessons.
Rock climbing: I haven't tried this yet, but I did buy a two-week pass to a local climbing wall that includes an intro lesson. I am really excited to give this a go!
Strength training: Always my weakness--I'm so awful at building it into my routine--I'm just working on going straight to the gym after I run to do weights or using my Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred DVD (so intense... for real).
The whole point for me is just trying out new things to find new activities that I love and that will keep me, well, active. And, in the back of mind, there is a whisper of a thought that if I can become a stronger swimmer and more confident biker, there may be a triathlon in my future. Maybe. But I'm not putting this pressure on myself just yet.
For now, it's all about laying groundwork--getting fitter, having fun, keeping active, finding new things I love to do. Right now, it's about the journey, not the destination.
No comments:
Post a Comment